Income security in national poll
“Income security” — and it’s opposite, income anxiety — are among the themes David Brooks considers in a column in today’s New York Times. Here are a few key sentences:
As you’d expect, there’s a lot of economic anxiety in the country, spanning every income category. Sixty-four percent of Americans believe there are more risks that endanger their standards of living today than in their parents’ time.
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When asked what could best enhance income security, half of all Americans said it was a matter of individual responsibility, 19 percent said government regulations like increasing the minimum wage were most effective and 15 percent said government programs.
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My friend Ron Brownstein of The National Journal looks at the data and concludes that while Americans are still skeptical of government, they are open to rethinking what the social safety net should look like in the 21st century.
Americans appear to be looking for something like Citizen Dividends — an absolute personal and social safety net, plus greater individual liberty and personal responsibility.
I’m eager to read the complete column, and may post something about it tomorrow.
Steven Shafarman
Tags: David Brooks, New York Times, opinion polls, popular support