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NOVEMBER 5, 1998 11:21 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 2030 Center
Adam Luna (202) 822-6526

Voter Mandate: "Protect Social Security" What Does This Mean?

WASHINGTON - November 5 - Social Security was a top issue this election for voters of every age in all competitive House and Senate races. Both parties, and every candidate, pledged that protecting Social Security tops their agenda.

"Every politician is for `saving’ Social Security, but many are just playing word games," said 2030 Center Director Hans Riemer. "Many, in fact, support privatized accounts instead of Social Security. But replacing Social Security with privatized accounts would create huge cuts to guaranteed benefits and a higher retirement age. That would hurt present and future retirees, the disabled, and survivors. Privatization is not what voters meant when they said ‘protect Social Security.’"

In July, Hart Research conducted a national poll on Social Security, with an oversample of 18-34 year-olds for the 2030 Center. The poll analyzed different plans for reform and the costs associated with enacting them. The poll included a series of "dos" and "don’ts" for Congress. Voters’ top three messages to Congress:

The Don’ts of Social Security reform	Strongly Agree	Somewhat agree	Combined, age 18-34	Combined, all ages
Congress should NOT cut benefits or raise the retirement age for the purpose of funding individual investment accounts	65%	21%	86%	89%
Congress should NOT reduce guaranteed benefits for low-income retirees	76%	13%	89%	90%
Congress should NOT raise the retirement eligibility age to 70	67%	14%	81%	81%

The Dos of Social Security reform	Strongly Agree	Somewhat agree	Combined, age 18-34	Combined, all ages
Congress should protect the Social Security trust fund, making sure that it is spent for Social Security benefits and not for other purposes	86%	8%	94%	96%
Congress should ensure that current retirees are paid the benefits that they were promised	80%	16%	96%	97%
Congress should make sure that Social Security provides a guaranteed safety net that keeps all retirees out of poverty	80%	13%	93%	90%

Presumably in response to the Social Security mandate, Speaker Gingrich this morning proposed to put one-half of the Federal Budget’s Social Security Trust Fund surplus into privatized accounts. The other half would go for a tax cut. This proposal, however, would do nothing to improve the fiscal condition of Social Security. President Clinton maintains that the surplus should not be touched until a plan to save Social Security is in place.

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The 2030 Center is a public policy organization focused on economic issues and young adults.
The full poll is available on the internet at the 2030 Center homepage.