New Poll Shows Support for "Stop the Raid" Proposals
In an op-ed in Tuesday's Washington Times, Gary Andres from Dutko Research argues Capitol Hill Democrats' "do nothing" approach to Social Security will soon become a political liability as the debate moves toward the actual drafting of legislation. Interestingly, Andres's research also indicates significant public support for proposals to stop the raid on the trust fund by using it to finance personal accounts:

"Finally, we tested voter reaction to recent discussion about using the Social Security surplus to create personal accounts and found voters supportive (59 percent to 37 percent). Not surprisingly, Republicans are most favorable toward the proposal (76 percent). But a strong majority of independents (62 percent) support this approach, as do 40 percent of self-identified Democrats."

Archived Polls

New Zogby Poll Shows Majority Support Personal Accounts for Social Security

A majority of likely voters (52-40%) favor proposals to allow younger workers the choice to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes in personal accounts, according to a new poll conducted by Zogby International for the Cato Institute. Younger voters support the chance to invest by an enormous majority (66-23% among voters under 30).

The poll also found that Americans believe that opponents of President Bush's Social Security reform proposals have an obligation to put forward an alternative plan to solve the financial crisis that is about to engulf the current system. By an overwhelming 70-22% margin, voters said that Democrats should come up with proposals of their own. Even 55% of Democrats believe this.

Americans are highly skeptical that the current Social Security system will be able to cope in the near future. By a 62-30% margin, voters do not believe that Social Security will be able to pay all promised future benefits. Unsurprisingly, skepticism is particularly strong among younger voters with over 70% believing that Social Security will be unable to pay the benefits promised by the federal government.

As in past polling undertaken by Zogby International for the Cato Institute, the most important reason given by reform supporters for backing personal accounts is the strongly held belief that payroll tax contributions belong to the people paying them and that it is their money and they should be allowed to control it. This view was true for every ethnic and age group polled, except African-Americans, who chose inheritability as their biggest reason for supporting personal accounts.

The poll also found a significant red state/blue state divide. Voters living in red states support personal accounts by a 57-36% margin. Blue state voters are more closely split, supporting accounts by only 48-44%. Significantly independents support accounts (55-33%) as do self-described moderates (though by a narrow, 48-45% margin). Of major note, 53% of union workers supported personal accounts.

Older voters are less supportive of Social Security reform, with opposition hardening the older voters become. Voters over 65 years old oppose the introduction of personal accounts by 52-40%; those over 70 by 55-38%.

"This poll reflects three realities," said Mike Tanner, director of Cato's Project on Social Security Choice. "First, Americans understand the current Social Security system is in need of reform. Second, that allowing people the opportunity to own their retirement savings should be a fundamental component to any reform plan. And finally, doing nothing is not an option."

The poll of 1,006 likely voters was conducted May 23-25, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.

Most Americans
As President George W. Bush's 60-day Social Security tour comes to an end, the latest FOX News poll finds that a large minority of the public is unclear on the voluntary nature of his personal investment proposal. In addition, the poll shows most Americans favor giving individuals the "right to choose" between keeping their Social Security contributions in the current system and putting a portion in an investment account, and just over half say they personally would want the choice to invest some of their contributions.

Opinion Dynamics: Personal Accounts, Sooner Rather than Later

A new Fox News-Opinion Dynamics poll demonstrates both strong support for personal accounts and the need for swift action by Congress to avert a Social Security crisis.

Do you favor or oppose giving individuals the choice to invest a portion of their Social Security contributions in stocks or mutual funds?

How soon do you think changes to the Social Security system need to be made to avert a crisis?

Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News Methodology: Telephone interviews to 900 American registered voters, conducted on Mar. 29 and Mar. 30, 2005. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Pollster: Social Security polls shifting
"Today's cursory polling on Social Security underestimates the shift that's coming toward support for personal accounts. "As voters know more, there's going to be a lot of surprising movement in the polls..."

Washington Post poll: 56% support personal retirement accounts; strongest support since 2000
9g. Would you support or oppose a plan in which people who chose to could invest some of their Social Security contributions in the stock market?

	Support	Oppose	No Opin.
3/13/05	56	41	3
12/19/04	53	44	3
7/15/02	52	45	3
4/22/01	53	46	2
10/30/00 LV	52	45	3
10/30/00 LV	58	35	8
9/6/00 RV	59	37	4
5/10/00	64	31	5

Majority Supports Personal Accounts
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.

Social Security Gaining Support
Forty-five percent of respondents to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll said they supported changing the system to allow investment in private accounts, while 39 percent said they would prefer to leave the system basically as it is -- the first time a plurality has been in favor of privatization since a NBC/WSJ poll from 2000.

Private investors back Social Security Choice
Fifty six percent of private investors back Social Security Choice, reports the Boston Herald.

New Polls Show Support for Social Security Choice
September 26, 2004--Forty-three percent (43%) of voters say relying on the government for Social Security benefits is riskier than letting workers invest for their own retirement. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that a nearly identical number, 42%, believe that letting workers invest is the riskier approach. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters believe that most workers would have higher income in retirement from a personal account. However, 30% believe that most workers would enjoy higher income by accepting government benefits. On all questions involving Social Security, there are tremendous differences by age and party affiliation. Working age Americans are far more likely to believe they will be better off investing on their own. Fifty-two percent (52%) of American favor a proposal that would allow workers to invest their Social Security payroll taxes in a personal retirement account. Thirty percent (30%) oppose the idea. However, a Rasmussen Reports survey found that support for letting workers invest increases dramatically (to 63%) if protections are put in place to insure that anyone who wants to remain in the current system can do so. Sixty-four percent (68%) of Republicans think workers should be allowed to invest along with just 40% of Democrats.

Growing Support for Personal Accounts
According to a new Quinnipiac University poll, 52 percent "support allowing individuals to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes in the stock market." 39 percent are opposed; 10 percent don't know. (March 16-22, +/2.3)

Support for Individual Accounts Still Strong
Two-thirds of voters support a proposal to allow younger workers to privately invest a portion of their Social Security taxes through individual accounts, according to a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll taken late last month. According to the poll, 67 percent of voters supported giving people the choice to invest privately up to 5 percent of their Social Security contributions. Twenty-four percent opposed the proposal. The poll of 900 registered voters was conducted by telephone January 21–22, 2004, in the evenings. It had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.

Social Security ‘Important’ Election Issue To 79% of Americans
Seventy-nine percent of Americans say Social Security will be extremely/very important in helping determine their vote in this year’s upcoming election. Addressing Social Security in Election 2004 is more important to voters than Medicare.

Source: “Terrorism Tops List of Key 2004 Election Issues: Education, Iraq, and economy also prominent,” by Jeffrey M. Jones (Gallup News Service)

Personal Accounts Would Move Country in Right Direction
Fifty-nine percent of State of the Union speech watchers thought Bush’s policy on Social Security, allowing workers to invest Social Security in private accounts, would move the country in the right direction. Their positions changed, from 47% to 38% (right vs. wrong direction) before the speech, to 59% to 35% afterward.

Source: “Speech Watchers React Positively to Bush's Message: But lower ratings than last year,” by David W. Moore (Gallup News Service)

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