August 5, 2009 - Scrap Health Care Reform If It Adds To Deficit, U.S. Voters Tell Quinnipiac University National Poll;
Voters Disapprove Of Obama's Handling Of Health Care
American voters, by a 55 - 35 percent margin, are more worried that Congress will spend too much money and add to the deficit than it will not act to overhaul the health care system, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. By a similar 57 - 37 percent margin, voters say health care reform should be dropped if it adds "significantly" to the deficit.
By a 72 - 21 percent margin, voters do not believe that President Barack Obama will keep his promise to overhaul the health care system without adding to the deficit, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University national poll finds.
American voters disapprove 52 - 39 percent of the way President Obama is handling health care, down from 46 - 42 percent approval July 1, with 60 - 34 percent disapproval from independent voters. Voters say 59 - 36 percent that Congress should not pass health care reform if only Democratic members support it.
Voters are split 39 - 41 percent on whether the President's health care plan will improve or hurt the quality of health care in the nation, with 14 percent saying it won't make a difference.
Only 21 percent of voters say the plan will improve the quality of care they receive, while 36 percent say it will hurt their quality of care and 39 percent say it will make no difference.
"President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress appear to be losing the public relations war over their plan to revamp the nation's health care system," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Americans are more willing to scrap a health care overhaul than they are to increase the deficit in order to produce such legislation. That's a bad omen for the White House and Congressional leadership as they try to sell their plan to the country this month before the vote counting gets serious on Capitol Hill in September."
There is still strong support for critical elements of the Obama/Democratic plan:
62 - 32 percent in favor of giving people the option of a government insurance plan;
61 - 36 percent for higher taxes on high income earners to pay for health care reform;
60 - 32 percent in favor of insurance subsidies for individuals making up to $43,000 and families of four making up to $88,000;
54 - 38 percent for requiring businesses to provide insurance or pay the government.
Voters oppose 68 - 26 percent requiring people to have health insurance or pay a fine and oppose 68 - 27 percent taxing employees for health care benefits from employers.
Independent voters, perhaps the key voting group, are more worried about the deficit rising than congressional inaction, 54 - 37 percent. These voters say 59 - 36 percent that overhaul should not occur if it would "significantly" increase the deficit. Independents oppose 63 - 33 percent passing a bill with only Democratic votes.
Independent voters also don't think Obama can keep his promise to avoid increasing the deficit and pass health care by an overwhelming 77 - 17 percent.
"The key to this political battle over health care out in the country is independent voters. And that bloc is the key to most elections," Brown added. "These are the voters who broke strongly for the President last November and who were in his corner during the first months of his administration. But on these key health care questions they are siding with critics who question whether health care reform is worth the projected cost."
Support for Obama's handling of health care is down among key groups:
Women disapprove 49 - 41 percent, down from a 48 - 39 percent approval July 1;
Voters 18 to 34 years old disapprove 48 - 44 percent, down from a 54 - 35 percent approval;
Low income voters disapprove 47 - 43 percent, down from a 49 - 37 percent approval.
Since Quinnipiac University's July 1 survey, support for a government-run option has fallen from 69 - 26 percent to 62 - 32 percent and the number who would rather buy insurance from a private rather than public insurer has jumped from 53 - 28 percent to 61 - 25 percent.
"Another indication that opponents of the President's approach have been making points with the voters," said Brown.
From July 27 - August 3, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,409 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.
