Most want no Social Security cuts

WASHINGTON — Most people say they are not willing to give up some of their Social Security benefits to save the poor from having their payments cut, as President Bush has proposed.

About 70 percent of people surveyed do believe Bush’s warning that Social Security is running out of money. But most also say they do not like the way the president is handling the issue, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

“I’m very concerned that Social Security will run out of money,” said Cindy Smith, a 47-year-old Republican from Las Vegas who had reservations about giving up her benefits to protect the poor.

“I would have to have more information about who those worthy lower income people are. We’re all here to help one another, but I’d need more information,” she said.

Many people are resistant to Bush’s proposal to have future retirees who are in the middle- and higher-income classes accept smaller benefit checks than they are now set to receive, in order to protect the benefits of the poorest Americans.

The president argues that younger workers in particular can offset the loss with proceeds from the private investment accounts he wants to establish.

Bush has said the current program will not change for workers age 55 and older

The poll, conducted for The Associated Press by Ipsos-Public Affairs, found that 56 percent of respondents are not willing to give up some guaranteed benefits, while 40 percent said they would. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents were opposed to losing any benefits.

“If I was guaranteed that the poor would get what they’re supposed to, that would be fine, but I’m not sure they would,” said Margaret Normandin, an 80-year-old Democrat from Laconia, N.H.

A majority of those making $75,000 or more said they would be willing to forfeit some benefits. Younger adults were more likely than older adults to favor an approach giving up some benefits while protecting the poor.

“That would be all right,” said Rich Culbert, a 31-year-old engineer who lives near Rochester, N.Y. “But that’s just me not expecting Social Security to be there.”

There generally is little public support for giving up benefits or paying higher taxes as a way to address Social Security’s financial problems.

“We all want to fix the problem, but we don’t want to pay much for it,” said Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who closely follows public opinion. “We want the wealthy to pay for it.”

Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster, said persuading the middle class to give up benefits is a hard sell.

“The middle class feels like it’s barely holding on,” she said. “And Social Security is perceived to be the original middle-class support program.”

One of the only proposals that gets support in polls is raising the $90,000 limit on earnings that can be taxed for Social Security. Bush has suggested he might consider this step, which is opposed by many conservatives, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

Republican pollster Whit Ayres, who has done extensive survey work on Social Security, said raising the cap would hurt small-business owners.

When asked whom they trust more to handle Social Security, 48 percent of respondents said Democrats and 36 percent said Republicans.

The president still faces strong opposition to his approach to Social Security, with 60 percent of those surveyed saying they disapprove. Even some who back his approach express doubts.

“I approve — except that he’s not getting anywhere,” said John Rose, a Democratic-leaning retiree from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “He should be doing a better job of selling it.”

The AP-Ipsos poll of 1,000 adults was taken May 2-4. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.