JONATHAN COHN SEPTEMBER 27, 2010
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The latest polls on health care reform have not been encouraging, particularly if you're a Democrat trying to win re-election. Overall, the public is ambivalent about the Affordable Care Act, with slightly more people disapproving of the law than approving of it. Health care may not be hurting Democratic candidates that much, but it doesn't seem to be helping, either.
But a new poll from the Associated Press is a reminder that negative feelings about the Act mask not only widespread confusion about the law but also a sense that it didn't go far enough:
A new AP poll finds that Americans who think the law should have done more outnumber those who think the government should stay out of health care by 2-to-1. ...
The poll found that about four in 10 adults think the new law did not go far enough to change the health care system, regardless of whether they support the law, oppose it or remain neutral. On the other side, about one in five say they oppose the law because they think the federal government should not be involved in health care.
As always, I wouldn't read too much into the verdict of any one survey. But it does seem clear that the extreme views you hear from Republican days, that government has no place meddling seriously in health care, is a minority view.
5 comments
This is an excellent example of how Democrats have failed. This was historic legislation and they did nothing to sell it. Too many even inside the party, supposedly (aka Nelson and Lieberman) were out to gut to gut or kill it, and they suffered no kinds of repercussions among the caucus. Don't blame progressives for being down in the dumps. Party leaders have done a lousy sales job.
- tnmats
September 27, 2010 at 10:05am
I don't blame progressives for being down in the dumps (although as a moderate liberal myself, I'm not in the dumps, just appalled at the mindless obstructionism of the GOP). I will blame progressives, and anyone else with any sanity, if they don't vote against the right-wing Republicans in November. I was raised to think of voting as a civic duty. It didn't matter whether I was excited about any of the candidates; there are always significant differences, and our duty is to go to the polls (or vote absentee/advance, whatever) and vote for the better choice. Anyone who calls themselves progressive and who doesn't see a big difference between the Democrats and the Republicans is just not thinking clearly. That said, I would love to see Senate Democrats live up to the GOP accusation that we "shove legislation down their throats", particularly on the tax rate issue. Bring a bill to the floor NOW that extends current rates through 2011 for income up to $1 million. Dare the Republicans to filibuster it. MAKE them actually filibuster for a few days, if they choose. Then rule the filibuster out of order and pass the tax bill anyway with a "mere" majority. What would the Republicans do then? Challenge a tax cut for 99% of Americans in court? Go on Fox and cry "boo-hoo, the Democrats crammed a tax cut for 99% of Americans down our throats!"??
- bjones
September 27, 2010 at 11:26am
BJones: I agree with most of what you said, but being frustrated with and critical of the Democratic party is not the same as refusing to vote for them. I maintain my right to be pissed off at the way Obama has mismanaged the politics of these first two years, but that doesn't mean I'll take out my frustration by staying home on election day, or by refusing to campaign for Sestak these next few months--I won't. It's very frustrating when posters here treat any criticism Democrats as somehow equivalent to a refusal to vote and organize.
- Curran1
September 27, 2010 at 12:13pm
Sorry, I don't really mean to equate the two things; indeed, I want to distinguish between criticism of Democratic officials and not voting or campaigning. The concern I have arises from the polling which indicates greater "enthusiasm" on the part of GOP voters, and more importantly, a greater likelihood they will turn out. There was a poll last week (CNN/Times I believe) which showed 4 Senate seats as being won by several points by the Democrats, when the survey was among registered voters; but when the same question was asked of "likely voters", the Republican narrowly won! Glad to hear you're helping Sestak - a fine candidate. (Unfortunately, here in Georgia we are unlikely to send a Democrat to the Senate anytime soon. So I sent a check to the DSCC.)
- bjones
September 27, 2010 at 12:51pm
Well said Curran, well said.
- tnmats
September 27, 2010 at 3:16pm