Poll Shows Continued Slide on Bush Soc. Sec. Plan

NEW YORK – A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows that public skepticism toward President Bush's Social Security plan hasn't eased since April, with Americans by 56 percent-36 percent margin calling it a "bad idea" to allow workers to invest Social Security contributions in the stock market, The Journal reported Thursday.

Bush has tapped a popular idea with the suggestion of trimming future benefits more for higher-income seniors than for lower-income seniors if cuts become necessary. But just 14 percent of Americans -- the same as in January before Bush's overhaul campaign -- say the Social Security system is "in crisis."

Support for the administration's initiative has dropped among older Americans, whom Bush has tried to reassure by saying they would be unaffected. By 58 percent-29 percent, those 65 and over say the country is "off on the wrong track."

"Seniors are pretty riled," McInturff says, and if it persists "that has consequences in midterm elections."

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 5/19/05