The Nation - News from April 23, 1989

A new Gallup Poll finds as much support for an increase in the budget for Social Security (46%) as for maintaining the current spending level (47%) and very little backing (3%) for a decrease. Government programs for the elderly are similarly endorsed: 50% favor an increase, 45% would maintain the status quo and 3% favor cuts, the survey found. Fifty-six percent would oppose raising taxes on Social Security payments to the same rate as taxes on ordinary income, while the same percentage of respondents oppose limiting the amount Medicare pays for the elderly’s annual health care bills. Almost as many (45%) are opposed to reducing cost-of-living increases for those on Social Security.