Of all the age groups to antagonize, Bush has picked the worst one.
In the debate over adding individual investment accounts to Social Security, the president gets the strongest support from the youngest voters. But they make up the age group that is least likely to vote and was least likely to support him in November.
He’ll face the most opposition from older voters. They are the most likely to vote and were the most likely to vote for him in 2004.
A USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday found that most young voters support private accounts even if that means cuts to guaranteed benefits. By 55%-42%, those under 30 call it a “good idea.”
But the older the voter, the stronger the opposition. By 63%-33%, those over 50 call it a “bad idea.”
Those under 30 tend to be Democrats — this was the only age group to back Kerry in November — so their tacit, inch-deep support for privatization doesn’t mean much. Social Security is hardly the kind of issue that will cause mass defections to the GOP.
Older voters — the kind who tend to vote in large numbers, even in mid-term elections — were willing to back Bush on Election Day, but are now learning that Bush is trying to gut Social Security, which happens to be near the top of the older voters’ list of concerns.
If there’s some kind of wisdom in the politics of this scheme, it’s hiding very well.