US: Economy, Health Care (Quinnipiac 12/15-20)
Emily Swanson | December 22, 2009
Topics: poll
Quinnipiac
12/15-20/09; 1,616 registered voter, 2.4% margin of error
Mode: Live telephone interviews
(Quinnipiac release)
National
State of the Country
26% Satisfied, 74% Dissatisfied (chart)
Obama Job Approval / Disapproval
Economy: 44 / 51 (chart)
Health Care: 38 / 56 (chart)
Creating Jobs: 37 / 56
State of the Economy
7% Excellent/Good, 91% Fair/Poor
28% Getting Better, 28% Getting Worse, 43% Same
Who do you trust to do a better job handling the economy - President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?
45% Obama, 36% Reps in Congress
Do you think President Obama's policies have helped the economy, hurt the economy, or haven't made a difference?
37% Helped, 28% Hurt, 31% No difference
Looking forward, do you think President Obama's policies will help the economy, will hurt the economy, or won't make a difference?
49% Help, 29% hurt, 17% No difference
Do you think that the 200 billion dollars left over from the bank bailout should be used for a stimulus package to create jobs or should it go to reduce the federal budget deficit?
52% Jobs stimulus, 42% Reduce deficit
Who do you trust to do a better job handling health care - President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?
45% Obama, 40% Reps in Congress
From what you've heard or read, do you mostly approve or mostly disapprove of the proposed changes to the health care system under consideration in Congress?
36% Mostly approve, 53% Mostly disapprove (chart)
Which comes closer to describing your own views...
31% The president and Congress need to take on health care reform now, and I support the proposals currently being considered
28% The president and Congress need to take on health care reform now, but I don't support the proposals being considered
36% I don't think the president and Congress should take on health care reform right now?
Do you support or oppose giving people the option of being covered by a government health insurance plan that would compete with private plans?
56% Support, 38% Oppose
Do you support or oppose allowing Americans ages 55 to 64 to purchase Medicare coverage?
64% Support, 30% Oppose
Do you support or oppose allowing abortions to be paid for by public funds under a health care reform bill?
23% Support, 72% Oppose
President Obama has pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our federal budget deficit over the next decade. Do you think that President Obama will be able to keep his promise or do you think any health care plan that Congress passes and President Obama signs will add to the federal budget deficit?
18% Keep promise, 73% Add to deficit
Do you agree or disagree with the following - overhauling the nation's health care system is so important that it should be enacted even if it significantly increases the federal budget deficit.
37% Agree, 56% Agree
By Emily Swanson | December 22, 2009 9:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)
Comments
These polls indicate that majority of Americans wants health care reform now. The 28% who don't support the proposals being considered are largely mixture of democrats and independents and a small number of republicans. Overall, good for the democrats.
Also, voters trust Prez Obama on health care proposals than the republicans and that's a welcome news. Additionally, most of the Obama and democratic signatures issues ranging from public option, medicare buy-in, etc. have plurality of support. It's also heart warming to know that majority of Americans want the savings from the bailout money be used for the proposed job bill.
Notwithstanding, I don't think any prez should make policies based on polls. In most cases, majority of Americans are lazy to read the bills themselves and rely of pundits and radio talk shows who cling on and spew talking points instead of educating the public. Such talking points tend to confuse the public. I think the public are blamable for failing to understand some of these issues.
Finally, before medicare was passed, it had only 28% at a time when congress was not very polarized as today. I, therefore, urge the democrats to introduce public option and medicare buy-in after the senate version of the legislation is passed.
Posted on December 22, 2009 2:18 PM
It indicates Americans want Health Care reform that will actually help fix the system, not make it worse or the same like this HC bill.
I'm not sure how its heart warming that people want money that is borrowed to be spent to create temporary jobs that won't provide for economic growth long term and get out this recession. I think that is sad.
You cant blame the public when its a 2100 pages. The politicians don't read the 2100 pages of the bill either, be lucky to have aides read it.
Posted on December 22, 2009 3:32 PM
"You cant blame the public when its a 2100 pages."
I am so tired of people saying, "it's too long!" It reminds me of my students who don't like having to read one 250 page book over a month's time.
Have you ever read any legislation? Have you ever read any legal document at all? My insurance documents were about 100 pages. I've seen bills of sale that are dozens of pages.
Even a relatively simple bill is two or three hundred pages long, let alone a complex one that changes already complex laws that are different in every state.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Many people just don't understand how our legislative process works. This is the first time in a long time that the legislative process has gotten a lot of media attention and I think people are surprised at it.
Posted on December 23, 2009 5:45 PM
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