I noted in a post earlier today that in conservative Texas, where li’l chirrens are taught to hate liberalism from infancy, PPP finds that a solid 49/35 plurality thinks the state should accept the ACA Medicaid expansion. A bit later I ran across a big annual poll conducted by Georgia College in that state which showed Georgians favoring the Medicaid expansion by a 60/30 margin, even as they opposed Obamacare by a 50/45 margin.
Now it’s possible that this typical gap between support for Medicaid expansion and for the overall Affordable Care Act reflects a shrewd appreciation of the excellent fiscal deal states could get from going along with the expansion. It’s also possible that it’s at least partly attributable to support for Medicaid as opposed to the private insurance-centered Obamacare as a way to provide health insurance. Republicans almost never, ever talk about this, but it’s been obvious all along that a sizable chunk of Obamacare opponents are supporters of more socialism in health care–Medicare for All, or a strong public option, at a minimum. It shouldn’t be surprising at all that the Medicaid expansion is popular both among these kind of people and among Obamacare supporters. And it’s another data point for the argument that nothing like a majority exists in support of the kind of market-oriented/pay-your-own-way “replacement” proposals Republicans kick around when they are willing to address the issue at all.
