Survey: Republican voters say no to entitlement program cuts
Survey: Republican voters say no to entitlement program cuts
By Chelsea Keenan
Republican voters want the deficit reduced, but they don’t want to reduce it by cutting Social Security or Medicare, an AARP survey showed.
AARP, with the help of GS Strategy Group, conducted a survey of 400 likely Iowan Republican caucus goers age 18 and older, and found that about 64.5 percent oppose cutting Social Security to reduce the deficit and 67.3 percent oppose cutting Medicare. The survey was conducted from Oct. 17-18.
“People believe they have paid into it their entire lives. They believe they earned it because they have paid into it, and they believe they need it,” said Greg Strimple, founder of GS Strategy Group.
AARP and GS Strategy Group also surveyed voters in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida – all of the states heading to the polls in January. The surveys showed that across the board, voters want the government to explore other means of reducing the deficit – even if that means making cuts to national defense.
When given the choice between cutting Social Security and Medicare or withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 60 percent prefer withdrawing troops.
Strimple said the survey results reveal a serious disconnect between what Washington wants and what voters want.
“One of the goals of the project is to educate the candidates and the electorate about where people stand on Social Security,” Strimple said.
In addition to conducting the survey, AARP is launching a video voter’s guide featuring one-on-one interviews with Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Perry. Mitt Romney and Herman Cain were invited to participate but declined.
The candidates will talk about their views on the economy, how to produce jobs, Social Security and Medicare. The interviews will air on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. on Mediacom channel 22 and online at aarp.org/youearnedit.
Republican voters want the deficit reduced, but they don’t want to reduce it by cutting Social Security or Medicare, an AARP survey showed.
AARP, with the help of GS Strategy Group, conducted a survey of 400 likely Iowan Republican caucus goers age 18 and older, and found that about 64.5 percent oppose cutting Social Security to reduce the deficit and 67.3 percent oppose cutting Medicare. The survey was conducted from Oct. 17-18.
“People believe they have paid into it their entire lives. They believe they earned it because they have paid into it, and they believe they need it,” said Greg Strimple, founder of GS Strategy Group.
AARP and GS Strategy Group also surveyed voters in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida – all of the states heading to the polls in January. The surveys showed that across the board, voters want the government to explore other means of reducing the deficit – even if that means making cuts to national defense.
When given the choice between cutting Social Security and Medicare or withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 60 percent prefer withdrawing troops.
Strimple said the survey results reveal a serious disconnect between what Washington wants and what voters want.
“One of the goals of the project is to educate the candidates and the electorate about where people stand on Social Security,” Strimple said.
In addition to conducting the survey, AARP is launching a video voter’s guide featuring one-on-one interviews with Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Perry. Mitt Romney and Herman Cain were invited to participate but declined.
The candidates will talk about their views on the economy, how to produce jobs, Social Security and Medicare. The interviews will air on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. on Mediacom channel 22 and online at aarp.org/youearnedit.
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