Pollster Rasmussen Says Public Supports Social Security Choice

September 5, 2001

Scott Rasmussen, one of America's leading political pollsters told a forum at the Cato Institute that American voters support the idea of giving workers an option of investing their Social Security taxes in individual accounts. According to Rasmussen, who was in town to promote his new book, A Better Deal: Social Security Choice, giving workers control of their money and more options for retirement was more important to voters than simply keeping Social Security solvent. However, he cautioned that the issue could backfire unless seniors were convinced that their benefits would not be endangered.

Rasmussen also said that politicians who support individual accounts need to be aggressive on the issue, touting the benefits of Social Security choice, not simply playing defense in the face of anti-privatization attacks. He warned that politicians who only let the voters hear one side of the issue are going to be hurt by it. But those who reassure seniors while offering young workers the opportunity for ownership, control, choice, and higher returns, will find voters very receptive to their message.

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