NCSL has recommended some level of Social Security investment in order to increase returns, but has not tied itself to any one plan. There are various ways to do that, but the idea overall makes sense. This is an issue that will not go away, it gets heated and emotional, and it's one that constituents may expect state legislators to have an opinion about. The constituents who are collecting Social Security are very likely to be voters. People of all ages collect Social Security-it's not just a retirement program.
Benefits go to the disabled, surviving spouses, children of a deceased worker and orphans.
And people over 65 tend to vote. For this age group, the percent voting has stayed the same since 1964, while it has steadily and significantly fallen for all other age groups. So it seems clear that Social Security beneficiaries vote in greater numbers than the rest of the population, and they will continue to do so. State governments are employers. Social Security issues also should be a direct concern for legislators because state governments are major employers.