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Some pundits argue that public support for Social Security privatization is unaffected by stock market downturns. Other commentators contend that slim majorities in favor of privatization fade when financial markets decline or behave erratically. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses show that support for privatization rises and falls in tandem with the stock market, especially for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor?s 500 index, and an average of the major markets. Therefore, although public opinion toward privatization is generally favorable, support for Social Security privatization depends on how well the markets perform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]