Peterson Foundation Survey Shows Voters Demand Social Security Plans

A survey of 2,500 registered voters by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation reveals that Social Security solvency is a critical issue in key battleground states, including Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. The data shows that 81% of respondents are more likely to support candidates who offer specific plans to avoid automatic benefit cuts rather than those who simply promise not to touch the program.

This urgency is driven by a Social Security Board of Trustees report projecting that the trust fund will be depleted by the fourth quarter of 2032. Such a depletion would trigger an immediate 22% across-the-board benefit cut, which the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates would affect 63 million Americans. Support for reform jumped from 49% to 91% once voters were informed of this projected depletion.

Voters expressed bipartisan support for raising the payroll tax cap on income above $184,500 and capping annual benefits for retired couples at $100,000. Conversely, respondents overwhelmingly rejected using increased government borrowing to solve the crisis. While the Peterson Foundation advocates for creating a commission to address the solvency crisis, the AARP prefers a transparent legislative process over a commission.