American Believe Social Security More Important Than Ever

Editor — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:22:52 +0000

On the eve of the 74th anniversary of Social Security, nearly nine in ten
(88%) Americans say Social Security is more important than ever as a
result of today’s economic crisis. Three-quarters of Americans say it is
critical to preserve Social Security even if it means that working
Americans have to pay higher taxes to do so, according to a poll
sponsored jointly by the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI)
and the Rockefeller Foundation.

The poll of 1,488 Americans, conducted between July 7-14 by the
Benenson Strategy Group, sends a strong message to policymakers
about the value that Americans place on Social Security benefits for
themselves and the country as a whole – with over 75 percent of
Americans saying that Social Security is or will be an important part of
their retirement and nearly half of recipients stating that they would be
unable to afford food, clothing or housing without it.

“The recession underscores the critical role Social Security fills for
working families and retirees across the nation,” said Kenneth S. Apfel,
Chair of the NASI Board of Directors and Commissioner of Social
Security from 1997 to 2001. “On the eve of the 74th anniversary of the
signing of the Social Security Act, it is striking to see how deeply
Americans value the program, they want to preserve and improve it,
and they are willing to pay for it.” See full survey report here

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American Believe Social Security More Important Than Ever