WILLisms.com: The Democrats' Negligence.

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The Democrats' Negligence.

Earlier this week, Harvard University's Institute of Politics released its Survey of Student Attitudes: The Global Generation (.pdf).

In it, college students expressed deep concerns about Social Security:

Click for .pdf version of the study.

Meanwhile, in Harvard's study, students were asked which of two approaches to dealing with Social Security they would prefer. Respondents had a choice between the following items:

1. Private Investment, with the risk that people might lose money.

2. Current System, with the risk that there might be a payout shortfall.

52% of the 1,206 undergraduates surveyed by Harvard from March 21 to April 4, 2005 chose the first option, private investment. Only 38% chose the second option, the status quo. If the second option had been "Current System, with its guaranteed benefit shortfall," perhaps even more would have supported the reform option. Also, the risk that people might lose money under a reformed plan is roughly negligible; no serious reform plan on the table today includes the possibility of betting on the wrong stock. On the contrary, personal account plans on the table would involve highly diversified portfolios resembling the Thrift Savings Plan available to employees of the Federal Government.

Thus, if the options were presented more accurately, there is little doubt students would support personal investment accounts in even greater numbers.

Meanwhile, what are the Democrats doing to solve Social Security's problems?

Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader:

Social Security Is Not In Crisis.

Representative Loretta Sanchez (California Democrat):

I’ve more important things to ask about than this silly Social Security thing.

Hillary Clinton:

Social Security is a problem, but it's not in my top five.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi:

Pelosi has ordered House Democrats to “oppose, not propose,” changes to Social Security, according to a well-placed Democrat.

Willful negligence is not a winning political strategy, nor is it good policy. Obstructionism is very lame indeed.

The DO-NOTHING DEMOCRATS strike again.

Posted by Will Franklin · 22 April 2005 03:05 PM

Comments

Will,
I'm diggin' the trippy dippy backgrounds for the head shots of our nation's "big players." Did your photographer catch them at a Woodstock Redux festival, or what?

I notice that Condi was there, too. I hope she stayed away from the punch.
-Steve

Posted by: Steve at April 22, 2005 05:05 PM

Of Course They Don't Need To Think About It! They aren't paying into Social Security for themselves! They have a real nice governmental retirement plan! Hilary has to think about running for President...
Loretta has to pluck her eyebrows and get a facial. They just don't care what our future generations are going to be like when they are suddenly the older american. These people we Americans have elected, have forgotten now that they are in office that they are suppose to be working for us! Instead they are in a continual partisan fight to get nothing done!
Perhaps IF our elected officials had to pay into social security themselves they MIGHT not think it is so silly and unimportant!

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at April 23, 2005 08:03 AM

Harry, Loretta, Hillary,and Nancy don't need to think of Social Security as a crisis! They can think of S.S. as silly and not a prority... These elected officials have voted themselves a really nice retirement! They are so self centered. They aren't thinking of the American people. Who incidentally, are suppose to be working for Us!!...Americans young and old alike need to wake up and see the light! We are paying their salaries! They are draining ours and taking our future generations down a downhill rocky trail.

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at April 23, 2005 09:18 AM