Most Americans support SS reform

[ivolsky]

"Most Americans support reforming Social Security so that contributions can be invested in the stock market, but many do not like having to raise the national debt by as much as $2 trillion to pay for the new system, and a solid majority would not put their own Social Security money into stocks, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll."

63% of those surveyed said there would not be enough money for social security
25% thought the system was in a crisis
49% believe the system has "major problems,"
53% support allowing people to invest Social Security contributions in the stock market,
44% oppose it, the poll shows.

So, the president has not been able to convince Americans that the system is in crisis. In 1998, 34% thought the system was in crisis, now only 25% do. Support for reform has also decreased from four years ago. In 2000, 64% supported the idea and 31%opposed it.

Progressives need to frame this debate in terms of a responsibility to senior citizens. 'The President is trying to weaken social security and is undermining the trust of our seniors.' Social Security is healthy and successful. There is no crisis. According to the social security trustees, the program can pay full benefits until 2042 with no changes. The CBO puts the date at 2052.

Private accounts on the other hand, have high administration costs. According to Bush's own commission, the accounts will cost 10 times as much to administer as the current system. Also, Bush's chief economic advisor Gregory Mankiw has suggested that the Bush plan would require a large reduction in benefits. "A worker, who is 20 today, would see a cut of approximately 1/3 in his or her retirement benefit."

Social security needs to be discussed in these terms. If a 20 year old person is asked, "would you like to see a cut in your social security benefits" the answer will be no. However if he's asked "would you like to save or reform the system," the implication is that his benefits will increase and he will most likely answer in the affirmative.

more: www.politicalthought.net

[montanacowboy]

1. That's because they are S T U P I D

they don't stop to try and figure it out...dumb assholes

[Gothmog]

2. We need to be aggressive-Social Security is not in crisis

We need to be aggressive with the message that the social security system is not broke and there is no social security crisis. The system is solvent until 2053 or so and we have time to fix it in a thoughtful manner.

This is the message that we need to be repeating over and over to counteract the Bush spin.

[elehhhhna]

4. yeah only 25% "crisis" recognition? Roves losing his touch.

[elehhhhna]

3. Interesting missing statistic:

What percentage doesn't want to borrow to fund his scam?

[oneighty]

5. Why are the Bush* people concerned?

The end is near. We will all be dead. We live in the end times, it does not matter.

Yup! Only a few more years left to steal everything.

180

[katmondoo]

6. No WE don't

[bvar22]

7. "responsibility to senior citizens."

"Progressives need to frame this debate in terms of a responsibility to senior citizens."


I don't think so. In todays culture, GREED trumps responsibility to old people.


Progressive need to frame this debate as:

Bush and his RICH friends are trying to
STEAL YOUR RETIREMENT MONEY
just like ENRON!!!!

[quiet.american]

10. Works for me n/t

[EVDebs]

8. Chap. 8 of "Perfectly Legal" - How SS Taxes Subsidize the Rich

David Cay Johnston's book "Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich and Cheat Everybody Else" should be REQUIRED READING for everyone.

Especially Chapter 8. It shows how Reagan's 1981 tax cuts that benefitted the rich had to be paid for somehow...and in 1982-83 the Greenspan Commission was created for 'political cover'. The system worked so well that a surplus was eventually built up and raided --by both parties. This time around, as Paul Krugman's latest column
http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/5124983.html
shows us, the same crisis atmosphere is being created for more raiding, but this time Joe Sixpack is tapped out and can't afford any more raiding ! And at the same time, as the article in Businessweek, "The Benefits Trap" http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_29/b3892001_mz001.htmshows us it is the companies dumping retirement and healthcare benefits in order to become 'third world competitive'

""in the global economy, long-established U.S. companies are competing against younger rivals here and abroad that pay little or nothing toward their workers' retirement, giving the older companies a huge incentive to dump their plans. "The house isn't burning now, but we will have a crisis soon if some of these issues aren't fixed," says Steven A. Kandarian, who ended a two-year stint as the executive director of the PBGC in February. Kandarian is not optimistic about how that crisis might play out, either. "By that time it will be too late to save the system. Then you just play triage""

that is creating this problem. SS is in no crisis. Medicare/Medicaid will be once all the companies drop any kind of benefit program that a first world corporation worth its salt should have !

It is all part of the RACE TO THE BOTTOM. The lower and middle classes are subsidizing the wealthiest...This cannot sustain itself in a democracy. Even Warren Buffett wants to raise corporate taxes, not lower them ! See http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0306-01.htm

[quiet.american]

9. What percentage know Bush created the crisis? n/t

[EVDebs]

11. We already have private accounts...they're called buying an

annuity or setting aside money for an IRA ! The system ain't broke, so don't fix it !

[leesa]

12. This poll is HIGHLY doubtful. Most Americans do not want SS touched.

[durablend]

13. It's got KKK Rove's hoofprints all over it

Along with the smell

YEECH!

[elehhhhna]

17. you forgot "cloven"

[NightTrain]

14. It's not "reform," it's goddamned REPEAL!

Let's call a spade a spade, shall we?

[DireStrike]

15. This has nothing to do with people's opinions. There is NO CRISIS!

[JanMichael]

16. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW THE LIES ABOUT SS HAVE SUCCEEDED!!!!

Fucking idiots.

Read the goddamned CBO report.