(Angus Reid Consultants - CPOD Global Scan)
Many adults in the United States believe their
countrys Social Security system faces major
hurdles in the future, according to a poll by International
Communications Research, the Washington Post,
the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard
University. 70 per cent of respondents believe the
program will eventually go bankrupt.
U.S.
president George W. Bush vowed to reform Social
Security during his re-election campaign. In his
Dec. 11 radio address, Bush warned that the system
"is headed towards bankruptcy down the
road" unless significant changes are enacted.
In
his Feb. 2 State of the Union address, the
president further explained his rationale to
create voluntary personal accounts for younger
workers, saying, "Your money will grow, over
time, at a greater rate than anything the current
system can deliver." 54 per cent of
respondents support a plan to create private
investment accounts where people could invest some
of their contributions in the stock market, while
57 per cent support a similar scenario with
personal investment accounts.
Polling
Data
Suppose
Congress doesnt take any actiondo you think
the Social Security program is likely to go
bankrupt eventually, or not?
|
|
|
Yes,
will go bankrupt
|
70%
|
|
No,
will not go bankrupt
|
28%
|
|
Dont
know
|
2%
|
Would
you support or oppose a plan to create private
investment accounts in which people who chose
could invest some of their Social Security
contributions in the stock market?
|
|
|
Support
|
54%
|
|
Oppose
|
42%
|
|
Dont
know
|
4%
|
Would
you support or oppose a plan to create
personal investment accounts in which
people who chose could invest some of
their Social Security contributions in the
stock market?
|
|
|
Support
|
57%
|
|
Oppose
|
40%
|
|
Dont
know
|
3%
|
Source:
International Communications
Research (ICR) / Washington Post /
The Kaiser Family Foundation / Harvard
University
Methodology: Telephone interviews to
1,263 American adults (First
Question), 612 American adults (Second
Question) and 624 American adults
(Third Question), conducted from Feb.
3 to Feb. 6, 2005. Margin of error is
3 per cent.
Other
poll highlights: Bush approval at 50
per cent; federal government spending;
why the system faces difficulties;
views on retirement; trust on
politicians to handle Social Security.
Complete
Poll (PDF)
|
