Poll: Social Security Accounts Opposed

WASHINGTON -- A survey -- conducted by Democratic pollster Celinda Lake and GOP pollster Ed Goeas -- found that 17 percent of Americans feel Social Security is the No. 1 problem confronting President Bush and Congress, MarketWatch reported.

The next highest readings were for the economy and healthcare, which were each identified as the top issue by 8 percent of respondents to George Washington University's latest bipartisan "Battleground 2006 Poll" released Thursday.

When Bush's plan was described as "privatization," the term favored by Democrats and once used by proponents of accounts, the survey found that 60 percent opposed, while 32 percent favored. When the plan was described as "personal retirement accounts," the administration's favored term, voters still opposed the concept by a margin of 53 percent to 37 percent.

Goeas said other measures to shore up Social Security, including tax hikes, benefit cuts and raising the retirement age are even more unpopular than accounts. Ultimately, if nothing is done to shore up Social Security, Democrats run the risk of being punished by voters for failing to offer plans of their own, he said.

The nationwide survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted March 7 to 9 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 3/24/05