Contact: Laila Hirschfeld
(202) 448-6161
lhirschfeld@usaction.org

(Washington, DC)—Almost 70 percent of voters in congressional districts represented by members of the House Ways and Means Committee oppose President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security, according to a poll released Tuesday by USAction Education Fund.

The poll found that 72 percent of voters in Ways and Means districts think the Bush Social Security plan will cut their Social Security benefits, 69 percent think the Bush plan will make Social Security weaker, and 68 percent said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Bush Social Security plan.

"These results confirm what we've known all along," said USAction Education Fund Civic Engagement Director, Alan Charney.  "Americans do not want their Social Security to be privatized."

While the poll was conducted in Republican districts, two out of three opposed privatization regardless of party affiliation, age or gender.

"It didn’t matter how old or young the respondents were, if they were male or female, Republican or Democrat," said Charney.  "The results show an overwhelming rejection of Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security."

The poll was released after six months of heavy campaigning by Administration officials to sell the President’s privatization scheme.  In fact, each of the eight states where the poll was conducted has been visited at least once by officials to sell the President’s ideas.

"The only crisis facing Social Security is the president’s threat to privatize it," said Charney.  "No matter how much debate on the topic, Americans clearly oppose privatization and benefit cuts."

The automated poll, conducted between July 14th and 20th by Strategic Consulting Group sampled nine congressional districts: CO-7, CT-5, FL-16, FL-22, IA-1, IL-11, IN-2, MN-3 and PA-3.  The poll has a margin of sampling error of +/- 1.8 percent.

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USAction Education Fund is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to research and education concerning issues of racial, social and economic justice.  The organization works with partners in 24 states to help increase civic participation and consumer advocacy.  Members of the media who wish to interview USAction Education Fund President Marti Rosenberg should contact Laila Hirschfeld at (202) 448-6161.