CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL
The President, Social Security and Iraq
June 10-15, 2005
q1 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as
President?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
42
84
13
37
51
12
82
51
7
4
5
12
May05c
%
46
48
6
q2 Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do
you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?
Right direction
Wrong track
DK/NA
33
61
6
70
26
4
10
85
5
26
64
10
34
60
6
q3 What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?
War in Iraq
Economy/Jobs
Terrorism (general)
Health Care
Social Security
Moral Values/Family Values
Education
Foreign Policy
The President/George W. Bush
Gas/Heating Oil Crisis
Immigration
Medicare, Medicaid
Defense / Military
Attn. to domestic affairs
Religious Values
Budget Deficit/Nat’l Debt
Other
DK/NA
19
18
6
5
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
14
6
13
11
11
3
4
5
4
2
0
4
4
2
2
1
3
2
23
6
25
23
2
4
5
2
3
5
6
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
11
6
17
17
6
6
4
5
2
3
3
4
3
2
2
3
1
2
13
7
May05b
19
19
7
4
5
2
3
3
1
4
3
0
1
1
3
2
10
6
q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling foreign policy?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
39
51
10
76
17
7
15
78
7
33
51
16
May05c
40
50
10
q5 How about the economy? Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is
handling the economy?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
39
76
17
31
56
19
80
60
5
5
3
9
May05c
%
38
56
6
q6 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with
Iraq?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
37
59
4
73
23
4
13
85
2
31
62
7
38
57
5
q7 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the campaign
against terrorism?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
52
40
8
83
11
6
31
62
7
49
42
9
58
36
6
q8 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling Social Security?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
25
62
13
52
32
16
9
84
7
20
65
15
26
62
12
q9 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
33
53
14
40
48
12
34
53
13
27
57
16
May05b
29
55
16
q10 How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good,
fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad?
Very good
Fairly good
Fairly bad
Very bad
DK/NA
4
50
32
13
1
9
72
12
6
1
1
32
46
20
1
3
50
34
11
2
May05c
3
49
34
13
1
q11 Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?
Better
Worse
Same
DK/NA
18
36
45
1
40
14
46
0
6
53
41
0
14
36
47
3
17
33
48
2
q12 Do you think George W. Bush has the same priorities for the country as you have, or
not?
Has
Does not have
Don't know/No answer
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
35
75
10
28
61
23
89
65
4
2
1
7
May05c
%
34
61
5
q13 Do you think Congress has the same priorities for the country as you have, or not?
Has
Does not have
DK/NA
19
71
10
28
63
9
16
76
8
15
71
14
May05b
20
68
12
q14 Do you have confidence in George W. Bush's ability to make the right decisions about
Social Security, or are you uneasy about his approach?
Confident
Uneasy
DK/NA
27
66
7
59
35
6
8
88
4
22
70
8
Apr05a
25
70
5
q20 From what you know, do the Republicans in Congress have a proposal to change Social
Security, or don't they have a proposal?
Have a proposal
Don't have a proposal
DK/NA
44
30
26
53
26
21
40
32
28
40
32
28
q21 From what you know, do the Democrats in Congress have a proposal to change Social
Security, or don't they have a proposal?
Have a proposal
Don't have a proposal
DK/NA
24
46
30
22
54
24
29
37
34
20
47
33
q22 From what you know, does George W. Bush have a proposal to change Social Security,
or doesn't he have a proposal?
Has a proposal
Doesn't have a proposal
DK/NA
77
14
9
85
8
7
73
18
9
74
14
12
q23 Regardless of how you usually vote, do you think the Republican Party or the
Democratic Party is more likely to make the right decisions about Social Security?
Republican party
Democratic party
Both (vol.)
Neither (vol.)
DK/NA
31
48
1
7
13
72
14
3
3
8
6
81
1
4
8
24
42
1
12
21
31
48
1
5
15
q24 Which do you think is more important for the Democrats to do right now - work to keep
Social Security as it is now, or offer an alternative to George W. Bush's proposals?
Keep Social Security
Offer alternative
Both (vol.)
DK/NA
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
24
19
29
23
67
73
66
63
1
0
1
2
8
8
4
12
q27 Some people have suggested allowing individuals to invest portions of their Social
Security taxes on their own, which might allow them to make more money for their
retirement, but would involve greater risk. Do you think allowing individuals to invest a
portion of their Social Security taxes on their own is a good idea or a bad idea?
Good idea
Bad idea
DK/NA
45
50
5
** HALF SAMPLE **
70
26
44
26
69
48
4
5
8
May05c
47
47
6
q42 How much have you heard or read about the changes George W. Bush is proposing to make
to Social Security -- a lot, some, not much, or nothing at all?
A lot
Some
Not much so far
Nothing at all
DK/NA
25
51
17
7
0
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
23
29
22
56
52
48
16
15
19
4
4
11
1
0
0
May05c^
26
45
21
8
0
^Varied wording: How much have you heard or read about the changes George W. Bush is proposing to
make to Social Security, that is allowing people to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes
on their own and receive reduced Social Security payments from the government when they retire -- a
lot, some, not much, or nothing at all?
q43 Would you say that the more you've heard about the Bush Administration's proposals on
Social Security the MORE you've liked them, or the more you've heard about the Bush
Administration's proposals on Social Security the LESS you've liked them, or haven't you
changed your mind about them?
More
Less
Haven't changed mind
DK/NA
Haven’t heard proposals
12
42
34
5
7
27
20
43
6
4
3
66
24
3
4
9
36
36
7
12
q44 Regardless of what you'd like to see, do you think George W. Bush will be able to
make his proposed changes to the Social Security system,
or won't he?
Will make
Won't make
DK/NA
Haven’t heard proposals
25
59
9
7
35
53
8
4
21
68
7
4
22
56
11
12
q45 From what you have heard or read, do you think that George W. Bush's proposals would
result in fundamental changes to the Social Security system, or would they be minor
changes to the system?
Fundamental changes
Minor changes
DK/NA
Haven’t heard proposals
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
51
50
56
46
36
40
34
36
6
6
7
7
7
4
3
11
q46 From what you have heard or read, if George W. Bush's proposed changes to Social
Security are made, who do you think it would affect most - mostly younger people or
mostly older people?
Younger
Older
Both equally (vol.)
Neither (vol.)
DK/NA
Haven’t heard proposals
65
21
4
0
3
7
75
15
1
1
4
4
63
26
5
0
2
4
58
21
7
0
2
12
q47 Do you think those changes would make [YOUNGER/OLDER/PEOPLE] better off or
worse off?
Better off
Worse off
DK/NA
*AMONG THOSE WHO MADE A CHOICE IN Q46*
Total
Younger
Older
%
%
%
30
35
16
61
54
77
9
11
7
q48 From what you have heard or read, if George W. Bush's proposed changes to Social
Security are made, who do you think would benefit most - high income people, middle
income people, or low income people?
High income
Middle income
Low income
All equally (vol.)
None (vol.)
DK/NA
Haven’t heard proposals
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
52
26
73
53
19
36
10
16
12
20
6
11
2
4
0
2
1
0
1
1
7
10
6
5
7
4
4
12
q49 President Bush has proposed some specific changes to Social Security. He proposes
that future increases in Social Security benefits would be smaller for most Americans,
but people with the lowest incomes would continue receiving increases in their benefits
as they do now. People would be offered the option of investing some of their Social
Security taxes in personal accounts. Do you think, in general, this plan for Social
Security
is a good idea or a bad idea?
Good idea
Bad idea
DK/NA
43
48
9
68
26
6
26
68
6
41
47
12
q54 Do you think the Social Security program really is in a crisis, or are we just being
told there is a crisis so that the political leaders can make changes to the program that
they want?
Real
Just being told
DK/NA
** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
***** Party ID *****
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
56
70
45
56
36
21
50
35
8
9
5
9
Jan05b
%
50
40
10
q55 Looking back, do you think the United States did the right thing in taking military
action against Iraq, or should the U.S. have stayed out?
Right thing
Stay out
DK/NA
45
51
4
78
19
3
22
74
4
40
53
7
May05c
47
49
4
q56 How would you say things are going for the U.S. in its efforts to bring stability and
order to Iraq? Would you say things are going very well, somewhat well, somewhat badly,
or very badly?
Very well
Somewhat well
Somewhat badly
Very badly
DK/NA
7
33
34
26
0
16
53
23
8
0
2
18
44
36
0
5
31
33
30
1
UNWEIGHTED
1111
WEIGHTED
Total Respondents
Total Republicans
Total Democrats
Total Independents
337
379
395
311
383
417
Half Sample (q27)
562
562
5
36
31
26
2