Mark Weisbrot

Social Security is not in the midst of a financial crisis, Mark Weisbrot asserts in the following viewpoint. Weisbrot maintains that people who seek to reform or reduce Social Security are spreading inaccurate information. He argues that even if the economy grows at half its current rate, there will still be sufficient funds with which to pay the benefits. Weisbrot concludes that Social Security should be strengthened, not weakened, because it aims to help everyone instead of only a fortunate few. Weisbrot is the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, an institution that promotes democratic debate on important economic and social issues. He is also the co-author of Social Security: The Phony Crisis.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to a 1998 poll cited by Weisbrot, what percentage of adults aged 18 to 34 expect...