Social Security reform is an issue that has been addressed by both Mel Martinez and Betty Castor as part of their focus on senior Floridians, health care, and the budget. A poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS during the 2000 election indicated that Floridians found Social Security was the second most important issue, with only Health Care receiving more votes (NY Times poll). Though national security has become very important in Florida since September 11th, Social Security continues to be a very salient issue, especially for younger workers and seniors.
Mel Martinez on Social Security:
- Keep the current system for seniors and middle aged workers
- Give younger workers the choice to invest a portion of their Social Security in "a safe private investment account” (www.martinezforsenate.com)
- Martinez has emphasized the support he has received from senior citizens’ organizations and has chosen to focus on reassuring seniors that Social Security will continue to be available (www.melforsenate.com).
- Martinez supports President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security, which is holding at least moderate support among republicans.
- According to a CATO Institute/ Zogby International poll at least two thirds of voters support privatization for younger workers (Troshinshy). Martinez represents most conservatives who feel that Social Security needs not only to be reformed, but that through privatization individuals will be able to exorcize much needed control over their own accounts.
- Martinez is successfully representing the majority of republicans who, especially in such a divided electorate, have gotten behind the president’s plan for privatization.
- Martinez is not representing conservative seniors, most of whom, according to the Zogby poll, fear losing benefits if Social Security is privatized.
Betty Castor on Social Security:
- Fight privatization because it puts Social Security funds into risky investments
- Protect current retirement age and benefits
- Castor has also chosen to focus on senior Floridians and may be more successful in articulating their fears about privatization of Social Security. The Zogby poll indicates that the lowest support for privatization is among those 65 and older.
- Castor is called a moderate by the Palm Beach Post and the Tampa Tribune as well as other papers (www.bettynet.com) and will hope to win over more traditional conservatives by gradually reforming Social Security as opposed to the more radical move to privatize.
- The Democratic Party opposes the president’s plan for privatization, feeling, especially in light of the recent business scandals, that privatization of Social Security is too risky and problematic.
- Castor is successfully representing her democratic constituency which is hesitant about the privatization of Social Security. She is also representing seniors who, despite being republicans, are fearful of losing benefits under Martinez. Castor may therefore may even be reaching beyond her traditional constituency.
Created on September 22, 2004 by Lindley Swartz
last updated September 22, 2004