Washington, DC, July 27, 1998 — The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released today the results of a poll conducted last week in Albuquerque by Rasmussen Research. The poll asked 500 Albuquerque adults their opinion on Social Security reform and had a margin of error of 4.5%. The results reveal a clear message: "Reform Social Security Now."

• What kind of reform is need in the Social Security program -- no change, minor changes, or major changes? 59% major changes, 24% minor changes, 9% not sure, 8% no change,.
• Is the current Social Security System fair or unfair? 48% unfair, 37% fair, 15% not sure.
• Which is the fairest approach to Social Security – a government program that provides assured benefits for all or a program that allows individual workers to manage their own retirement account? 54% allowing workers to manage their own account, 33% government program, 13% not sure.
• Is it important to reform Social Security now, or is it better to wait five or ten years? 81% now, 9% better to wait, 10% not sure.
• Would you favor or oppose a law that allows workers to manage their own Social Security retirement funs through personal investment accounts? 61% favor, 26% oppose, 13% not sure.

"These results are consistent with what people are saying all over the country," commented Tom Miller, Director of Economic Studies at CEI. "We need to reform Social Security now and stop jeopardizing our children’s future."

Currently, CEI is running radio and print ads in Albuquerque alerting people to the importance of reforming Social Security now. The radio ads, featuring the "Social Security bus", run through tomorrow and the print ad is in today’s Albuquerque Journal and Tribune. For more information about CEI’s Social Security reform project or to hear the ads, go to CEI’s web site: www.cei.org.

CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan research and advocacy institute dedicated to the principles of free markets and limited government. For more information or to obtain a copy of the poll, contact Emily McGee at 202-331-1010.