ABOUT THAT CNN POLL…. A new CNN/Opinion Research poll was released this morning, asking respondents, “From everything you have heard or read so far, do you favor or oppose Barack Obama’s plan to reform health care?”
Putting aside the fact that the White House doesn’t exactly have one specific plan, the poll found that 50% support the health care reform proposal, while 45% are opposed. Whether one considers that good news or bad, I suppose, depends on one’s perspective.
I found it interesting, though, to see the trend in recent weeks. In late June, CNN/Opinion Research asked the same question. The poll results found, at the time, 51% supported Obama’s plan and 45% opposed it.
In other words, after the last four weeks of angry and contentious “debate,” one major pollster hasn’t found hardly any changes to public opinion at all. Steve M. added, “Those teabagging screamers are really moving the needle, aren’t they?”
There was also evidence that those defending the status quo aren’t winning people over.
The survey suggests that around seven out of 10 Americans think that major structural changes are necessary to reduce health care costs or provide insurance coverage to all Americans. At the same time, more than eight out of 10 people are satisfied with their own health care and nearly three out of four are happy with their own insurance.
That seems pretty relevant here. Most Americans have insurance and are largely satisfied. At first blush, that may make reform a tough sell.
But note that Obama’s “plan” still has majority support, and when asked if it’s “necessary” to make “major structural changes” to the health care system to guarantee universal coverage, 77% said it is.
Fox News personality Steve Doocy asked the other day whether it’s worth “blowing up the system” to help those who currently lack coverage. At least according to this CNN poll, a very strong majority, even after the misinformation campaign, believes it is.
