Poll: Bush More Popular than His Social Security Plan

Bush's Social Security Plan

Do you favor or oppose President Bush's proposed changes to Social Security?

Approval Rating

Do you approve of the job President Bush is doing?

The Social Security Issue

Would you say Social Security is in a crisis, has major problems, minor problems, or has no problem at all?

*Gray indicates "don't know" or "unsure" response.

During this week's recess, many members of Congress are at home, talking with constituents about President Bush's proposal to allow younger workers to put some of their Social Security taxes into private investments.

In a public opinion poll for NPR, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg and Republican pollster Glen Bolger survey voters' views on the president's signature domestic initiative allowing younger workers to invest some of their Social Security taxes in the stock market.

The results suggest that while President Bush's Social Security proposal itself is not popular, voters seem to give him credit for taking on the issue. Greenberg and Bolger say views of the plan break down according to age, with seniors largely resisting Bush's plan and younger voters more in favor.

Of the 800 people sampled, 39 percent identified themselves as either being Republicans or leaned toward the GOP, while 43 percent said they either were Democrats or leaned toward the party. Roughly 17 percent named another party or said they were independent.

The poll, conducted from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, has a 3.46% margin of error. It was handled by Public Opinion Strategies and Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner Research.