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Common Ground on the Future: National and Iowa Member Opinion About 2006 Election Issues

AARP Member Opinion Research

by Susan L. Silberman, Ph.D., AARP Knowledge Management, AARP Research, July 2006

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National and State of Iowa election-issue opinions are examined in this AARP report of survey results for three separate populations: 1,000 AARP National members, 400 AARP members from across the State of Iowa, and 400 AARP members who reside in Iowa’s Congressional District #1.

Major survey results include:

Congressional District #1 Findings -

  • Almost nine in ten AARP members support allowing Medicare to use its bargaining power to negotiate lower prescription drugs prices.

  • Three-quarters of Iowa members support a Social Security plan to provide guaranteed benefits for future generations by balancing additional contributions from higher income workers with modest reductions in future benefits. This includes more than eight in ten Democratic members, more than seven in ten Independent members, and more than six in ten Republican members.

  • Almost eight in ten Iowa members oppose using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts, including nine in ten Democratic members, eight in ten Independent members, and almost six in ten Republican members.

State Findings -

  • Iowa members support reforming the State’s long-term care system (87%). At least eight in ten members, from all three political parties, support long-term care reform.

  • Increasing the state tobacco tax by $1.00 is supported by two-thirds of Iowa members. Slightly more Republicans and Independents compared to Democrats support this position.

National Findings -

  • Nine in ten AARP members across all political parties support allowing Medicare to use its bargaining power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

  • Eight in ten members oppose using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts, including nine in ten Democratic members, eight in ten Independent members, and seven in ten Republican members.

Between June 8th and June 11th, 2006, Woelfel Research, Inc. conducted this telephone survey for AARP. The author, Susan Silberman, may be contacted for more information at 202-434-6339. (65 pages).