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The number of people who think the new health-care law is a good thing has improved slightly from when it was passed, according to a new Gallup poll. In April, 49 percent of Americans thought the new law was a bad thing and 45 percent thought it was a good thing. The June poll shows support has switched, with 45 percent in the “bad” camp and 49 percent favoring. This is modest improvement, although it’s not statistically significant.
Most interesting, all of the improvement in support comes from Republicans.
The legislation actually loses some support among Democrats, remains steady with independents and takes a 14-point swing in favor among Republicans. This rise among Republicans may be statistical noise, or something real: the result of moderate Republicans taking another look at the bill in a less heated light. The legislation has changed very little about our health-care system, will eventually effect only modest change and won’t start really altering the landscape for several years. No death panels, no government takeover and no, almost, anything at this three-month mark.
It is possible that a small segment of Republicans swept up in the partisan frenzy against the law at the height of the fight now see that it’s merely a rehashed, modest GOP proposal. Nothing to get worked up over, and now they can focus on other, more pressing problems.
Before Democrats start getting too excited, remember this is a poll of all adults. This group is significantly more Democratic and liberal leaning than likely voters in the midterm. Based on this poll, it would be safe to assume that among the people who will actually go to the polls in November, slightly more still think the law is a bad thing than a good thing. With Americans now considering jobs, the economy and the oil spill as far more important problems than health care, how they view the new law might be less significant than those concerns when they cast their ballots.
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I guess the republicans calmed down when they realized it was pretty much their bill from the 90′s.
thanks jon — makes total sense to me — jobs, the economy, and the gusher in the gulf are gonna be what folks are thinking about when making their choices.
Wait. There’s no death panels? Oh, well — it ain’t all that bad.
[/GOP voter]
Hey, it means many, many more mandated customers for the health insurance companies, including all those younger, healthier people, whose premiums will no doubt more than offset the “pre-existing conditions” people whom they must also accept.
Perhaps of more significance is that, after a seemingly never-ending campaign by the Obama Administration to “sell” its health care “reform” to the American public…still another major polling organization shows a plurality (a number of polls show outright majorities in opposition to Obamacare) opposed to the legislation.
The new NBC News/Wall Sreet Journal Poll released today has similar numbers on the issue. (40% good idea-44% bad idea)
The Administration’s sell job is beginning to take on an air of desperation just 4+ months ahead of the November mid-terms, isn’t it?
Where is the 14 point swing among Republicans? I see only a 7 point swing.
The results are comparable to the AP poll last week: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/17/politics/main6591267.shtml
Like you said, it’s probably due to people who were frightened by all the rhetoric which has since died down. Let’s hope so. The other explanation is that more people are losing their health insurance.
7 point increase in good a 7 point decrease in bad
Re: Pre-existing conditions:
IIRC,
1) No Insurance company is compelled by law to sell anyone with pre-existing conditions or otherwise a policy.
2) An Insurance company can charge any premium it desires. It can therefore price a policy out of the financial reach of a person with pre-existing conditions.
3) Obama’s (and all the corporate Democrats who enabled it) health insurance reform is a sick joke.
I wonder what the slogan’s going to be for the midterms. The Fierce Urgency of 2014?
hahaha
Okay, I don’t want to debate math, because I suck, BUT here’s another example:
After Obama’s Sept HCR Speech
Good thing: 67%
Bad thing: 29%
Before Obama’s Sept HCR Speech
Good thing: 53%
Bad thing: 36%
CNN described this as a “14 point swing.” If I understand you correctly, you would describe it as a 14 increase in Good + 7 derease in Bad = 21 point swing.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/poll.obama.speech/index.html
In response to Zorba66 and Hackworth1
Pre-existing Conditions is addressed in Section 2704 and 2705 of the bill:
Starting in 2014, insurance providers cannot deny coverage to someone with pre-existing conditions or charge an exorbitant rate. To offset the cost to insurance companies, there is a mandate for most everyone to get a policy.
In polling I have always called the swing the net change from positive to negative or from one candidate to another. for example A 42% B 48% if it was than A 43% B 48% that is only a one point swing to A. If it is A 43% B 47% that would be a two point swing.
Huff.Post reports: “House and Senate Democrats still appear to be at an impasse over the regulation of derivatives.”
How much must the Dems do before Peogressives realize it’s not in our interests to reelect them?????????????????????? However bad the Dems we elected are, Progressives who reelect them because “at least they’re not Republicans” are WORSE. What’s that old addage, we get the Gov’t. we truely want? Well, I don’t know about that, but I do know our country reelected “Chauncey” Bush after all he did. When I voted for Obama & team & to give the Dems control of Congress I certainly didn’t expect this!
Butr, we have no tough decesion this time. If we reelect these corrupt, amoral, lying Dems, we certainly deserve to see a continuation of what we’re getting & worse.
Actually, I don’t find these results all that surprising. After all, the threat was that the bill portended Armageddon. The result of the bill has been nothing much yet. So, more people are OK with it.
Of course, once the mandate kicks in, lots of people are going to find themselves forced to pay for high-priced private insurance. I suspect that once the benefits aren’t free, people won’t like the current plan as much.
And who is going to tell them they cannot do these things? In many states, including California, denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions has been against the law for years. But companies still do it under other pretenses and all contestings must go through the state which is hopelessly backlogged and may not have an interest in enforcing the law anyway. Result: you die or become incapacitated waiting for your case to be decided.
This is almost the exact same set up for the national Health Insurance Law.The HealthCartel had all this figured out a long time ago and implemented their plans to the letter with Obama’s collusion.