Bush and the Republicans need to go to the people directly and explain things. People succumb to the Dems scare tactics and don't understand that the choice is NOT for a continuing fully funded Social Security, but whether we fix it now, or wait until it falls off the cliff.
Focus groups can be lead and manipulated but this report suggests these results came from Republican organized focus groups. Moderate wing Republicans maybe?
basic question to ask those polled...
"why do Congress and Federal and State employees accept such a "bad" system for themselves?"
If I had left the lousy $6,000 I pulled out from a state job in 1974, I would have .....well, a lot more money than that....
The proposal fails on the merits. Thus Bush cannot really make the case, and will not make the case.
No, Reps in Congress need to do something even more radical.
Stop the polls and fix it.
Just a few months ago Polls had Bush losing the election. A few months ago Americans were against the war. Pols that follow Polls are asking to be voted out as far as I'm concerned.
Do what is right and the public will more often than not reward you. Time for the Reps in Congress to try Leading.
Were they exit polling dead people?
I heard what the Dims had to say and it made perfect sense. Personal accounts are a bad idea!
I just fired off a letter to Fidelity Investments requesting that the blend my money in with everyone else's money. I told them that I want them to take 12% of every dollar I make for the rest of my life, then they can decide to give me back any amount they please whenever they feel like it!
</sarcasm*>
Private accounts are a case of good policy, but bad politics. If Bush wasn't open to private accounts in the 2000 and 2004 elections, he may have won PA, thereby shutting out any thoughts of the RATS taking control of the White House.
I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not. Conservatives have completely dropped the ball on this and allowed the Left to literally run over us on this issue. The Left has been making numerous phone calls to literally every district in this country attacking Bush and Congressmen for supporting SS reform without any response from conservative organizations. I have gotten about 4 phone calls alone attacking Congressmen Ron Lewis (R-KY), one of the safest members of the GOP caucus (normally winning with about 70% of the vote) over this and no response from any conservative organizations. Imagine the effect in marginal districts.
The conservative organizations better start educating the public about this issue or efforts at reform will be toast.
How convenient.
Bush needs to tell the Greedy Geezers (that's me) that if nothing is done their benefits will be cut or they can support him in his plan and keep their benefits coming...
I hope I don't offend anybody with this comment, but it's always been my experience that some people become increasingly fearful as they get elderly, and develop irrational fears.
Time and time again, the Dems utilize this tendency to create a culture of fear among the elderly whenever reform is proposed. I am just waiting for the photo op rally in which some poor 80 year old grandmother is convinced to block a door, stand in front of a moving vehicle, or some other stunt to beg some cold-hearted conservative politician to spare her from having to eat cat food.
Not that I'm against SS reform. It's just that since SS is Ponzi scheme, someone will end up getting screwed no matter what.
Yea, that's how I voted. I like the idea of the government managing my retirement. That way I can make sure I will get it. Otherwise I might just spend it and I am not very smart at the stock market. And I have not really seen any plan yet but that is ok 'cause I know whatever plan it is I will not like it.
Weaning a baby is difficult... the security and sustinance of the nipple is hard to give up but you have to ignore the crying and spoon feed your child. That's the challenge. My question is what is the plan for weaning America off of Social Security. Children will eat when mom denies them the nipple and offers a spoon. Is the government going to be the mother here? Will Americans be forced to invest or will they have the option of buying beer with that extra money? Given the option, most will by beer, cable, new TV, etc., and then end up being a "burden to society" when they're too old to work. So, where can I read about this plan?
I can't believe the GOP has done such a poor job of explaining this. Private retirement plans - 401ks etc. are extremely popular - those polled either don't understand or only the loony left were polled.
Socialist Security is economic abortion, especially of elderly Americans.
Well, frankly, I don't think any solution will be sufficient because of the demographics...it really doesn't matter how much money or how little money people have to retire on if there isn't enough people to do the WORK required to support society. Does it matter if you have a million dollars to spend if there is nothing to spend it on??? (Think post WWI Germany and its devastating inflation.) My wife works at a nursing home and they already have shortages of CNA's and LPN's even though they offer good wages; multiply the residents of nursing homes by a factor of two or three and simultaneously divide the pool of workers by a factor of two and imagine the results.