The Bulletin Poll: Top 50+ Voter Issues
Source: AARP Bulletin Today | March 2008
What do you know about Presidential campaigns?
Tell us what you really know about our October "What I Really Know" topic: Presidential campaigns. E-mail your essay of up to 400 words to whatiknow@aarp.org. Or mail it to What I Really Know, AARP Bulletin, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049. Please include your name, phone number and e-mail address. Deadline for September submissions: September 1.
Top Issues
How important are these issues in choosing whom to vote for in the presidential election? (Percentage responding “very important”)
| Issue | 50+ | 18-49 | Overall |
| Government competence | 82% | 74% | 78% |
| Social Security | 80% | 63% | 71% |
| Rising health costs | 79% | 71% | 75% |
| War in Iraq | 79% | 75% | 77% |
| Education | 76% | 77% | 77% |
| Terrorism | 74% | 73% | 73% |
| Lack of health care coverage | 73% | 67% | 70% |
| High prescription drug costs | 70% | 56% | 63% |
| National deficit | 69% | 56% | 63% |
| Increasing energy costs | 69% | 60% | 64% |
| Job growth | 66% | 66% | 66% |
| Inflation | 64% | 55% | 60% |
| Immigration | 63% | 54% | 59% |
| Expanding access to Medicare | 56% | 47% | 51% |
| Political ethics scandals | 49% | 44% | 47% |
| Mortgage/credit crisis | 48% | 44% | 46% |
| U.S. image abroad | 48% | 37% | 42% |
| Trade and globalization | 46% | 39% | 42% |
| Washington gridlock | 45% | 26% | 35% |
| Climate change/global warming | 44% | 41% | 42% |
| Personal debt | 44% | 39% | 41% |
Who Does It Better?
Who do you have the most confidence in creating jobs? Is it local, state or federal governments, business or individuals?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
15% |
36% |
24% |
17% |
6% |
|
50+ |
16% |
30% |
23% |
18% |
7% |
|
Overall |
16% |
33% |
24% |
18% |
6% |
Who do you have the most confidence in protecting the environment?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
9% |
16% |
47% |
4% |
21% |
|
50+ |
10% |
18% |
47% |
3% |
18% |
|
Overall |
9% |
17% |
47% |
3% |
20% |
Who do you have the most confidence in providing health care coverage?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
6% |
22% |
47% |
11% |
11% |
|
50+ |
5% |
18% |
47% |
7% |
17% |
|
Overall |
5% |
20% |
47% |
9% |
13% |
Who do you have the most confidence in keeping energy costs low?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
9% |
16% |
47% |
4% |
21% |
|
50+ |
10% |
18% |
47% |
3% |
18% |
|
Overall |
9% |
17% |
47% |
3% |
20% |
Who do you have the most confidence in providing income in retirement?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
4% |
11% |
42% |
11% |
29% |
|
50+ |
5% |
12% |
37% |
9% |
30% |
|
Overall |
5% |
11% |
40% |
10% |
30% |
Who do you have the most confidence in providing K through 12 education?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
24% |
50% |
17% |
1% |
6% |
|
50+ |
35% |
45% |
12% |
1% |
5% |
|
Overall |
30% |
47% |
15% |
1% |
5% |
Who do you have the most confidence in creating personal wealth?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
9% |
10% |
7% |
7% |
63% |
|
50+ |
9% |
8% |
9% |
7% |
58% |
|
Overall |
10% |
9% |
8% |
7% |
60% |
Who do you have the most confidence in helping disadvantaged populations (e.g. disabled, poor)?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
21% |
25% |
36% |
3% |
12% |
|
50+ |
18% |
30% |
34% |
1% |
10% |
|
Overall |
20% |
27% |
35% |
2% |
11% |
Who do you have the most confidence in making immigration policies that work?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
6% |
12% |
74% |
1% |
3% |
|
50+ |
5% |
17% |
67% |
1% |
3% |
|
Overall |
6% |
14% |
70% |
1% |
3% |
Who do you have the most confidence in keeping citizens safe from crime?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
57% |
22% |
14% |
* |
4% |
|
50+ |
59% |
22% |
10% |
* |
5% |
|
Overall |
58% |
22% |
12% |
* |
5% |
Who do you have the most confidence in fixing the mortgage market?
|
Age |
Local |
State |
Federal |
Business |
Individuals |
|
18-49 |
6% |
13% |
53% |
11% |
11% |
|
50+ |
5% |
11% |
49% |
13% |
11% |
|
Overall |
5% |
12% |
51% |
12% |
11% |
Saving Social Security: Good Ideas or Bad Ideas?
Social Security faces a financial shortfall within two decades. Which of the following sound like good ideas and which sound like bad ideas?
Having workers put some of their guaranteed income from Social Security into the stock market.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 29% | 68% |
| 50+ | 25% | 71% |
| Overall | 27% | 70% |
Phasing out Social Security and requiring people to rely on private retirement plans.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 21% | 76% |
| 50+ | 15% | 81% |
| Overall | 18% | 78% |
Raising to $160,000 (from $102,000 currently) the amount of wage income subject to Social Security tax.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 49% | 40% |
| 50+ | 53% | 34% |
| Overall | 51% | 34% |
Raising the age at which a person can collect early, reduced Social Security benefits from 62 to 65.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 43% | 52% |
| 50+ | 49% | 46% |
| Overall | 46% | 49% |
Health Insurance Coverage: Good Ideas, Bad Ideas?
In regard to health care, which of the following sound like good ideas and which sound like bad ideas?
Giving businesses more incentives to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 93% | 7% |
| 50+ | 93% | 4% |
| Overall | 93% | 6% |
Allowing individuals more tax deductions for medical expenses.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 88% | 9% |
| 50+ | 89% | 8% |
| Overall | 89% | 8% |
Expanding Medicare to be the 50-to-64 age group.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 58% | 38% |
| 50+ | 40% | 53% |
| Overall | 50% | 45% |
Requiring individuals to get health care insurance either from employers or by buying insurance with some help from the government.
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 67% | 29% |
| 50+ | 64% | 30% |
| Overall | 66% | 29% |
Who should be responsible for providing health care coverage?
|
Age |
Individuals only |
Governments only |
Employers only |
Individuals & employers |
Individuals & gov'ts |
Gov'ts & employers |
All three (shared) |
|
18-49 |
2% |
5% |
* |
20% |
4% |
19% |
50% |
|
50+ |
4% |
5% |
1% |
21% |
5% |
7% |
54% |
|
Overall |
3% |
5% |
1% |
20% |
5% |
13% |
52% |
The Deficit: Good Ideas or Bad Ideas?
Of the following proposals, which sound like good ideas and which sound like bad ones in terms of balancing the federal budget?
Ending recent tax cuts for people earning more than $200,000 a year
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 64% | 33% |
| 50+ | 64% | 31% |
| Overall | 64% | 32% |
Ending the war in Iraq
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 70% | 25% |
| 50+ | 67% | 26% |
| Overall | 69% | 25% |
Decreasing spending on domestic programs (education, health and human services, infrastructure, etc.)
| Age | Good Idea | Bad Idea |
| 18-49 | 26% | 72% |
| 50+ | 26% | 71% |
| Overall | 26% | 71% |
Voting Behavior
How frequently do you vote in federal, state or local elections?
| Age | Always | Usually | Sometimes | Never |
| 18-49 | 57% | 29% | 11% | 3% |
| 50+ | 76% | 17% | 6% | 1% |
| Overall | 66% | 24% | 9% | 2% |
How often do you vote for candidates belonging to your political party?
| Age | Always | Usually | Sometimes | Never |
| 18-49 | 26% | 41% | 24% | 6% |
| 50+ | 27% | 39% | 27% | 3% |
| Overall | 26% | 40% | 25% | 5% |
* less than 0.5%
Randomized phone survey of 1,414 likely voters age 18 and over conducted by Woelfel Research Inc. between Feb. 1-7, 2008.
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