Page 4-Friday, May 22, 1981-The Michigan Daily
Public doubts
Reagan Social
Security plan

I

NEW YORK (AP)-Americans are
seriously worried that the Social
Security system will go broke before
they can receive any benefits, but they
don't see President Reagan's plan to
save the system from bankruptcy as
the way to solve the problems, an
Associated Press-NBC News poll says.
This lack of enthusiasm for the
Reagan plan does not mean the public
has a clear idea of how to solve Social
Security's problems. There is,
however, some public support for
limiting benefits or using general tax
revenues to fund the system.
AMERICANS have a remarkable
lack of confidence in the soundness of
the Social Security system, which now
collects taxes from 115 million workers
and their employers and pays benefits
to 36 million people.
About three-quarters of the
public-74 percent-said they have lit-
tle or no confidence that the Social
Security system will have the money to
pay their retirement benefits. Only 22
percent of those questioned said they
have complete confidence or a great
deal of confidence that the system will
have the funds available. Four percent
of the 1,599 adults interviewed nation-
wide by telephone Monday and Tuesday
were not sure.
To start with, 45 percent of the public
said they had not even heard or read
about the proposals.
OF THOSE who had, feelings were
mixed. Nineteen percent favored the
proposals and 20 percent opposed it.
Seven percent favored some of the
proposals and opposed others. Nine
percent were not sure.

The financial keystone of Reagan's
plan was soundly rejected by the
public.
Only 28 percent of those who are
aware of the plan said they support the
proposal to cut back benefits for future
retirees by about 1 percent. Fifty-eight
percent opposed that suggestion and 14
percent were not sure.
REAGAN'S PLAN to slash benefits
for those who retire after age 62 but
before 65 drew a bit more support. For-
ty-three percent favored that
suggestion, while 48 percent opposed it.
The rest were not sure. The public's at-
titude toward the Reagan proposal does
not mean they have a firm idea of how
to solve Social Security's financial
problems.
As with all sample surveys, the
results of the AP-NBC News polls can
vary from the opinions of all Americans
because of chance variations in the
sample.
For a poll based on about 1,600 inter-
views, the results are subject to an
error margin of 3 percentage points
either way because of such chance
variations. That is, if one could have
talked to all Americans in the country
with telephones this week there is only
one chance in 20 that the results would
vary from the results of polls such as
this one by more than 3 percentage
points.
Experts have voiced repeated war-
nings over the past decade that the
Social Security system faces a variety
of financial problems because of high
inflation, high unemployment and low
productivity and because of the
changing makeup of the American
population.

In Brie f
Compiled from Associated Press and
United Press International reports
Withdrawal of Lefever
nomination urged by Percy
WASHINGTON-Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Charles Percy has
privately urged the withdrawal of President Reagan's nomination of Ernest
Lefever to be the administration's point man on human rights, Senate and
White House sources said yesterday.
But the president is standing firm on the nomination, and "we would hate
to embarrass" Percy if he makes a public issue of the case, a top State
Department official said.
Richard Fairbanks, assistant secretary of state for congressional
relations, said any request to withdraw Lefever's name "will not be
followed."
Lefever, who has been accused of ignoring human rights abuses by right-
wing governments, faced two days of tough questioning this week before the
Senate committee.
Agreement near on tax cut
WASHINGTON-The Reagan administration, after sending signals that it
was not "locked in concrete" on its multiyear tax cut, is nearing agreement
on a compromise 25 pereent cut in personal tax rates over three years,
congressional sources say. The first reduction would come Oct. 1.
House Democratic Leader Jim Wright, who has held several strategy
sessions with White House aides, told reporters yesterday a compromise
seems close at hand. He predicted that any agreement would include a
multiyear tax cut, to please Reagan, and more tax relief for middle-income
families than the president proposed, to gain support of Democrats.
There was little substantive comment from the White House on the latest
indication that it was softening its position on the size and shape of its
proposed 30 percent, three-year tax cut.
Young seeks city tax hike
LANSING-Detroit Mayor Coleman Young said he sees no alternative to
an increase in the city's income tax and urged lawmakers to act fast on
legislation that will place the issue to voters June 23
However, Gov. William Milliken said the resounding defeat of Proposal A
probably will make it harder to secure lawmakers' approval of the bills.
The city faces a $135 million deficit which must be cleared up by the end of
its fiscal year Sept. 30.
The measures-now before the House Taxation Committee-allow in-
creases in both the city's resident and non-resident income taxes. Young
wants the resident tax hiked from 2 percent to 3 percent and the non-resident
levy increased from .5 percent to 1 percent. If lawmakers refuse to include
the non-resident hike in the bills, Young wants the resident levy increased to
4 percent.
The bills must clear the House by next Thursday in order for Detroit voters
to decide on them in a special June 23 election. But non-residents would not
have a say in the matter.
Committee approves child
auto restraint requirement
LANSING-A Senate committee, after viewing grisly slides of auto ac-
cidents, voted in favor yesterday of a bill requiring that young children be
properly fastened down when riding in cars.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted 3-2 to pass a bill mandating a
$25 fine for those who do not restrain passengers under age four in proper
carseats or safety belts.
"When my first child was two years old, I was riding with another gen-
tleman and we hit a truck," said Sen. Harry DeMaso (R-Battle Creek), a
supporter of the bill. "My child was on my lap and hit the window and I did
too. I'll never forget seeing the blood come out of his mouth."
The bill drew a personal appearance from Secretary of State Richard
Austin who said child safety is a "badly neglected" area.
'Noticeably improved' Pope
leaves bed to give Mass
ROME-Pope John Paul II, "noticeably improved" from terrorist bullet
wounds, donned a white shoulder cape over his hospital gown and celebrated
Mass sitting in an armchair yesterday.
John Paul has been saying Mass every day since last Friday in his bed gnd
without any religious garments, but yesterday he wore the cape and sat in a
chair to celebrate Mass with two of his private secretaries-the Rev. John
Magee of Ireland and the Rev. Stanislaw Dziwisz of Poland.
The 61-year-old pope also ate semi-solid food and spent more than an hour
conferring with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Agostino Casaroli. The
pontiff had almost no fever, and doctors said they expect to declare today
that he is out of danger.

SEE PEACE CORPS REPS AT CAMPUS INN (769-
2200) ON MAY 27TH, 28TH & 29TH, OR CALL
PEACE CORPS DETROIT OFFICE, COLLECT.
(313) 226-7928