Social Security -- The Tide is Turning

Interesting polling news on Social Security reform and personal accounts, coming from RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, as reported by Rich Lowry at The Corner...

Support for Personal Retirement Accounts has increased. According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, fifty-six percent (56%) of Americans support allowing workers to invest some of their Social Security contributions in the stock market, while 41% oppose such an idea. The number of Americans who support PRAs has increased by a net of 6% since last December, when 53% supported the plan and 44% opposed it. This is the highest level of support for PRAs since the Post first asked the question in 2000.

Those eligible for Personal Retirement Accounts see benefits from them. According to a recent Pew poll, among those eligible for Personal Retirement Accounts, 56% believe investment would bring higher benefits; just 12% predict lower benefits and 55% would invest if given choice.

Once PRAs are explained, a majority of Americans support them. According to the Democracy Corps poll, 40% of Americans support PRAs before they are explained, while 51% oppose them. However, after a plan for voluntary personal retirement accounts is explained, support rises to 54%, while 45% remain opposed.

Let's keep explaining, folks. The Left seems to think the battle is over, as evidenced by Jacob Weisberg's column at Slate. I think the Left hopes that by acting like they've won, people might believe it. Of course, they also thought John Kerry was electable about this time last year. Jim Geraghty makes a strong point...

It seems lately that a lot of folks on the left and in the anti-reform camp are declaring loudly, "Fight's over, we win!" Bush and the pro-reform forces are in a long-term game to shift public attitudes — and to portray (or reinforce?) the Democrats as the all-opposition, no-ideas party of cranky naysayers.

The only real deadline Bush faces on this is Jan. 20, 2009 (although he obviously would love to get a substantive proposal passed before the midterm elections). There may not be enough public support for a serious Social Security reform plan... today. But the outlook for Bush's tax cuts, education reform, the establishment of the Homeland Security Department, Medicare prescription drug benefit, tort reform and other proposals looked dire at times, too.

Of course, there's always the idea that Social Security privitization already took place, as evidenced here. I'm going to Las Vegas to investigate the matter.