Posted Jul 14, 2010 at 9:49 AM by Maurice Berger
According to a new National
Journal/Pew Research poll, 47% of Americans continue to disapprove of the health care law; 35% approve; and
17% had no opinion. The poll also found sharp partisan divisions in the perception of the law: "82% of Republicans
disapprove, while only 17% of Democrats disapprove. Independents track
closer to the overall sample: 52% disapproved of the law, while 30%
approve."
Tagged: 2010, health insurance, healthcare, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Voter Enthusiasm
Posted Jul 01, 2010 at 9:01 AM by Maurice Berger
An in depth survey from the Kaiser Family
Foundation suggests that Americans are becoming increasingly supportive of the new health care reform law. This month, the number of respondents approving of the legislation is actually higher than disapproving: 48% support the law, while 41% had an unfavorable opinion. Just a month ago, the levels of support were reversed, with 41% approving and 44% against.
Tagged: 2010, health insurance, healthcare, President Barack Obama
Posted Mar 29, 2010 at 8:58 AM by Maurice Berger
It does not appear that President Obama has received more than a slight improvement in his approval numbers, a week after in historic victory in congress. Last Sunday, Obama's three-day rolling average reported a 46% approval and 48% disapproval rating. As of this Sunday evening, the numbers are reversed 48.0% approve to 46.5% disapprove--an aggregate +3.5% improvement in his overall performance numbers. The two daily tracking polls--Rasmussen and Gallup--show no movement at all (with a slight decline in the latter survey). The president's numbers in the coming weeks will give us a clearer picture of the effect, if any, of his historic victory on his approval rating.
Tagged: 2010, presidential approval ratings, President Barack Obama, health insurance, healthcare
Posted Mar 23, 2010 at 8:59 AM by Maurice Berger
A new Kaiser Health
Tracking Poll, suggests that Americans do not fully understand the provisions and details of the health care legislation just passed by congress. For example: "Only 15% of Americans, for instance, know that the nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Office has said the legislation will decrease the
federal budget deficit over the next 10 years. And 55% believe the CBO
has said the legislation will increase the deficit over that period."
Tagged: 2010, health insurance, healthcare, US Congress
Posted Mar 09, 2010 at 9:07 AM by Maurice Berger
A new Gallup survey reveals that "Americans remain more confident in the healthcare reform
recommendations of President Obama (49%) than in the recommendations of
the Democratic (37%) or Republican (32%) leaders in Congress. But these
confidence levels are lower than those measured in June, suggesting
that the ongoing healthcare reform debate has taken a toll on the
credibility of the politicians involved."
Tagged: 2010, health insurance, healthcare, President Barack Obama, US Congress
Posted Feb 05, 2010 at 1:47 PM by Maurice Berger
The public often forms opinion based on the overall contours of an issue--rather than inside-the beltway details--an observation that seems particularly true of its reaction to health care reform. A Pew Research poll reveals that just 32% of Americans know the health care reform bill received no support from Republican Senators; just 26% know that 60 votes are needed to break a filibuster in the Senate. And, as other polls have confirmed, even fewer understand the basic provisions of a bill that is both cumbersome and has remained mostly unexplained to the American public.
Tagged: 2010, healthcare, health insurance, President Barack Obama, US Congress
Posted Jan 19, 2010 at 10:11 AM by Maurice Berger
So-called "Blue Dog" Democrats--moderate Democratic Senators and congressmen in marginally conservative or Republican districts or states--are suffering because of the unpopularity of the health care bill now working its way through congress. A prime example, Sen. Ben Nelson who has campaigned hard to sell Nebraskans on his vote to support the bill: "Nelson, who once enjoyed some of
the highest job performance marks in the U.S. Senate, has now seen his
approval rating dip below 50 percent in Nebraska, according to The
World-Herald Poll. Nelson said the poll results come as no
surprise, especially since Nebraskans have been 'bombarded' with
millions of dollars in 'misleading advertisements.' He said he expects that people will come to appreciate the health care bill. In the survey, Nelson's job approval rating was 42 percent and his
disapproval rating was 48 percent. By comparison, Republican Sen. Mike
Johanns of Nebraska, who voted against the bill, had a 63 percent
job-approval rating."
Tagged: 2010, healthcare, health insurance, US Senate RACE CHART, Nebraska, Blue Dog Democrats
Posted Nov 19, 2009 at 9:02 AM by Maurice Berger
In another sign that the nation may be growing somewaht more conservative of the issue of abortion, a new CNN/Opinion Research poll finds that 61% of "adults oppose using public funds to pay for
abortions for women who may be covered by a government health insurance
system, and 51 percent say women covered by private insurance should
not have coverage that pays for abortion . . . 56% favor creating a federally run
health insurance program to compete with private insurance companies,
and 66 percent said state governments should not be allowed to decide
whether the federal insurance would apply everyone in the state."
Tagged: 2009, abortion, healthcare, health insurance
Posted Nov 18, 2009 at 9:06 AM by Maurice Berger
According to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, Americans are evenly and "deeply" divided" on the heath care reform proposals
before Congress: 48% support the proposed changes while 49% are opposed. One positive sign for supporters of the legislation: "The
Democrats have made some progress among at least one key group. Support
among senior citizens, while still broadly negative, is up 13 points
since September to 44%. Seniors have also tilted back toward Obama when matched head to head
with congressional Republicans on dealing with health-care reform,
helping the president to a 13-point advantage over the GOP on this
issue."
Tagged: 2009, healthcare, health insurance, US Congress
Posted Nov 10, 2009 at 9:33 AM by Maurice Berger
One thing PollTrack will be monitoring very closely over the next few months is the relationship between the president's approval rating and the success or failure of the health care legislation currently working its way through congress. At the moment, high unemployment numbers and the looming deficit has taken their toll on independent voters--their loss from the Democratic fold representing the single most important factor in the party's losses in Virginia and New Jersey last week. Will the success of health care legislation--such as last Saturday's victory in the house--help to offset dissatisfaction among independent voters? The answer may well spell a continued Democratic majority next November or Republican gains. Stay tuned for analysis of this issue relative to the president's overall standing with voters.
Tagged: 2009, President Barack Obama, presidential approval ratings, healthcare, health insurance
Posted Oct 28, 2009 at 8:54 AM by Maurice Berger
A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll reports that support for the so-called "public option"--a government-run insurance plan--at its highest level
since the debate began with 48% in favor of the idea while 42% oppose
it.
Tagged: 2009, health insurance, healthcare, Voter Enthusiasm
Posted Oct 12, 2009 at 9:49 AM by Maurice Berger
According to a new Rasmussen survey, a majority of US voters oppose the provision in health care legislation that would require young and healthy Americans to either buy health
insurance or pay a $750 annual penalty for not having it. 55% of U.S. voters now oppose that proposal; just 32% of
voters think young and healthy Americans should be forced to purchase
health insurance or else pay a penalty. 14% are not
sure. Among voters ages 18 to 29, 29% favor the provision, known as “the individual mandate,” while 57% are opposed to it.
Tagged: 2009, healthcare, health insurance
