The economy is shaping up to the top issue of this election year. How does that compare to the last election in 2008?

Heading into the election year, we speak to Frank Newport at Gallup about how Obama's economic policies are faring in the American public, and why the economy will be the biggest issue in 2012.

We speak to Frank Newport, editor-in-chief at Gallup, about how much Americans really care about the ongoing crisis in Europe.

We asked Gallup's editor-in-chief Frank Newport about whether Americans are pessimistic about the future, and how that compares to Americans of decades past.

This final note today, a comment on the value of being left alone, or at least not being observed while you're online….