According to a new CNN poll, 80% of Americans think Social Security has been positive for the country, including 70% of young adults and over 90% of senior citizens, the group who benefit the most from the program. Half of those surveyed said they would be open for a fix in the programs long-term issues, but the only negative from the survey came when it showed that 1/3 of Republicans actually believe that Social Security is unconstitutional. With big money coming from the radical right-wing money machine, that statistic is not surprising.
Republicans have waged an all out war on the countries most popular and successful program, Social Security. The program currently has a $2.6 trillion surplus and can pay 100% of its benefits out until 2037 and nearly 80% of its benefits out until 2057. The Republicans spew out down right lies about the program on a daily basis, claiming that the program is broke, out of date and as GOP Presidential hopeful Rock Perry says, a "Ponzi Scheme". All of these terms are based on what the Republicans do best, scare people. Fear mongering is one of the central points of conservative propaganda. The bigwigs in the GOP try to place blame on everyone, so each American feels like they are out for themselves in a race to the finish line with every other American. Currently, only the first $106,000 of a persons income is taxed for Social Security, so a person earning an income of $1 million dollars is only taxed on around 10% of their income, where someone making $40 thousand a year is taxed on 100% of their income. Raising or eliminating the cap completely is the simple and effective way at solving the long-term issue for Social Security, but the Republicans would rather privatize the program and put it into the hands of Wall Street or better yet, just get rid it completely.
While Republicans continue to cement their stance on being the party of big business and for the wealthy, the new CNN poll finds that Americans overwhelmingly want them to stay away from Social Security. The Republicans don't care much for programs that the poor and elderly benefit from, like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, because those people aren't the ones funding their campaigns. The big money donors don't rely on these programs, so according to Republicans, who needs them? The 2012 elections are only a year away, and if the GOP and its conservative base continue to blast these essential programs with false claims and tainted facts, the results of those elections won't be as pretty as 2010.
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