Pretty soon the Leftist media and pundits will be espousing the benefits of the AARP study, which found that 6-10 (59%) of the respondents disaprove of President Bush’s plan for Social Security privatization. Amazing how worked up people can get over a measly 4% of your FICA withholdings, isn’t it?
Here’s the problem. First of all, the study actively exluded not only those under 50, but those over 50 who are not AARP members. In other words, these are people who tend to agree with goals and agenda of the AARP to start with. The questions asked were leading and inflammitory. For instance:
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The Social Security program has no serious problems, certainly none that require changing the current system (21%)
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Social Security has minor problems that can be fixed with slight changes to the current system (24%)
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Social Security’s problems are serious and can be fixed only with substantial changes to the current system (26%)
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Social Security’s problems are so bad that the current system should be replaced (25%)
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Don’t Know (4%)
Leading.
4a. If creating private accounts out of Social Security funds will put more of your retirement savings at risk would you still favor or now oppose proposals for private accounts? (leading and inflammatory)
5. For each of the following pairs of statements, please tell me which one you agree with more:
5.1
1. A. Even though it will cost more than 900 billion dollars to set up private accounts, I still think that’s a good investment if it lets me invest part of my Social Security taxes in the stock market. 16%
2. B. Even though private accounts let me invest part of my Social Security taxes in the stock market, I do not think that they are a good investment if it will cost more than 900 billion dollars to set them up. 70%
3. Don’t Know 15%
More leading and inflammatory questions designed to elicit the response they want. 43% of the respondents are already on Social Security. 86% are white. 82% say they always vote in Presidential elections. 51% are retired or not working. 100% are ineligible to be a part of GWB’s plan.
Perhaps AARP would be willing to offer their plan for perusal? Oh, shit, wait a minute. Like the Democrats, they do not have one. My bad.
