Majority of Americans Want President to Use Veto Power

82.7 percent of Americans support a presidential veto of legislation containing unnecessary Congressional spending

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council for Retirement Security (CRS), a program of the nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots citizens organization Our Generation, has released a survey that found that 82.7 percent of respondents support a presidential veto to prevent Congress from spending money from the Social Security Trust Fund on other government programs.

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As part of its mission to improve the lives of senior citizens through awareness and advocacy, CRS mailed more than six million questionnaires on a variety of issues noted Rita Smith, the organization's executive director. "One of the program's main goals is to make sure the federal government is able to keep its promise to hardworking Americans.  People who paid into the Social Security system should be able to receive the benefits they have earned," Smith stated.  "Unfortunately, these benefits are being threatened by Washington's wasteful spending on pork barrel projects, our growing national debt and profligate deficit spending.  President Obama should listen to the overwhelming majority of Americans who think he should use his veto power to stop wasteful Congressional spending."

Smith said the use of the veto, which President Obama did not use in his first year in office, is the only way to prevent Congress from adding "earmarks" for special interests onto the hefty $3.8 trillion fiscal year 2011 budget the White House recently sent to Capitol Hill. "This budget already contains a $100 billion increase in spending, and we simply can't afford for Congress to ladle more unnecessary pork on top," she added.

Smith's group also urges President Obama to take more measures to curb out-of-control spending.  In particular, CRS also supports  the President's call in his State of the Union address for a freeze on discretionary spending with statutory spending caps — as well as veto any expenditure exceeding that limit.  "President Obama should  keep his campaign promise to reduce earmarks or eliminate them altogether," Smith said.

CRS is a program of Our Generation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 2009 to research, educate and promote long-term free market solutions to today's public policy concerns.  

Contact: Mark Slobodien, Phone: 732-689-4169

SOURCE Our Generation