Posted on 01/28/2005 9:52:13 AM PST by slowhand520
WASHINGTON--A majority of Americans agree that younger workers should be allowed to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes in individual accounts, according to a new poll conducted by Zogby International for the Cato Institute.
Despite a drumbeat of criticism for weeks by congressional Democrats and a concerted public relations campaign by powerful interest groups such as the AARP against Social Security choice, 51 percent of those polled by Zogby support the introduction of individual accounts. Only 39 percent opposed individual accounts being part of any Social Security reform.
Not surprisingly, the results showed a split along age lines, with younger voters (61 percent among those under 30, 58 percent of those under 50) strongly in favor of individual accounts, while those over 65 were opposed (55 percent against). However, opposition by seniors dropped to just 45 percent if they were assured that their own benefits would not be affected.
Reflecting the sharp partisan divide nationally, opinion of individual accounts also split along political lines. Republicans were overwhelmingly united behind the reform proposal, which is a priority of President Bush's second-term agenda (74 percent supporting, 14 percent opposed). Most Democrats remain opposed with 61 percent saying they are against individual accounts. However, a surprisingly strong minority among Democrats (more than 30 percent) favor individual accounts.
Independents polled leaned toward individual accounts, 45 percent to 40 percent, with a high proportion of undecided.
While few voters (14 percent) agreed with President Bush that Social Security was in "crisis," an overwhelming majority (61 percent) said that the New Deal-era system was facing "serious problems" that required "major changes." Few voters (5 percent) accepted the argument that Social Security is fine or could be fixed with only "minor, incremental changes" (19 percent).
When asked whether they believed private investing or the current Social Security system is riskier, voters split nearly evenly. Roughly 41 percent thought private investment is riskier, because "benefits could go down depending on how investments perform."
But slightly more (44 percent) thought the current Social Security system was riskier "because it cannot pay all the benefits promised." Again, voters split by age, with young people believing Social Security is riskier (52 to 39 percent) and seniors believing private investment is riskier (46 to 31 percent).
Voters were also supportive of another proposal rumored to be part of a Bush Social Security plan. By a 61 to 23 percent margin, voters backed a proposal to hold future benefit growth to the rate of inflation.
"Americans clearly understand the need for fundamental Social Security reform," said Michael Tanner, director of the Project on Social Security Choice at the Cato Institute, which commissioned the survey. "They are open to the message that individual accounts give workers greater ownership and control over their retirement income."
The poll of 1,004 likely voters was conducted in mid-January and has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent
So now we trust Zogby polls?
"So now we trust Zogby polls?"
ONLY when they support something we agree with. /sarcasm
I don't trust a Zogby Poll. But combined w/ someone else the special sauce is dilluted.
LOL ::snort::
Anyway, we've learned from the last election that polls are bunk. The only poll that mattered was in November 04.
BUSH and the GOP Congress controls the adjenda...Not the media, not AARP, not Zogby, not Moore, not Kennedy, not Jacque Chirac, not Kofi, etc...
Is this like matter and anti-matter collliding? Are we in an alternate universe?
Congressman Billybob
We have found out that the AARP polls was bia, asking inappropriate follow up questions and they DID NOT interview anyone under 30 years of age.........it was crap
Zogby polls are okay if you know how to decifer them.
Zogby says 51% support private accounts. In Zogby terms that means about 61% in reality support private accounts. You got to remember the Zogby anti-Bush negative padding thrown in.
You have to remember, too, that CATO is not necessarily always conservative. Its agenda can take it into the sphere of a leftist like Zogby, who if I recall was also rather on the Iranian/jihadist side during the last few years.
And will this majority also support a government handout in their sunset years when they have nothing because they have neither the skills nor inclination to handle investment wisely?
If Zogby polls without a dog in the fight, then he can be pretty good.
Zogby is nothing BUT agenda, if not for Iran and jihad, then for liberalism. That's he known to produce unreliable polls says something, frankly, about the reliability and judgment of the 'conservative' - CATO institute. People need to get their heads around that.
I don't trust Zogby either but these numbers are pretty much where I'd expect them to be. I think anyone under 50 who doesn't favor individual accounts is a fool and most likely a leftist. Only a leftwing idiot would rather have his money in the hands of the government instead of in the marketplace.
This shows once again Democrats are on the wrong side of the isssue. Pandering to the same old way of doing things.
No, actually the real opinions are probably something like 65% in favor of private accounts.
If the results are bad for the RATs, the reality is probably much worse.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.