This is unfortunately absolutely correct. Trying to get rank and file Americans to grasp the eventual logic of such programs as social security is very very difficult. I vividly remember trying to get my mother and her sister to understand what was fiscally poisioness about how the social security 'trust fund' worked. Neither (both were Repus) could or would grasp why paying beneficiaries straight out of current contributions was as a guarantee of disaster and would be prosecuted as fraud if an insurance company ran an equity program in the same way. It is almost impossible to get people to think beyond 'its my right, I'm entitled' mindset.
Yet, if we are going to really affect this nation's politics... it has to begin there.
If we take the attitude that it's too hard...or it's just simpler to vote third party and pat ourselves on our back for our stand...then we have resigned this nation to its demise.
There is a big difference between George W. Bush and John Kerry. There is a big difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. Big enough to affect any "conservatives" vote come this November.
Where they are equal is where the electorate demands them to be equal... on entitlements and spending. That isn't going to change until we reeducate the electorate to the harm they are doing to themselves and this nation.