Poll: majorities support public option, health insurance mandate

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

Poll: majorities support public option, health insurance mandate
By Dan Balz and Jon Cohen
Monday, October 19, 2009; 6:07 PM

As Democratic congressional leaders and White House officials work to shape health care bills that will go to the House and Senate floors, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and now wins clear majority support from the public.

Americans remain sharply divided about both the overall health care package and President Obama's leadership on the issue, reflecting the intense partisan battle that has raged for months over the administration's top legislative priority. But majorities now back two key and controversial provisions: both the so-called public option and a new mandate requiring all Americans to carry health insurance.

Independents and senior citizens, two groups crucial to the debate, have warmed to the idea of a public insurance option, and are particularly supportive if it were administered by the states and limited to those without access to affordable private insurance, as stipulated in some versions of the legislation.

But in a sign of the fragile coalition politics that now influence the negotiations in Congress, Obama's approval ratings on health care are slipping among his fellow Democrats even as they are solidifying among independents and seniors. Among Democrats, strong approval of his handling of health care has dropped 15 percentage points since mid-September.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101902451.html?hpid=topnews

[msongs]

1. so who won in 2008? why are the dems going against the desires of the American people? nt

[frog92969]

9. After the moles and whores our majority is an illusion.

[ShockediSay]

18. It's the Big Corporate Lobby

?the vast majority of Americans

Who does Congress serve?

[tblue]

14. Because we aren't who they really represent.

That's the only explanation.

[jwirr]

2. Good, now the question is - is anyone listening?

[onehandle]

3. What? Fox News lied?

Say it ain't so.

[fascisthunter]

4. we finally see Wall Street behind the curtain...

...that's been blinding so many for too many years.

Wall Street is in control of our politicians...

[bread_and_roses]

5. So Seniors have automatic Medicare but want younger to be MANDATED to buy private?

What the hell is that all about? I find it hard to believe that most seniors have such an "I got mine, screw you" attitude (at least among those who understand that Medicare IS a gov't funded program!). However, if that IS their attitude, then let the same criteria apply to them - they only get Medicare if they "can't afford" private FOR PROFIT insurance - and we'll here some real screams. And I speak as one who is very little short of being Medicare-eligible myself.

[twitomy]

6. The mandated insurance is as un-constitutional as it gets..

Our "Constitutional Scholar" President ought to know this.

[tblue]

15. What on earth makes any Democrat in Congress think this mandate will help them in the next election?

Are we the only ones who get this?

[twitomy]

22. Us and the RW....

Imagine that...I can hear it now: "Gee, I guess the electric and water has to get shut off, cause we need the money to make our insurance payment lest I go to jail...."

[demosincebirth]

16. I guess forcing you to have car insurance is unconstutional too. nt

[frog92969]

17. You can choose not to have a car.

But I guess you can choose not to live too.
:shrug:

[twitomy]

21. Yep thats the difference. BIG difference

And when Obama used that analogy, I was stunned as it is so incorrect

[NeoConsSuck]

24. Your automobile insurance

is used to financially protect me and other drivers against any accidents *you* might cause.

[demosincebirth]

8. All seniors don't feel that way. I'm on SS and Medicare, I have a decent life, thanks to my

teamster pension. I am willing to pay a little more out of my SS so that all may be insured. Many of those you're talking about seem to be seniors in the upper income brackets who don't give a rats ass about any body else, except themselves. Don't paint all seniors with that big brush.

[NJGeek]

11. Not all seniors. Senior public interest groups.

They are all for something, but its always lukewarm.


Maybe they took Logan's Run too seriously.

[Oregone]

7. Mandate home ownership. Solve homelessness

[defendandprotect]

10. kick

[PSPS]

12. "limited to those without access to affordable private insurance"

Independents and senior citizens, two groups crucial to the debate, have warmed to the idea of a public insurance option, and are particularly supportive if it were administered by the states and limited to those without access to affordable private insurance, as stipulated in some versions of the legislation.

This is really bad. If we're not careful, we'll end up with the worst possible combination: A "public option" that is available only to those who can't get insurance otherwise. This would eliminate any benefit from the proper risk-pooling method of health insurance and, instead, foist everyone who is likely to get sick onto a single plan (the "public option") and guarantee its bankruptcy.

The largest possible risk pool is the only way to go. If we can't get the ideal solution, "medicare for all," then we should have the public option open to anyone who wants it, not just those the private carriers won't cover. That's out-and-out cherry picking.

[Blasphemer]

13. This is my greatest fear.... nt

[optimator]

19. I have ideas since the president is asking for them

1. give grants and tax cuts to brand new nonprofit insurance startups
this would also create jobs and compete with evil for-profit companies.
2. subsidize doctor's costs of running their practice (lease, supplies, equipment)
and have strings attached such as lower fees for services.
3. be proactive about increase in quantity of patients by giving more college grants and scholarships for medical field.
4. just give us the damn public option

[twitomy]

23. I would take it further

Give grants to startup non-profit health care delivery systems where the patients are members and vote on the board like in a credit union and where the doctors are employees.

Which begs another idea I had. Big Pharma says that one reason drugs are so expensive
is that they need to recover their investment before the patent runs out. Having a brother in the business (He does corporate accounting) I know there is truth to that.
Then why not extend the patent in exchange for price control?

[eridani]

20. The reason so many people like mandated shitty insurance is the same reason

--that they like shitty fire extinguishers. If you don't use them, how are you to know that they are shitty? No big surprise that the so many of the 85% majority who will never get expensively sick don't mind killing and bankrupting sick people.

[Turborama]

25. Public Option Gains Support - Clear Majority Now Backs Plan

Source: Washington Post

By Dan Balz and Jon Cohen
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health-care plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and wins clear majority support from the public.

Americans remain sharply divided about the overall packages moving closer to votes in Congress and President Obama's leadership on the issue, reflecting the partisan battle that has raged for months over the administration's top legislative priority. But sizable majorities back two key and controversial provisions: both the so-called public option and a new mandate that would require all Americans to carry health insurance.

Independents and senior citizens, two groups crucial to the debate, have warmed to the idea of a public option, and are particularly supportive if it would be administered by the states and limited to those without access to affordable private coverage.

But in a sign of the fragile coalition politics that influence the negotiations in Congress, Obama's approval ratings on health-care reform are slipping among his fellow Democrats even as they are solidifying among independents and seniors. Among Democrats, strong approval of his handling of the issue has dropped 15 percentage points since mid-September.

=snip=

Only 20 percent of adults identify themselves as Republicans, little changed in recent months, but still the lowest single number in Post-ABC polls since 1983. Political independents continue to make up the largest group, at 42 percent of respondents; 33 percent call themselves Democrats.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101902451.html?sid%3DST2009101902502&sub=AR

---

Here's the single page version: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101902451_pf.html

[Ian David]

26. Typo in your subject line. n/t

[Turborama]

27. Thanks for pointing it out

I was changing their caps to lower case and missed that one.

:blush:

[Robb]

29. ...Was it "pubic option?"

...Because I've been waiting for that one. :D

[Turborama]

32. LOL, no but if it was I might have left it for the lulz

It was a different l that was missing. ;-)

[No Elephants]

28. I am changing my registration to "unenrolled." Democrats seem to care only

about independents these days.

The Republicans know they cannot win without their base and therefore play to them, no matter how nutty they have to sound in order to do that. ("Pull the plug on Grandma" and "Where's his birth certificate?" leap to mind.)

Democrats, on the other hand, think there's no way members of the left will vote for a Republican or for a third party candidate. Therefore, they too, play to the right, hoping to pick off some votes from right leaning independents or moderate Republicans.

Democrats seem to act like Democrats only when and if the independents rise up and join the left. Fortunately, some independents are, well, independent, even if they lean right most of the time. You can persuade some of them with reason.

Seniors? They already have single payer, so they are fighting for everyone else. Bravo!

[QC]

30. Unless we're talking a "clear majority" of millionaires, public support means nothing. n/t

[fascisthunter]

31. KICK! (nt)

[Bragi]

33. A clear majority also opposes war

Lot of good that has done.

[seafan]

34. The best news in today's WP-ABC polling: 20% identify themselves as Republicans; lowest in 26 years

GOP, you've got a problem.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health-care plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and wins clear majority support from the public.

Despite those mixed reviews on domestic priorities, Obama continues to hold a big political advantage over Republicans.

Poll respondents are evenly divided when asked whether they have confidence in Obama to make the right decisions for the country's future, but just 19 percent express confidence in the Republicans in Congress to do so. Even among Republicans, only 40 percent express confidence in the GOP congressional leadership to make good choices.

Only 20 percent of adults identify themselves as Republicans, little changed in recent months, but still the lowest single number in Post-ABC polls since 1983. Political independents continue to make up the largest group, at 42 percent of respondents; 33 percent call themselves Democrats.

To the GOP: You aren't going to turn this battleship around.

[damntexdem]

35. Oh no, the death knell for the PO -- it's popular with a majority of the voting public.

;-)