SUPPORT FOR PERSONAL ACCOUNTS DROPS
Bad news today for those working tirelessly to feed the Gimme Generation....it's looking less and less like you're going to get your own private Social Security account. In a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 909 adults, only 40% approved of President Bush's proposal for private accounts.
Amazingly enough, the scare tactics of the AARP and the Democrats are working. People are believing the lies that there is a trust fund, that George Bush wants to destroy Social Security and that they'll get more from regular Social Security than if a portion of it is invested. Again, those are all lies.
We have government schools to thank for people's ignorance about simple economics. They would rather accept a broken government program with no guarantee of benefits than a private account that will provide them with exponentially higher returns. It's too bad that the liars on the left are going to win this battle.
As the saying goes, people get the government they deserve.
In the middle of all of this it is important to remember just why Democrats are so anxious to preserve Social Security in its present form. It is all about control .. and nothing else. Democrats are constantly looking for a way to tighten their grip on the lives, the futures and the very security of the American people. People worry about retirement. That's understandable. You reach a point in your life when your earning power is limited .. your ability to work more so. You don't want to be scrounging in dumpsters for your next meal. At this point in your life freedom means very little. You've been free. You made your decisions. Some worked, some didn't --- but here you are in your late 60s and your thoughts are much more focused on security than on the freedom to make any more decisions in your life. For many the most important decisions they will be making from that point on will be which bingo game to go to and what color of scooter they want and when to change the oil in the Buick. You're old, you're fragile, you're vulnerable, and you're scared. Security is your main goal. You want to know where your next meal is coming from, where you're going to sleep tonight and whether or not you're going to be able to see a doctor tomorrow. Your total focus on security makes you a prime target for politicians. They know what you want, they know how important it is to you, and they know how easily you can be manipulated.
Social Security has been a prime vote getter for Democrats for over 50 years. In virtually every election since the end of World War II Democrats have told these frightened, vulnerable older citizens that if they dare to cast a vote for the Republicans they will lose their Social Security benefits. These frightened old people look at losing Social Security benefits as something tantamount to death. The lies of the Democrats are heeded .. and senior citizens become one of the most dependable Democratic voting groups out there.
But what happens with private accounts? When politicians control your Social Security checks, threats of having those checks taken away or reduced carry great weight. But what if those checks are coming from an account you own? An account you control, not the government? If the politicians don't have full control over your retirement accounts, how can they threaten you with its removal? The Democrats will say "Vote for a Republican and you're going to lose your Social Security." You think: "You idiot! I own the account! How am I going to lose it?"
The solution for Democrats? Make damn sure that you never own your own Social Security accounts. They can't allow even a small part of your Social Security benefits to come from an account you own. Today, 30%. Next year, 50%. The next thing you know you're counting on yourself for your retirement, not on the government. Bad news for Democrats.
But .. the idea seems to be dead for now. Dead because Americans, especially older Americans, are no longer in love with freedom and personal economic liberty. Security. That's the deal.