Democrats Retake Lead In Generic Congressional Polling

May 16, 2010 — Ron Chusid

I have always limited coverage of polling far in advance of elections as they have very little predictive value. This spring many bloggers as well as professional journalists have been obsessed with polls suggesting big Republican wins this fall. While that may or may come about, I felt it was far too early to make any definitive predictions. More recent polls from the Associated Press and Gallup are suddenly upsetting the conventional wisdom showing considerable improvement in the prospects for Democrats.

The AP poll shows Democrats moving ahead of Republicans in the generic poll:

The tenuous 45 percent to 40 percent preference for a Democratic Congress reverses the finding a month ago on the same question: 44 percent for Republicans and 41 percent for Democrats. The new readout came as the economy continued showing signs of improvement and the tumultuous battle over the health care law that President Barack Obama finally signed in March faded into the background.

“To the extent that Democrats can focus on job creation rather than health care, they tend to do better,” said Jack Pitney, a political scientist at California’s Claremont McKenna College.

Of course this is a generic poll–in many races the candidates have not even been chosen making predictions in specific races extremely difficult.

Simply looking at the fundamentals, Republicans should pick up seats this year. The party out of power typically does well in off year elections. Republicans are especially trying to capitalize on this trend by blaming Democrats for problems which are actually the result of Republican mismanagement when in power. Republicans also benefit this year because George Bush is no longer in office or on the ballot, Barack Obama is not on the ballot, younger and independent voters who now tend to vote Democratic are less likely to vote in an off year election, and the Democrats must defend many seats which traditionally have been in Republican hands.

There are many factors which make it too early to predict the outcome. Republicans have done better than the Democrats in the spin war since Obama took office, but they also might have peaked too soon, leaving the Democrats time to sharpen their message. While turn out by the young and Democratic-leaning independents will be less than in 2008, the Democrats are trying to mobilize them.

It is not clear to what degree health care will remain an issue in the fall. From a political perspective the Democrats did make a mistake in supporting the individual mandate (originally a Republican idea) along with passing a bill which most voters do not understand when the benefits will not be seen for a few more years.

The economy is likely to remain the most important issue. While the economy is improving it is too early to predict whether it will rebound enough, as well as to what degree voters will blame each party.

We must always keep in mind that issues and events we cannot predict could totally change the electoral picture, as with the 9/11 attack and Katrina. At other times issues which we think have major importance wind up being forgotten by election day, such as with George H. W. Bush looking unbeatable after the first Iraq war.

Another factor which makes this election more difficult to predict than usual is the strong anti-incumbent sentiment. The poll reports:

Only 36 percent said they want their own member of Congress to win re-election this fall, a noteworthy drop from the 43 percent who said so in April and the lowestAP-GfK poll measurement this year. Much of the restiveness seems to be among Republicans: While Democrats were about equally divided on the question, Republicans expressed a preference for a new face by a 2-to-1 margin.

Despite this I have my doubts that many Republicans will suddenly vote Democratic this year to throw out the incumbent. This might be seen more in primary races as the tea party movement (ie the far right Republican base) replaces Republican incumbents with even more conservative Republicans.  I suspect that in November there will be some surprises but most seats which have not changed hands in recent years will remain in the hands of the same party unless there is a real demographic reason for a change.

The most prominent cases of throwing out the incumbents has been with the tea party movement moving the Republican Party to the right. It is also too early to predict what the effect of the tea party will be in November. The increased enthusiasm from the Republican base might help the Republicans. It is also possible that their efforts to push the GOP to the extreme right will lead independents who voted Democratic in 2006 and 2008, but wavered in recent polling, to reject the increased extremism of the GOP and vote Democratic.

Posted in Congress, Democrats, Politics, Polls, Republicans. Tags: , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments »

Why The Authoritarian Right Has A More Negative View of Libertarians Than Democrats Do

May 4, 2010 — Ron Chusid

I’ve had a number of posts on libertarian views of the Democrats and Republicans, including posts on libertarians supporting Barack Obama in the 2008 election.  Kos notes an interesting item in a Pew Research Center study which looks at it from the opposite direction. The overall survey looks at views on capitalism and socialism, but one question looks at how Democrats and Republicans view libertarians:

Reactions to the word “libertarian” are evenly divided — 38% positive, 37% negative. On balance, Republicans view “libertarian” negatively, Democrats are divided, while independents have a positive impression of the term…

More than four-in-ten independents (44%) react positively to the word “libertarian,” while 32% have a negative reaction. Democrats are nearly evenly divided (39% positive, 37% negative). However, Republicans on balance have a negative impression of this term (44% negative, 31% positive).

I agree with Kos that it is not surprising that Republicans have a more negative view of the word “libertarian” than Democrats do. He writes:

The notion that Republicans are libertarian is ludicrous. They stick their noses into our bedrooms, into our doctors’ offices, into churches. They demand the roundup of people who don’t look like them. They whine about Miranda rights and due process. They are more concerned about the rights of big energy conglomerates, than they are about the rights of people to enjoy long walks on pristine beaches. They whine about true independent and free media that doesn’t validate their ideology. They freak out about anyone who doesn’t believe in their god, or worse, in any god at all.

For the American Taliban, “liberty” means their ability to impose their beliefs and lifestyle on the rest of society.

So of course they would react negatively to the word, since they equate it with libertinism. For a movement predicated on imposing its mores on the rest of society, this is obviously deeply offensive.

I agree that for the most part the negative impression of  “libertarian” is due to the authoritarian nature of the current conservative movement and Republican Party. There might also be an additional factor. While it makes little sense, many libertarians have seen the Republican Party as being closer to their views and have attempted to influence the party. This may have resulted in more conflicts between individual Republicans and libertarians, making some Republicans more likely to express a negative opinion of them as a result of such conflict along with their fundamental difference in views.

Posted in Democrats, Libertarianism, Polls, Republicans. Tags: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Poll Shows Increased Optimism That Economy Improving

May 4, 2010 — Ron Chusid

There might be some additional good news for the Democrats in addition to that in the previous post. A New York Times/CBS News poll shows increased optimism:

A growing number of Americans think the economy is improving and three-quarters of them approve of President Obama’s handling of the economy, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Forty-one percent said the economy was getting better, up from 33 percent about a month ago, while 15 percent described the economy as deteriorating.Of that 41 percent, 75 percent approve of Mr. Obama’s handling of the economy.

Another 43 percent said the economy was staying about the same; while 7 percent of that segment believe the economy is in good shape, the other 35 percent say it’s in bad condition.

One problem is that those who think this are people who are already more likely to vote Democratic: young more educated voters and Democrats:

Younger and better-educated Americans are more likely to describe the economy as on the mend. Sixty-one percent of Democrats said the economy was getting better, but only 16 percent of Republicans and 38 percent of independents agreed.

Over all, the public is evenly divided on their assessment of Mr. Obama’s management of the economy: 48 percent approve and 47 percent disapprove.

And again, there are strong partisan differences. Democrats overwhelmingly approve of the president’s handling of the economy — 77 percent to 19 percent. Among Republicans, however, 86 percent disapprove, while just 11 percent approve.

Even if this optimism comes primarily from Democratic voters at present, such views could spread to more groups by this fall. Even improving the attitude among traditional Democratic voters would be helpful for the Democrats in reducing the intensity gap which earlier seemed to give the Republicans a tremendous advantage.

Posted in Democrats, Economy, Politics, Polls. Tags: , , . 1 Comment »

Large Majority Opposes Putting Reagan on $50 Bill

April 22, 2010 — Ron Chusid

Ronald Reagan does not do as well as I would have predicted in this poll. A Republican congressman from North Carolina has proposed legislation that would replace the  President Ulysses S. Grant on the fifty dollar bill Ronald Reagan. A Marist poll found that only 12 percent support this with 79 percent opposed. Even among Republicans there is not much support for this with 71 percent in opposition. This is less than other groups with 83 percent of Democrats and 79 percent of independents opposing the change.

Posted in Polls, Republicans, Ronald Reagan. Tags: , , , . 3 Comments »

Obama Approval Up After Passing Health Care Reform

March 30, 2010 — Ron Chusid

Barack Obama might be receiving a bounce due to passing health care reform. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows that his approval has jumped five points in the past week. The increased approval comes from both Democrats and independents:

Eighty-six percent of Democrats questioned say they approve of the job Obama is doing, a surge of 12 points over the past week. The poll indicates that 47 percent of Independents approve of the president’s performance, up 6 points in a week, and 12 percent of Republicans give him the thumbs up, basically unchanged from a week ago.

The jump is attributed to passing health care reform:

Health care appears to be behind the jump in Obama’s overall rating. While the president’s ratings on the economy and foreign affairs remained static over the past week, his numbers on how he’s dealing with health care rose five points to 45 percent, although a majority still disapprove of how he’s handling the issue.

Once people find that the scare stories about health care reform are not true, will his approval jump further? Realistically it is way to early to determine the effect of health care reform politically, and it could very well be replaced by other issues before even this fall’s election.

Posted in Barack Obama, Health Care, Polls. Tags: , , , , , . 28 Comments »

CNN Poll Actually Shows That Majority Support Current Health Care Plan Or More Liberal Plan

March 22, 2010 — Ron Chusid

The title of this story from CNN is misleading: CNN poll: Americans don’t like health care bill. Even ignoring the evidence from previous polls that Americans primarily do not like the bill because they do not understand what is actually in it (and support it when they do find out), the poll actually shows majority support for reform. Reading down towards the bottom of the report we find:

Roughly one in five of respondents who said they opposed the bill did so because it was not liberal enough, and those people are unlikely to vote Republican. Take them out of the picture and opposition to the bill because it is too liberal is 43 percent.

In other words, 52 percent either support the current legislation or think it should be more liberal while 43 percent believe the plan is too liberal.

CNN poll: Americans don’t like health care bill
Posted: March 22nd, 2010 12:00 PM ET
From

The Capitol dome on the eve of the House of Representatives’ health care reform votes.

The Capitol dome on the eve of the House of Representatives’ health care reform votes.

Washington (CNN) – A majority of Americans have a dim view of the sweeping health care bill passed by the House, saying it gives Washington too much clout and won’t do much to reduce their own health care costs or federal deficits, according to a new poll released Monday.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll found that 59 percent of those surveyed opposed the bill, and 39 percent favored it. All of the interviews were conducted before the House voted Sunday night, but the contents of the bill were widely known.

In addition, 56 percent said the bill gives the government too much involvement in health care; 28 percent said it gives the government the proper role and 16 percent said it leaves Washington with an inadequate role.

On the question of costs, 62 percent said the bill increases the amount of money they personally spend on health care; 21 percent said their costs would remain the same and 16 percent said they would decrease.

Listen: CNN Radio’s John Lisk and CNN Political Editor Mark Preston discuss health care reform

Subscribe to the Political Notebook Podcast in iTunes

The poll’s results about the bill’s fiscal impact were particularly stark: 70 percent of respondents said they believed deficits would go up because of the bill; 17 percent felt they would stay the same and 12 percent said they would go down.

After more than a year of partisan debate, the House voted 219-212 in favor of a bill that the Senate had passed on Christmas Eve. President Obama is expected to sign it on Tuesday.

The measure constitutes the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since Medicare and Medicaid were enacted more than four decades ago. The House also approved a series of amendments to the bill through a separate so-called reconciliation bill. The Senate, which must pass the reconciliation measure for the full package to take effect, is expected to vote this week.

According to a preliminary estimate by the Congressional Budget Office, the overall reform legislation would cost $940 billion over the course of a decade. Offsetting provisions would reduce deficits by $143 billion in the first 10 years and by more than $1 trillion in the following decade.

The CNN poll also suggests that public opposition to health care will not necessarily be a boon to Republicans in the 2010 midterm elections in Congress.

Roughly one in five of respondents who said they opposed the bill did so because it was not liberal enough, and those people are unlikely to vote Republican. Take them out of the picture and opposition to the bill because it is too liberal is 43 percent.

“The Democrats have another advantage – most Americans also trust Barack Obama more than the GOP on health care,” said Keating Holland, CNN’s polling director. “That gives the president an opportunity – and seven months – to make the affirmative case for the health care bill.”

The survey was conducted on March 19-21 through telephone interviews with 1,030 adult Americans. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Filed under: CNN Polls • Health care • Popular Posts
320 Comments | Permalink

Daniel Corsivo March 22nd, 2010 3:30 pm ET
I don’t put much faith in this poll, and here are my reasons why.

How many people polled actually took the time to conduct their own research on Health Care Reform (HCR), and formed their own opinion about it, and are not regurgitating someone else’s.

Not that by any means are my observations scientific, but I cannot deny that approximately 85-90% of people that I have talked to about HCR are against it. That in itself is fine, but, when pressed further about the reasons why, the answers I mostly get are,

“Well, Senator says…”

or,

“On the radio/TV said…”

or

“Governor tells us…”

When I asked those same people,

“What research have you done on your own?”

The answer I always get is,

“Ummm, well, That’s what I heard.”

This is what disturbs me. Too many people are borrowing other people’s opinions. When people do that, they are giving up their inalienable right to form an opinion of their own. They are restricting their own freedom. It’s not being taken away.

We as American’s need to have the personal fortitude to do our own research, and come to our own conclusions based on facts that we uncover ourselves, and not on the opinions of others.

Don’t trust the politicians, or the media to do it for you. In the end, they only serve themselves.

The fact is we, America, did vote for HCR. We voted for it by putting Obama in office. HCR was the platform on which President Obama ran his campaign.

Some American’s only waiver now, because of the self-admitted fear mongering tactics of the republicans and several prominent radio conservatives.

From the beginning, President Obama did give the GOP an opportunity to be a part of this bill. The GOP refused. They removed themselves from the process. They weren’t forced out.

With the GOP refusing to be a part of the HCR bill, President Obama did not have a choice but to continue in a partisan manner.

It is true, that some Democrats withdrew support from the bill, but, it was not because they don’t believe in HCR, it was because that wanted a certain passage included, or omitted from the bill, and it took a while to find a balance to get the bill passed.

In the end, President Obama did the right thing. Like a parent dealing with a child that doesn’t like vegetables, he is making us eat them anyway, because he knows it’s for the greater good.
Annette March 22nd, 2010 3:28 pm ET
For many people, the reality is that health insurance premiums will go up. Sure, I don’t like everything in the bill. But if I need health insurance and can not afford to pay for it. Who will help? but if I don’t have health insurance, and need it, the cost still will be there or suffer the consequence of not having health insurance for treatment or prevention? So either way health cost will be there one way or the other. I’m not fond of the mandate on health insurance, but if I can get help to pay for health insurance and more options to choose, then what’s wrong with that? health care is a reality of life, not an option of life. I believe a start to a reform is better then nothing at all.
Constitution believer March 22nd, 2010 3:27 pm ET
Despite the NEGATIVE headline and lead above – let’s be clear what this says:

These numbers say that 51% of those polled either FAVORED this bill or FAVORED an even more liberal reform.

47% apparently favor less liberal reform, or no reform.

Thus, Republican congressmembers’ constant claim that liberal health reform is “against the will of the people” is a LIE.
CHIPS March 22nd, 2010 3:26 pm ET
The people who don’t have health care are Americans too. If you are one of those Americans that don’t like it, then don’t use it. Problem slove as simple as that and get over it.
Sgt. Flagg T. McLiberty, Superpatriot March 22nd, 2010 3:25 pm ET
“Roughly one in five of respondents who said they opposed the bill did so because it was not liberal enough, and those people are unlikely to vote Republican. Take them out of the picture and opposition to the bill because it is too liberal is 43 percent.”

Thank you, CNN for FINALLY doing your journalistic duty and making it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that it’s NOT a monolithic block of 59% who agrees with the TEA/FOX crowd.

But you’re just finally doing this NOW? By allowing lies and misinformation be repeated ad nauseum over the past year, you contributed to the toxic climate we saw this weekend. I’ve blocked CNN on my TV, and I will only unblock it if and when you grow a spine.
Enough March 22nd, 2010 3:23 pm ET
Not only do we NOT like it, We hate it. This is being crammed through against our will and being told it is for our own good. We know what a disaster it is and Obamas words are no longer magical, they are LIES and we have had enough. We the people should be voting on our healthcare instead of these Democrats making decisions for us……….Democrats don’t think people are capable of taking care of themselves.
mark March 22nd, 2010 3:23 pm ET
of course we don’t support this baby killing bill!
Charles March 22nd, 2010 3:22 pm ET
I think the CNN pole is more a reflection of some deceptive advertising that had saturated the airwaves as the debate was happening. Most of those survey probably have little idea what is actually in the bill and the rhetoric contained so many distortions and fabrications, it would be hard many to have an objective opinion.
ricardo March 22nd, 2010 3:21 pm ET
What a joke! The joke of a poll for today.
Allen in Hartwell GA March 22nd, 2010 3:18 pm ET
It’s time for CNN to find a new group of people to survey. The poll results are a far cry from the views of people in my area.
NC March 22nd, 2010 3:17 pm ET
Let’s repeal Medicare and see what they think.
Mila W March 22nd, 2010 3:15 pm ET
what part of the “we the people’ do not want government run health care and spend..spend..spend.. did our elected officials did not understand?
Karen – Missouri March 22nd, 2010 3:15 pm ET
For God’s sake STOP lumping all Americans into this stupid poll! Most of us were NOT polled and over 1/2 of us WANT the reform…get it straight
Eric in St. Paul, MN March 22nd, 2010 3:15 pm ET
Sounds like the Dems’ job is not done. When asked about specific benefits from the bill, such as the reomval of pre-existing conditions or lifting annul/lifetime spending caps, most Americans are in favor. If the press would actually do some real reporting, and interviewers who should know better would challenge the liars out there, Americans could get the facts instead of the scare tactics. Trust me – by November everyone will be a fan of this bill and the GOP will claim that they were responsible for its passage!
Good grief March 22nd, 2010 3:14 pm ET
Three words: Americans are dumb.
shalca March 22nd, 2010 3:12 pm ET
Where are the internals? Let’s look at it.
mr bill March 22nd, 2010 3:11 pm ET
Didnt seem to matter what the American people wanted. Nov. will be here soon enough.
babloo March 22nd, 2010 3:10 pm ET
The headline of your story misrepresents the numbers you get in your survey and gives a fodder to republicans. One of the most important numbers in the survey is that 13% of the people oppose the bill because it is not liberal enough. These are the people who probably are unhappy with the bill because it doesn’t have a public option. However, it should be obvious to anyone that this group will prefer to have the current bill rather than having nothing or having any republicant plan which are tiny tweaks to the current system. What this essentially means that only 45% of the people are really unhappy with this bill, while 52% are either satisfied or would want an even more liberal bill.
Poll me… March 22nd, 2010 3:09 pm ET
I want the heathcare bill. Who are these imaginary people they poll?
Uwe Sartori March 22nd, 2010 3:08 pm ET
All the poll does is confirm if you scream and yell a lie loud and long enough, people begin to believe it.
Alex March 22nd, 2010 3:08 pm ET
Key point is the poll was taken before the vote. It’ll be interesting to see the numbers after a little time has passed and if the Republican/Tea Party fear mongering is proven to be just that.
billy March 22nd, 2010 3:07 pm ET
Taken on the heels of Tea-Bagger mania, I’m not surprised CNN’s poll is skewed.

What about the polls that have shown health care reform to be enormously popular for the last 2 years?
John A. Worth March 22nd, 2010 3:05 pm ET
Gee, I guess the truth is in there somewhere. Not liberal enough. Imagine that…. some folks have the capacity to care about their fellow man and not want to shot them in a war or with their handguns or rifles they keep stuffed under their pillows. We are moving in the right direction. In the coming years will be universal health care, and gun control and intelligent controlled discourse between adults. In other words, Democratic control of our world.
CBass March 22nd, 2010 3:04 pm ET
For the last time, please include the reason people oppose the bill in your polls so that it gets interpreted correctly. This is so high school journalism!
Lisa – St. Louis MO March 22nd, 2010 3:03 pm ET
You didn’t call me; I am in full support of this bill – soon to be a law.

I work in healthcare and think that once people realize that the sky is not falling and government employees WILL NOT be standing over their beds, I think the public opinion will change.

Thank you to all who passed this bill.
rmc March 22nd, 2010 3:02 pm ET
Odumbo is a nut and his group the people will make a change before long
the1Fred March 22nd, 2010 3:02 pm ET
This country was built under the Rule of Law to prevent the tyranny that the colonies suffered under British Parliamentary sovereignty from happening again.
The Rule of Law was formulated with the US Constitution as the highest law in the land with no body above the law. The US Constitution defined and limited the powers of the US Congress expressly to prevent Parliamentary sovereignty.
Throughout history, the US Congress has been stretching the limits of the Interstate Commerce and General Welfare clauses, culminating with the passage of Health Care where the last Constitutional restraint on Congress’ power has been shaken off. Without Constitutional restraint, there is no law to limit the power of Congress, making this country subject to Parliamentary sovereignty – exactly what the founders attempted to prevent! We have become what we’ve rebelled against!
John Locke in The Second Treatise of Civil Government states: “Where-ever law ends, tyranny begins”, and when the highest law, it is the highest tyranny.
Whereas the US Supreme Court has abdicated it’s responsibility to defend the US Constitution, it falls on each State to defend their rights, and join together in restoring the US Constitution.
Maria Petriv March 22nd, 2010 3:01 pm ET
communism has arrived “for the people” “with the people”, heard the comments loud and clear this morning from President Obama. Can’t fight it as I am Canadian. don’t have the energy to fight left wingers any longer. Much concern for the poor (and always give clothes – not money to charity) but come from an immigrant family who’s father worked 3 jobs to keep us going and to further himself to help us in the future and enjoy some of the fruits of life himself. Unfortunately heard quite a few of the speeches lately from Obama urging children to not listen to their parents all the time, that maybe they should think for themselves and that he wants everybody to be helping for the good of the people. Are we trying to create more bums and more people who tax the welfare system? More illegitimate children? If you can’t afford to have them – take birth control – it’s available anywhere – however if you want to loaf off the government then by all means have more kids. This is a terrible trend that the United States is heading towards.
Diane Paul March 22nd, 2010 2:59 pm ET
This report is confusing as it mixes up people who think the bill is not liberal enough with those who fear government involvement. It gives conservatives fodder thanks to misleading information. Am I happy with the bill? No, I don’t think it goes far enough. Am I unhappy with President Obama and the Congress? NO, NO and NO. I am sick of people who have fought and fought against this…I say that if they don’t want this they should give up their Medicare and social security benefits.
Stu – Las Vegas March 22nd, 2010 2:55 pm ET
give the bogus polls a rest, why don’t ya
Edwin March 22nd, 2010 2:54 pm ET
This supports the belief that lies travels faster. Wait until they know what is inside they bill; then Republicans would be toasted.
Tennessee Libertarian March 22nd, 2010 2:53 pm ET
This isn’t about health care.

It’s about the government wanting to take over our lives.

Just like the Brits in 1774.
John in WV March 22nd, 2010 2:51 pm ET
If you want to conduct a real poll, exclude those who have health care, especially those with employer provided who pay little for it. Naturally the majority of these people are going to be against any form of health reform that they feel might threaten their own well being. This is the kind of poll the RNC would conduct.
Hammerer March 22nd, 2010 2:51 pm ET
So. What difference does that make?
mallymal March 22nd, 2010 2:48 pm ET
this is a messege for the gop. please stop these racist practices.you all have had control of congress,and knew we as americans needed to overhaul heathcare but all of you simply refuse to address this issue,yes it will be expensive to fix but it has to be done and although the cost is expensive,in the long run the benefits will far outweigh any cost associated with this bill.
Patrick March 22nd, 2010 2:47 pm ET
“All politics is local”
“All politics is personal”

Last night while giving their final speeches before the vote, everytime I did not hear a single republican give a story of someone in their district going through hardship as a result of the status quo, and what should be done to help the person.

On the other hand democrates told story after story after story after story….
It makes you wonder. Who is actually for the people? Who is working for the people?

WHERE IS THE SYMPATHY, EMPATHY…
Richie in Mass March 22nd, 2010 2:43 pm ET
Doesn’t matter what the people want. Chicago poltics have a simple rule. Once you get elected do what you want and ignore the voters. Appease them near the election or pay them off.
steve barlin March 22nd, 2010 2:43 pm ET
Americans are told not to like health care bill, haven’t read it, don’t understand it. Keep the masses blind, its good for the economy right?
emmett brown March 22nd, 2010 2:42 pm ET
How about polling the 30 million people without health insurance……
VA guy March 22nd, 2010 2:42 pm ET
Aww what happened? You wanted change, you got it. Try to live with now!
tjaman March 22nd, 2010 2:42 pm ET
Again, Murkens don’t like the bill. The bill is big and scary. It will cost so much and won’t do nothin’ and now we’re all Chinese.

Weird, because the actual provisions of the bill are such that everyone seemed to be in favor of (except for insurance companies, of course.)

We manage this kind of victory for all Americans and Rs are still running around trying to frighten people. “Rationing! Abortions! Death panels! Booga booga booga!”

What. Ever. *eyeroll
Pamela Porter March 22nd, 2010 2:42 pm ET
Thank you President Obama and your staff for your hard work on behalf of the American people. This country does need health care and I am sure the people who hate change will find out what a good thing they opposed.

Thank you Senator Kennedy for your years of hard work. Wish you could be here to finally see your years of hard work paying off.

It is a great day for America!

Austin, TX
Dave March 22nd, 2010 2:41 pm ET
Remember everyone; your government knows what’s best for you!!!!
The will of the people ignored again. The two-party system is a scam. BO is a puppet as have been most presidents since Wilson.
Jim from Seattle March 22nd, 2010 2:39 pm ET
That poll reflects that a majority are misinformed.

In 2004 most Americans thought Iraq instigated the 9-11-01 attack. And most thought Saddam had WMD. Grossly misinformed.

By 2011 hopefully the cerebrally challenged will have discovered that this bill save the USA $130+ billion over first 10yrs and a trillion after that.

And maybe a smattering of anti-abortion folk will actually discover that the Fed gov’t will NOT be funding abortions.

Of course that is wishful thinking. The ignorant will continue to be misinformed if their only source of information is FOX News and rightwing talk radio. And CNN – you could do a lot better – only 15% of Americans know of the CBO report that states we’ll save $130 bilion over first 10 years – and CNN is complicit with keeping that truth under wraps, while giving a huge voice to big-oil, big-pharma, and big-religion$.
Texas Jack March 22nd, 2010 2:39 pm ET
‘HADES NO I DON’T LIKE IT”, Contrary to what you OBAMA PEOPLE think I am not a Republican I was a Democrat for fifty years. NOW IN A YEAR OR SO YOU WILL REALIZE ALL THE BAD JOKES AND SNEERING REMARKS YOU MADE ABOUT SARAH PALIN WILL BE A SHAME. Everything she told you about the health plan will come true. The Elderly will be put on death watches for there will be no treatment forthcoming after they analize the amount of cost to the government to keep them alive. Medicare is the one they have taxed to pay for their program. Social Security no COLA’s for two years while the medicare preminums rize beyond most paychecks the elderly receive now. You Obama People how are you going to pay for you elderly when you yourself don’t make anymore than miminum wage. You have cut your throats all the while you jabbered slang at a woman who will walk into the Presidency in 2012. Maybe she can right this tremendous wrong. I don’t see anyone else on the skyline capable of doing so. PALIN 2012.
hobart March 22nd, 2010 2:38 pm ET
CNN, why don’t you design some questions to find out why people are opposed to the bill?

For example, how many are against it because of all its restrictions on abortion, and back door attempts to overturn Roe v Wade?

How many are against it because it contains no public option?

How many are against it because it isn’t single payer?

How many are against it because it rewards the bad behavior of the insurance companies?

And most importantly, how many will continue to be against it next fall when none of the Republican lies about it come to pass?
rositaCA March 22nd, 2010 2:36 pm ET
was the poll conducted in DC or what part of the country? BECAUSE MOST AMERICANS THAT I KNOW SUPPORT ANY CHANGE RE: HEALTH CARE
We finally accomplished something that is good for US not just for the Senators/Representatives/Government officials.
THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT we finally have someone that WORKS for the American people!
Keeth in California March 22nd, 2010 2:33 pm ET
We elect people to govern, not polls.
badger March 22nd, 2010 2:33 pm ET
Congrats to the Democrats, they finally got a pair, now maybe we can move on with more of the Peoples Business.
To the News Media we don’t need to rehash health care for the next year, move on to some other subject that needs attention.
To the Republican’s get over it and see if you can’t try to work with this President.
Joseph March 22nd, 2010 2:32 pm ET
If the majority of American people do not want the OBAMACRE, it it about time to repeal it and impeach OBAMA. Rather than rescuing the economy and creating jobs for average Americans, As soon as elected, OBAMA single-mindly pursues a clear socialist agenda by spreading the wealth from those who have to those who don’t, increasing the tax burden not only to to wealthy but also to average taxpayers and small business men and women, and destroying small business and job creation.
george from alaska March 22nd, 2010 2:32 pm ET
what a total load of horse manure. fox news has been hammering away at trying to make fools believe that most folks don’t want the new health reform. if you believe fox news on ANY issue…you are just the type of idiot that would vote for palin as president.
normajean March 22nd, 2010 2:32 pm ET
Every one I have talked to for months and months have said the same thing. WHAT POLLS? WHAT POLLS? Where do you get this stuff.? I have never seen anyone anywhere taking a poll of anything. NEVER. I don’t believe that there is such a thing,.and you just make it up. Seriously, I’ve been a voter for over 50 years and have never been polled nor known anyone who has been and I live in a major city in a very large state.Sorry, this does not make any sense to me.
Avenell March 22nd, 2010 2:32 pm ET
American people love the HRB, they want it and why do news people keep printing the opposite. Not a 100% of the people like it but majority do.
wilson March 22nd, 2010 2:28 pm ET
Has Rush Limbaugh left the country yet…
Diane Keichinger March 22nd, 2010 2:27 pm ET
Who did CNN pole, You didn’t poll me or any of the 39million
uninsured people, or people with pre-existing conditions. Did
the people CNN polled have insurance.CNN needs to say 500
out of the 700 people polled, instead of America doesn’t like
the bill. I am America and I have medicare and I like the bill
so please put me in your poll.

Diane
astro March 22nd, 2010 2:26 pm ET
Good bye to dems in the fall…..I am sure most will be voted out of office.
linda March 22nd, 2010 2:26 pm ET
this an outrage, that we are on our way to becoming communists! They the government is getting away with everything our constitution does not stand for. our founding fathers and patriots are rolling over in their graves. everyone on nov. needs to take a stand. Or it will be too late.
All the news that is fit to omit March 22nd, 2010 2:26 pm ET
But, but, but, but the liar in chief said that this was a bill for the people and by the people as it had our blessing???

Nah, just more lies by this gutless fraud, just like the 3000 percent decrease in our premiums or our premiums would GO DOWM $2500 per family LIES.

How about the myth that we can KEEP our DOCTORS and INSURANCE MYTH that he ran around lying about and none of the gutless sheep (except for Brett over at Fox) questioned him on.

He of course DIDN’T answer the question, he just whined like the gutless coward he is as the bad man was not letting him get away with his lies and speeches.

Congrats Barry, you and Pelousy and Reid will bring the Republicans back into power based on YOUR arrogance and lies.

See you in November.
Marie in California March 22nd, 2010 2:25 pm ET
The bill is a disaster. Too much government meddling in people’s lives. Too expensive…..America is already broke. Washington and the states have been spending like drunken sailors for a long time, using money they don’t have, and this one tops them all.

The day the bill passed was a sad one for this country, and may hail the demise of this great country.
Obama Victim March 22nd, 2010 2:25 pm ET
politically and philosophically I am opposed to this bill..but at least for today, I would like to thank President Obama. I bought a lot of health insurance stock Friday…and it is all up big-time today. I will sell it and go back to despising this travesty tomorrow. But at least for today, thanks Mr. President…..ka-ching
lolo March 22nd, 2010 2:24 pm ET
CNN who diid you poll, because no one called my home. You should just stop puting your poll results on-line. It does not include all Americans. They are all lies. Shame on you.
davis March 22nd, 2010 2:24 pm ET
Not me. I am super happy that the bill was passed. It is not perfect but it is a start.
derrick804 March 22nd, 2010 2:24 pm ET
It’s hard to believe that DNCNN could still find enough retards to admit they still support ObamaScare. Even with their left wing poll showing less than 39% favoring it and 59% having a brain and opposing it.

All the other polls show over 63% STRONGLY OPPOSING IT.

I guess their are still some uneducated socialists out there who think someone should give them something for “FREE”.

What’s next for these dingbats? A whine about how water is a necessity, so someone else needs to be forced to pay their waterbill?

Then after all of their needs are covered, they just have to pass “comprehensive crack funding” to get someone to pay for their “FREE” crack and they’ll have no need to get out of the bed in the morning.
Jim kowas March 22nd, 2010 2:24 pm ET
I was born during FDR’s 3rd term and have never seen a president and congress so totally disregard the people’s dislike of this lousy bill that fixes nothing that’s wrong with our current system; high tort liability cost, illegal aliens and wastage. Sad but
it has also been rushed through Congress without proper scrutiny, in the face of overwhelming public opposition, and with not an ounce of bipartisan support.”
Bubble of Sanity March 22nd, 2010 2:23 pm ET
Wow, that article was produced by a master of spin. I’ve never seen a better done job at making facts say what someone wanted them to say. You have my utmost respect.
call me crazy March 22nd, 2010 2:23 pm ET
Here is one American who wasn’t polled, but supports the health care bill. It isn’t perfect, but it’s better than nothing. The only reason support fell off was because they took out the public option. Before that the majority was in favor of the bill.
usualone March 22nd, 2010 2:22 pm ET
Many of us have never been polled about this issue. Those 32 million people probably are not counted or have any impact on the survey.
normajean March 22nd, 2010 2:22 pm ET
You must be talking to the “tea baggers’ because I don’t know anyone who has ever been polled or even asked their opinion on this bill or anything else So far everyone I have talked to is holding out great hope that this health care program will be worked with over time and prove to be a solid improvement over what little some of our citizens were trying to deal with. As for the Republicans, if they had ever cared about their own people they would have worked with the Democrats to make it work. That, however is not what the Repubs wanted from the start. They want power and money and don.t care whether their own people had health care or not. Just what have they done all this year and a half? NOTHING BUT OBSTRUCTION.NOTHING.
vette gal March 22nd, 2010 2:22 pm ET
I really think your polls are skewed. The only reason most of the populace is against the bill is because it doesn’t contain the public option that the majority wanted. Hopefully, this will be added somewhere down the line as I’m sure this bill will be tweaked time and time again.
NC March 22nd, 2010 2:21 pm ET
That is so true……if the house and senate really cared what the American people have to say and want, than why did it pass…..vote out the crooks in 2010 and 2012…
Nini March 22nd, 2010 2:19 pm ET
Sorry pls. fix this “Liberty”.
Willy Brown March 22nd, 2010 2:19 pm ET
America has been against the bill (for a whole year) since its crooked devise in the back rooms of the democrat leader office. CNN and the rest of the Obama loving media outlets never covered it but only air Obama loving stuff like date night, basketball picks, Barry’s family vacation and anytime be wanted to bash President Bush. All cover for this unpopular bill. You keep on covering for him CNN, the rating show how good you and the rest lag behind that mean old FOX. In short; Well DUH!
Ryan March 22nd, 2010 2:19 pm ET
I love the sugar coating from CNN. “If you take out the liberal people who are unhappy with the bill that only leavs 43% that oppose. Okay…how about the liberal people that like the bill? Are you going to take them out? If so….wouldnt that be less people who are for it? What’s next…well 3% of those people are libetarians and they wouldn’t vote for repubs either…so see it’s not so bad. GIVE ME A BREAK! VOTE OUT EVERY CANDIDATE OR INCUMBENT WITH A “D” NEXT TO THIER NAME!!!
IndyVoter March 22nd, 2010 2:19 pm ET
Did anyone ever think to ask respondents HOW they knew that their cost would go up or that the deficit would go up, other than because the Republicans say so? I’m glad CNN had enough sense to mention that 20% of those opposed to the bill are LIBERAL DEMOCRATS who wanted the bill to do more (though it was at the END of the article). That means that only 46% who oppose it are either Republican or Independent. The Liberal Democrats will hardly vote with Republicans in 2010 or 2012 and will join the 38% percent (the rest of the Democrats) who supported healthcare in voting for Democratic candidates. Republicans shouldn’t be counting their chickens before they hatch.
Dawn March 22nd, 2010 2:19 pm ET
Imagine, the bill passed, and the sky did not fall.
People get over it, it’s a done deal. Now what will the Republicans
sabotage next? Mit Romney, claims that the bill did not attract any Republicans. I wonder why? Even if they liked anything in the bill they would still go against it. If the Repugs cared about the American people, they would stop fighting and work for the good of the people. Everyone should have a decent healthcare plan.
The Repugs are a bunch of evil people. They care nothing about the middle class or the poor. They are all about money and making a profit, even if it means at the expense of ones life.
They preach about how righteous they are, and they are the biggest hypocrites. I know you guys are spitting nails because Barack was successful where so many failed.
Now this is why we have smart folks as Democrats, and your party,
now really are a bunch of illiterates.
Take a look at what your party attracts. People that will listen to you guys rant and rave, and shove lies down their throats rather than
getting the facts for themselves. No brains.
Well, guess what you idiotic party, God is not sleeping. One would think the way you Repugs talk about the bible that you would know better.
At the end of the day, God was in Control.
He gave Barack the insight to do what had to be done.
Imagine, BARACK DID IT, when no one else could.
What a smart man.
You folks are a PATHETIC bunch.
Sgt. USMC March 22nd, 2010 2:18 pm ET
It’s funny how when things go your way you really don’t care about polls or even care to protest. However, when things are going the opposite of how you want them to go, you protest and sign up for these stupid polls. The real poll happened in Nov of 2008 and the people spoke.
Loletha March 22nd, 2010 2:17 pm ET
Human lives are pricless why are people so worried about cost?
MY LIFE AND THE PEOPLE LIVES OF THE USA IS WORTH MORE THAN ANY MONEY ON THIS EARTH.

STOP PUTTING A PRICE ON HUMAN LIVES IT’S JUST WRONG.
The Calabash Kid March 22nd, 2010 2:17 pm ET
Let us be candid with ourselves. Most Americans have no idea what is in the bill because they don’t read the news. They may glance at headlines and listen to a morning show but that’s it. Also, Republicans have told so many outright lies about the bill that many Americans now believe the Republican fantasy rather than the reality.

Here’s the real threat to this bill, assuming it becomes law: America’s hospital corporations, pharmaceutical corporations, and health product corporations will try to turn this bill into an ATM machine for private enterprise. They will overbill, skim, cheat, double-bill, distort, and overcharge. They will hire lobbyists to bribe Congress to insert funny little sentences in future bills which allow them to buy something for fifty cents and charge the government a hundred dollars for it. Look at all the “fraud” in Medicare. Who is defrauding the government? America’s corporations, that’s who. And if a corporation is caught stealing a million dollars, they are fined a hundred thousand and told not to do it any more. They are the ones we need to watch out for.
Nini March 22nd, 2010 2:17 pm ET
Sad day for America and liberality.

I was in tears as I watched our constitution shred to pieces and foundation demolished brick by brick in the hands of radicals.

Is it too late to save this country?
Annie, Atlanta March 22nd, 2010 2:17 pm ET
What I especially like about this bill is the fact that Democrats in the House put the people of this country before their political careers. Can’t say the same about the Republicans. It makes me sad that they couldn’t be bothered. We’ll see how that plays out.

It isn’t the best bill. Single payer or at least a public option would have been better. But here’s to hoping it’s a start in the right direction. And that, for me at least, would be to stop giving money to companies that don’t have our best interests even on their radar. For-profit health care is a detriment to us all. Oh well.
MJ March 22nd, 2010 2:16 pm ET
So – We still can’t buy Insurance across State lines, Insurance Companies are not restricted to rate increases, Preexisting Conditions only currently apply to children, and you can bet Taxes will soar. Great Job Demos!
Nicey March 22nd, 2010 2:16 pm ET
Faux News scared them…..they are even afraid to leave their homes>
Emma March 22nd, 2010 2:15 pm ET
Here we go again, dumb Americans reacting on emotions rather what is truly in this sweeping legislation on health care.

For the 59% who think this is a bad bill, obviously you do not have to worry about health care. Get a grip…………how can a child with cancer who can reach the cap in medical insurance just by living everyday and receiving cancer treatment. I do not under the American people who feel…….”I got mine” so the he!!@ with everyone else.

We care only for what we can get never mind the suffering of others. Get a grip and support this health bill….I hope you don’t find yourself having to sell all of your assets just to get medical treatment and then have the insurance company drop you because the acutuary says your health is expensive to insure.

Tell all of those House Republicans that if I had my way, they would have to pay signficantly more for their cadillac health coverage they receive.
susan March 22nd, 2010 2:15 pm ET
What about the 80 or 90 percent of americans that were againest keeping the wars going to which cheney said… SO !
Nicey March 22nd, 2010 2:14 pm ET
Correction: Republicansdon’t like the bill!
KMAN March 22nd, 2010 2:14 pm ET
This poll as do ALL polls need to be tempered by the fact that most Americans are either woefully ignorant or plain stupid … and in many cases they”re both ignorant and stupid. There is no wisdom in the collective opinion of the American people … if there were … GWB would not have served two terms!
cesan March 22nd, 2010 2:13 pm ET
I’d still like to know who long it took these Americans to read the bill? Even with the posting on Thursday – not too many read anything. How can you all let yourselves be lead by whatever someone says. Please read the bill then decide what part you do not like. Why is this so bad. Millions of people wait every month for their Social Security checks and they even get inflation increases. Not much, but it’s there. Please think before you are lead down to the slaughter. Don’t just agree with your neighbor without reading the bill first.
Mikey March 22nd, 2010 2:11 pm ET
Ask them to explain why they support/oppose the legislation and you will probably find most Americans don’t understand what’s in the legislation or how it really will impact them.

The people shouting the loudest are just repeating vauge talking points that are either highly exaggerate or completely mischaracterize the facts.

When the individual components of the legislation are polled, most people support most of the actual provisions of the legislation. It is sad that misinformation reigns supreme.
Crystal Harmonson March 22nd, 2010 2:09 pm ET
I don’t agree, this is way too general of a statement. ONly some of Americans don’t agree. It may not be perfect but I agree with what they are doing.
This is what is wrong with Journalism today. Go for the shocker, and let’s not be accurate at all. We want readers and we don’t care about the truth.
Are you kidding me? March 22nd, 2010 2:09 pm ET
Congratulations Mr. President!!!!! Thank you for standing up and being the strong man that you are. We are sooooooooooo pround of you because no matter what they threw at you, you did not back down and you handled each situation with a calm reserve that many would not have been able to pull off. I think yesterday was a perfect day for Mrs. Kennedy to visit with Mr. Kennedy. This was as much his fight as ours. I am sure he is pleased.
Joe Gaines March 22nd, 2010 2:09 pm ET
Most Americans say they don’t like the health care bill my question is what do they like nothing then don’t complain, just keep paying the rising cost if they don’t like that then come up with some new ideas which I have not heard of any so what do you want, nothing but just to complain because you really want it free!
Joseph B March 22nd, 2010 2:09 pm ET
People are against the bill yet know very little about it. The article claims that the contents of the bill were widely known. But then the statistics quoted are at odds with the bill. So what is the real story?
John independent from NY March 22nd, 2010 2:05 pm ET
The Republicans failed us for 8 years with their horrid fiscal policies. Now the Democrats have joined with their own ineptidudes. This health care bill is a fiscal disaster. Give it time and it will prove it.

It is time for the Libertarian Party to make it’s stand. This latest fiasco of a process is the reason why a legitimate 3rd party so vital to America. When we needed good policy we got cow manure.
I Love America March 22nd, 2010 2:04 pm ET
Why even poll us simpletons? The democrats are going to do whatever serves their own selfish interests. I picture them everyday getting up and thinking to themselves….”let them eat cake”…..
Raff from NC March 22nd, 2010 2:04 pm ET
They didnt like medicare before, after that they love it. And just like new dish, they dont like healthcare, but once they taste its sweetness they will fforget any nasty words they ever said.
Republican people will be republican, they will not change even when they know they are wrong.
Hud March 22nd, 2010 2:02 pm ET
Obamma’s changes are “change for the sake of change”, not change to help the people – and obviously not the changes that the MAJORITY of people in this country want!! Hopefully, things won’t be messed up too much before he can be voted out of there!!!!
Navy Vet March 22nd, 2010 2:01 pm ET
After a year of misinformation and outright lies from the Republicans about this bill I’m suprised anyone would support it.

It doesn’t matter though a little time down the road people will find out what the reality is and will come to be thankful for it.
Boston Irish March 22nd, 2010 1:58 pm ET
But NOBODY who voted YES listened. Well, come time for their re-election, they will have no choice as the voice of the people will be heard loud and clear.
bmw March 22nd, 2010 1:57 pm ET
“the contents of the bill were widely known”??? Give me a break. Most polls on the popularity of the reform legislation follow up with questions about specific provisions in the bill, and find that people who originally said they were opposed to the bill in fact like what they hear about the contents.

All that these polls are measuring is how influenced some people are by the Republican lies and scare tactics.
Ryan March 22nd, 2010 1:54 pm ET
That is so ridiculousy slanted because I sure wasn’t polled and nobody I know was polled. We’re all FOR healthcare!!
The majority of Americans voted for Obama specifically because his platform was all about reform. So to say people don’t approve of thier chosen candidates main cause clearly doesn’t add up.

Learn math CNN.
NYCitizen March 22nd, 2010 1:54 pm ET
Will we angry folks remember this come Midterms??? I for sure will. Regarding the House passing the HCR Bill: the pre-existing condions clause should immediately be extended to EVERYONE of EVERY AGE, not just children. Taxing Cadillac plans: I am just a secretary living in NYC, I worked hard all my life to just be able to afford a high-end insurance policy through my employer and I am not rich at all. Now in a few years, I will be taxed heavily for efforts. As far as health insurance itself, does it do away with the authorizations you have to get to go to a specialist? And, the $250 seniors are supposed to get to cover the doughnut hole in the prescription plans, is that once a year? and for how long? It doesn’t seem to me that $250 really helps that much. My freedom of choice is taken away from me by FORCING me to have health insurance. If I don’t get insurance, I will be fined increasingly in larger amounts every year. Cheaper plans do not necessarily mean better quality of care or more facilikty and physician choices, eithert. My employer offered several types of health plans, one of which was enticingly cheap. However, there basically was only one facility to go to in the Borough, and was severely limited in physicians who took the plan. What about prescription drugs that are new on the market? Will my insurance cover them or will I have to pay out of pocket for a new drug, and if I can’t afford that, I am FORCED to take some other drug? Will there still be a three tier prescription drug system, as quite frankly, the three tire system bites! I am waiting for Nicvax to come out to help me stop smoking. Will my insurance pay for it, or would they rather spend a fortune in my future cancer treatment instead? Paying for the Nicvax certainly would be more cost effective. As an aside, I am on the younger-age of the Baby Boomers. By the time this reform is in full effect, I could be dead by then. Or maybe that what’s this Administration has in mind!
Marcus Tate March 22nd, 2010 1:54 pm ET
I am hoping the Supreme Court can overturn this legislation by finding parts of it unconstitutional, but then I am not holding my breath.
Wisconsonite – Stop Smoking the Tea Bags! March 22nd, 2010 1:53 pm ET
Do another poll in a week or two, CNN, and I predict you will see very different results. By that time most of the people polled will have time to see that all of the things they are “opposed” to about the bill are lies told to them by the Republicans because they do not have a vested interest in helping the working class of this country.
ray March 22nd, 2010 1:52 pm ET
the health cares bill according to the racists, immigrant haters,bigots,red necks on the right is no good, hahahahahah it will be good for them when they starts to reap the benifit. hahahhahah i wish i had the power to round up all these hypocrites racists on the right who cares about babies who aren’t born and not the childer n who dont have health care, who are starving as we speak , who parents cannot afford to buy them medicine when they are sick. god , i beg you, wipe these racists on the right who pretends they the bible is there saviour. wipe these people off the face of the earth so this country and world can be a better place.
Southern Poll March 22nd, 2010 1:52 pm ET
Where was this poll taken, in Texas? In the south, I would expect results like this, but not nationwide. However, there are a lot of poorly educated people here in the states that have no idea why they are against the health care reform, so this could be accurate.
Marcus Tate March 22nd, 2010 1:51 pm ET
All I know is that I personally will not be voting for anyone who voted for this legislation, which takes money out of my pocket to buy healthcare for welfare recipients and illegal immigrants.

What have we come to when we punish hard working people because they have jobs that afford them healthcare? This is not about who has healthcare and who doesn’t – its about the government overstepping its authority, its about the government telling people what they will buy, and its about the government punishing those who are successful on behalf of those who are not. That sounds like Socialism to me.
Badnews March 22nd, 2010 1:51 pm ET
This bill will be the death knell for small business. All this weekend vote amounted to was a big smoke and mirror show by people who don’t have a clue how to manage a yard sale, much less something that amounts to 1/6 of the economy. Get ready for tax hikes like we’ve never seen before and an overloaded medical system. All so the arrogant, so called leaders of congress could get their names in the history books. None of these politicians were listening and all we can hope for is they get sent packing come next election.
nwcanadian March 22nd, 2010 1:50 pm ET
Big, big mistake, U.S. Congress. The American people wanted reform that would help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients.The bill that passed will not accomplish either goal. All it’s done is give the green light to another massive government boondoggle, more bureaucratic inefficiencies and waste and more red tape. Do those who voted aye even know what exactly it is they voted for? Even the President couldn’t articulate specifics when he was pressed for answers.
Peter s March 22nd, 2010 1:49 pm ET
Mr.Rich Barbieri, Sir, are you in anyway affiliated with insurance industry? if Yes stop misleading the public. Your survey is/was biased, it’s inconclusive and it makes CNN looks like fox news! please go to fox thats where you belong! you manupilative good for nothing sucker!!
AndyF March 22nd, 2010 1:47 pm ET
Just goes to show the GOP tactic of repeat a lie enough, than enough people will believe it. What this law starts to do for small business is huge, but the real winners are the American people, including the 59%that have bought hook, line, and sinker the GOP BS machine that this law will ruin the country. Perhaps they are looking for a scape goat for passing huge tax breaks during the costliest war in American history? Bottomline, those independent number crunchers have confirmed this will aid in lowering the deficit, yet enough Americans allow themselves to be conditioned by the repeating of a lie over, and over again. Imagine our country without Fox News, the only way truth would have a chance to be behind the decisions we make.
It’s time for another change! March 22nd, 2010 1:47 pm ET
59 percent of those surveyed opposed the bill, yet the Democrats have chosen to shove this bill down our throats. The American people’s time will come though as we will shove it in a difference place next elections. Then perhaps we can really enact some legislation that is meaningful and not break the country.
Bob (Illinois) March 22nd, 2010 1:46 pm ET
Before running another sill poll, why don’t you wait until the general public has a better idea of what is actually in the bill?
beevee March 22nd, 2010 1:46 pm ET
I do not know wo the CNN survey interviewed regarding the healthcare bill, it seems like it is very biased. I think most people will like it once they are given full account of the bill. Tidbits of details are selected by media and some of them are used to scare people. For one I dont’ see the bill as unlikeable. There are a lot of good things in it.
Big John March 22nd, 2010 1:46 pm ET
I think once it’s implemented and we all start seeing the benefits of health care it will become the same as medicare, a good program.
The sky won’t fall and all the fears of those who oppose it will subside.
mishmarsh is sick of polls March 22nd, 2010 1:46 pm ET
Who gets these so called polls anyway…moderator.. moderate!
Connie Burkhart March 22nd, 2010 1:45 pm ET
Thank God the Dems finally passed it. it will turn out to be a good thing for Americans. It’s too bad there wasn’t a public option to give the Insurance companies some competition. They will still be making too much of a profit on this! And there still needs to be tort reform, but maybe this a “foot in the door”.
Wanda in Montana March 22nd, 2010 1:45 pm ET
When the sky fails to fall, the people who listened to the fear mongering Chicken Little (dressed up as a FOX), will feel sheepish.
Augustine March 22nd, 2010 1:44 pm ET
“62 percent said the bill increases the amount of money they personally spend on health care”

The height of ignorance or the consequence of persistent GOP/FOX mischaracterization of this bill.
Brian from CA March 22nd, 2010 1:44 pm ET
What happened to the poll that showed very strong support for the components of the bill but not the overall bill? That speaks more to voters’ actualy understanding of the legislation.
Matt March 22nd, 2010 1:44 pm ET
To those who support it: how do you intend to pay for it? I think if you stand to have health insurance subsidized for you by the working class, you shouldn’t have gotten an opinion. Too many welfare babies growing up not realizing that this country is founded on work ethic, not handouts. If you want to succle from the “wealthy,” go to Europe. Wait, our country is richer…wonder why. Probably because capitalism is the route to prosperity–which is why we overshadowed the rest of the world for so long. Even if I am “selfish” and work really hard, and create a business that makes me wealthy, I would have either had to improve the product/service or lowered the price. Both leave EVERYONE better off. The only reason we have company cartels who fix prices is because our government allows it by creating regulations–which are barriers to small business owners and entrepreneurs who don’t have the capital to get past all the red tape. When it is the federal government that allows price fixing and makes our lives miserable, why would trust them for our health? How does forcing us to buy insurance, punish the insurers? How does it punish the hospital administrators charging $1000 per stainless steel screw? The answer: it doesn’t. It’s all political posturing to show Americans “they’re doing something.” I weep for our children and grandchildren who will be forced to either pay through absurdly high taxes or with blood. Because one side or the other is going to pay eventually.
Justen in Florida March 22nd, 2010 1:42 pm ET
Wow, just wow.

So, you wait untill it’s passed to report this?

You finally got around to reporting what everyone in America already knows.

congrats CNN!
NadineCA March 22nd, 2010 1:41 pm ET
This American likes this Healthcare Bill. I don’t know who is getting polled but it’s definetly not me nor my friends because we very much like the bill and support it 100%. Why not poll the people who want this bill to pass and want Health Care Reform.
Schnauzertdad March 22nd, 2010 1:40 pm ET
Do they realize that Americans, almost 2:1, do not want what they just crammed down our throats? The only way to fix health care was for congress to play by the same rules they vote for us! But they clearly won’t do that because they know our health care is CRAP!
Stephan In Billings March 22nd, 2010 1:40 pm ET
I don’t know what type of criteria wa used in the poll but everyone I spoke to here have been and still are for it. The out of control pricing and droping of patients, not the least of which is corruption is pervasive to say the least and has gone unchecked for decades.
All of america March 22nd, 2010 1:40 pm ET
Of course the majority don’t like the bill.We tried to tell congress that all along but they went against the people anyway! In november the majority of the public will show them how angry we really are, that is,if the feds don’t rig the votes like they did in the presidental elections.
Patrick March 22nd, 2010 1:40 pm ET
Like the majority that believed that :
Iraq had soemtning to do with 9-11;,
that sending more troops into Afghanistan would be the wrong move,
That Cash for clunkers would not help the economy,
that the country is heading into recession,
THAT EITHER HILLARY CLINTON OR JOHN MCCAIN WOULD BE PRESIDENT OF THE USA
Al Ragucci March 22nd, 2010 1:40 pm ET
I was surprised by how much CNN reporting on the health care vote missed the mark. The headline on CNN’s Saturday news shows was that Obama was losing support for the bill when most other networks were reporting that Dems were expressing supreme confidence in the final outcome. I hope CNN reporting works hard at maintaining its reputation for shooting down the middle and does not become overly dramatic for the sake of ratings.
John March 22nd, 2010 1:39 pm ET
Republicans want:

No Social Security
No Public Education
No Regulated Banking
No Medicare
No Healthcare
No Regulations for Wall Street
No Regulations for Insurance
No Tax to the Rich who make wealth by plunder of the poor
No Regulation of private business, all free trade

Republican want:
All Plunder, Extortion, Scam, Feudalism, Anarchy and Capitalism for Crooks and Criminals.

This was possible in 1850, not any more in 2010.
Willie March 22nd, 2010 1:39 pm ET
The percentages change depending on the day of the week and what their political affiliation. In the end, the net result is: Most of America still does not understand exactly what is in the bill that passed and what, exactly, it will do to affect each of us.

So, let’s get passed all of the purely political talking points from BOTH sides here, because it serves absolutely no one in answering the real questions. And let’s get down to real business here.
key March 22nd, 2010 1:37 pm ET
They should talk to people with a broader Intellect than fox news
kmays March 22nd, 2010 1:36 pm ET
Of the 35 million people that dont have any health care, how many of them were included in this poll. How many of them do you think beleive this is a bad bill. I would really like to know because maybe what they think dont matter.
terry March 22nd, 2010 1:35 pm ET
Obamacare will bankrupt the us and turn us into a third world nation
djb March 22nd, 2010 1:34 pm ET
Just goes to show you that the Republicans (aka Tea Partiers) have a better propaganda machine than the congressmen (and women) who voted for the bill. Fear is contagious. Education is the antidote to fear. What most people don’t understand is that the alternative to this bill is skyrocketing costs of health care.
Rush is to far left March 22nd, 2010 1:33 pm ET
Duhhhh. And the democrats and president aren’t listening. There is not argument that health care reform is needed. But this bill isn’t it. All this bill does is help the entitlement, welfare, racist against white people, lazy with their hands out, illegal aliens, at the expense of middle class hard working americans. There are lots of opportunities in this country to improve your lot in life, or human life value. Why take away from someone that works hard to give to someone, usually black or brown people, that does not?
BobH March 22nd, 2010 1:33 pm ET
I think this is an indictment of the media’s ability to explain factual information to the public. The media focuses so much time on reporting what people in power say, as opposed to what is true, that they end up misleading their audience.

It’s factually incorrect that 62% of the people polled will pay more for healthcare under the bill (assuming the poll used random sampling techniques). So the respondents are uninformed. And while people may not like the measures in the bill that result in a lowering the of the deficit, they are factually incorrect in thinking that it will increase the deficit.

CNN does its audience a disservice when it merely quotes politicians spewing clearly unsubstantiated or false statements and doesn’t bother to correct them.
Ron March 22nd, 2010 1:32 pm ET
For the first time in my adult life I am NOT proud of my country. This is a travesty to this great Democratic Republic and I don’t know how we can ever make this country great again if this is not overruled by the Supreme Court. If this health care bill stands, and I worry it might, the only logical step is succession of a few states to form a new country. The great United States of America is no more and I am ready to create a new country where hard work and REWARDS for our hard work are appreciated. Which is going to be the first state to succeed? Let me know and I will move to that state within 90 days. Living in a great new country is much better than watching the United States continue its downfall into a Socialist nation.
anotherGDlefty March 22nd, 2010 1:32 pm ET
I like it and no one called me. I’m also not on a corner throwing insults & teabags either.
My revolution happened in the voting booth in November 2008.

Signed, A REAL AMERICAN.
dorothy March 22nd, 2010 1:32 pm ET
American’s are so misinformed about this bill that it is embarrassing.
The Republicans have resorted to what they do best: nothing and destructive, fear-based politics. Business as usual for the self-serving, callous, poor excuses for Americans party of the elite.

It is, bottom line, divided into a country of ‘haves’ (and don’t want to share it) and ‘have nots.’

I salute Obama and the Democrats for the courage it took to do the right thing and remain completely disgusted with the masses of American people who are so blinded by apathy and ingnorance that they don’t even know when something is in their best interests.

The ‘moral majority’ (oh please) deserve the Republicans. The rest of us, however, do not.
Mike York March 22nd, 2010 1:31 pm ET
With all this talk about the health care reform bill, one of the things that intrigues me most is of the people in opposition, how many of them have health care provided through an employer as opposed to having to provide their own? I’m also curious as to whether they or anyone in their immediate family has had any issues with insurance coverage or serious health problems.

I understand the concerns about more government control but what do they think about the people that are truly suffering from the insane system we have today?
What goes around March 22nd, 2010 1:29 pm ET
“the contents of the bill were widely known,” but were they widely known among the people surveyed? CNN should conduct THAT survey. Most people know only what they have heard from talking heads, and probably know more about the process it took to pass it than about the content of the bill itself.

Now is the time for Congress and the White House to explain to the American people how this bill will change the lives of those Americans who desperately need change.
ran March 22nd, 2010 1:29 pm ET
Bull. when a survey is done that actually reflects the people then it might have some validity. But as long as these surveys use only people with land lines which are mostly people over 50 yoa then they do not truly reflect the people.
ConservativeVictory2010 March 22nd, 2010 1:28 pm ET
Polls and opinions from outside the beltway obviously don’t matter. But the November elections will correct that deficiency.
FM March 22nd, 2010 1:28 pm ET
Is this poll of 32 million who don’t have any health insurance??
conniesz March 22nd, 2010 1:27 pm ET
This poll simply shows that there’s a lot of misinformation out there and many people are currently to uninformed to know any better than to believe it. Once the truth starts to circulate, this will change and the people will see this is for the best. Anyone who remembers when medicare was introduced knows this is just part of the cycle. The polls shows large percentages against medicare – and look at it now. Change is never easy but sometimes it is necessary – this is one of those times.
Massachusetts Conservative March 22nd, 2010 1:27 pm ET
To T*Sah in Virginia…Democrats didn’t stand up to the “Party of No” last night with their vote for Healthcare Reform. The stood up to the American people. They said “We don’t care that an overwhelming majority of you (nearly 60%) don’t like this bill. We know what’s best for you and we’re gonna jam it down your throats anyway.” Your comments would be laughable if they weren’t so completely ignorant. A government by the People, for the People. 60% of Americans said “NO” and they voted for it anyway. This is a sad, sad day for democracy.
lil March 22nd, 2010 1:26 pm ET
Just who are you polling the tea party people. No one in my family or that I know has been polled. So you guys must have your own list of tea party
people that you talk to.
The Other Michael in Houston March 22nd, 2010 1:26 pm ET
Once again no one called me or anyone I know of.
Dr.George James March 22nd, 2010 1:25 pm ET
No wonder, Republican terror tactics worked!!!Remember the protests against Medicare,Social Security etc.when they were introduced.Now, millions enjoy the benefits of these Government run programs.THIS WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN TO HEALTHCARE ALSO.
colby March 22nd, 2010 1:25 pm ET
Great, Healthcare has passed. Of course, like many, many unemployed Americans, I’m not sure how that is going to put food on the table or keep the eviction notice from arriving.

Bill Clinton had it right in 1992–It’s the Economy Stupid! If you get people working again, everything else will work itself out.
John L. – NYC March 22nd, 2010 1:24 pm ET
And yet our Congressional leaders went ahead with it anyway without taking an approach to do this in pieces that would be more palatable to the American people. They must feel like they know what’s best for us, rather than representing our interests and what we elected them for.
Will-South Dakota March 22nd, 2010 1:24 pm ET
This American likes the Bill!. It’s about time we had real reform instead of talk talk and more talk. This is a NO more abuse by the insurance companies and notice to drug companies to stop ripping off Americans.
When does Rush Limbaugh leave for Costa Rica????
John March 22nd, 2010 1:24 pm ET
Those who hold a dim view of the bill are merely dim themselves. Read, try to understand even a shred of factual information regarding the policy and then come to a conclusion. I highly doubt that 59% of Americans are making over 500k a year. In addition, CNN fails to break down this 59% into people who think it’s not liberal enough as opposed to too liberal. Instead, it’s chunked into an ambiguous sum of 59%, which most people will attribute to Republican talking points, since they’ve pretty much done everything in their power to stop the bill in the first place. A large percentage of people are upset because it doesn’t include a public option. Get it right CNN, for once. But I suppose that it’s too much for you to break down a poll into three separate columns instead of two.
Anonymous March 22nd, 2010 1:23 pm ET
It’s a good thing that people’s *opinion* of the health care bill don’t affect the *facts* of the bill. It’s too bad such a poor job has been done to inform people about how the bill will help them.
travis March 22nd, 2010 1:23 pm ET
The poll is completely useless. Please let us know if the first question asked of the respondents was whether or not they in fact read the bill. All 2000 plus pages of it. I would be willing to bet the answer is no for each and every one of them. Without reading the bill, the “American public” that supposedly does not want the bill is relying solely on soundbites heard in 30 second commercial spots. I’m not arguing for or against, because I have not read the bill either. I vote for my elected officials and hope that they read the bill and are voting based upon facts not soundbites, but the politics involved make me and many of my peers naseous.
Bob in Pa. March 22nd, 2010 1:22 pm ET
All notorious assassins have been remembered by history using their full proper names. Today we now can add Barack Hussein Obama and Nancy Patricia Pelosi as the persons responsible for the pre-meditated slaughter of American Freedom.
stop the nonsense March 22nd, 2010 1:22 pm ET
It must be how the question is asked becuase last week, this same ticker said 46 percent approved it and 42 percent opposed. How did that change so drastically in 4 days?
Why in these articles don’t they tell us what was asked instead of paraphrasing them?
BJ March 22nd, 2010 1:21 pm ET
This is not MSNBC says and I trust them more than you.
Bill SAnford March 22nd, 2010 1:21 pm ET
I am sure CNN did not expect this much of a gap…

The “in the tank for obama” cnn rarely lets a chance go by to not plug liberal causes. This one must have backfired.
haren March 22nd, 2010 1:21 pm ET
Half the american voters does not understand this bill because of the media.
haren March 22nd, 2010 1:20 pm ET
where is the government involved in this bill?
stop talking and taking poll asking about govt take over and its involvement.
Without mandate insurance co. can not cover patient with chronic health.
Marie MD March 22nd, 2010 1:19 pm ET
The reason might be because there’s no public option which most Americans wanted. There’s still time to fix it now that it finally passed.
Has limberger packed his bags yet? Having boner almost in tears, like that other loser beck, was worth every second of this long fight. Anyone who has ever lost their health insurance and/or had to pay Cobra’s $1,000 plus fees a month embraces this bill.
Sam Rose March 22nd, 2010 1:19 pm ET
Pre-existing conditions will not be covered for 4 years? how many people will die because of this in the next four years? this is a crime–why couldn’t that start NOW???
T’SAH from Virginia March 22nd, 2010 1:19 pm ET
Come on now – who’s POLL???

This is hard to believe!! What 1,000 people were polled? This is the same polls that ran all during President Obama’s campaign and they ended up being WRONG!!!
James Breiner March 22nd, 2010 1:18 pm ET
I will not vote for any REP. or Sen. that voted for this cluster fk of a Bill,and will make it known far and wide.The people didn’t want this and it shows how far out of touch our Government is. Vote the old out and younger blood in also term limits.
Liz March 22nd, 2010 1:18 pm ET
the people who are buying the republisaurs’ lies don’t like the bill. the people who actuall understand what’s in it and the good it will do and the even better things it will lead to like it just fine. i’m so grateful to the Democrats who showed they’re statesmen, not just politicians, and voted for it. and to answer Sister Sarah, that hope-y, change-y thing is working out great, actually! Keep up the great work, President Obama! and to the rethugs who wanted to destroy his presidency at the cost of thousands of lives, i hope the good people of this country vote every last one of you traitors out of office in november.
blden March 22nd, 2010 1:17 pm ET
At this time, the CNN Quick Poll says that 42% of over 200,000 people are in favor of the health care bill, 41% oppose it.

Those numbers will change as the 17% that are ‘unsure’ figure out that they will be better off with anyone other that insurance companies making decisions about their health care.
Think March 22nd, 2010 1:17 pm ET
CNN should be quizzing Americans on the details of the bill, but I guess that would insult ignorant people, and devalue the poll results. Bottom line: people generally don’t know what they like or dislike, because they don’t have a clue.
Steve – Michigan March 22nd, 2010 1:17 pm ET
GOOD NEWS about Obama-care!

Most of it won’t be in effect until 2014 –

The World ends in December 2012.
jeremiah March 22nd, 2010 1:16 pm ET
it looks like these poll results just show how little the amiercan public knows about the bill
Jon March 22nd, 2010 1:15 pm ET
All these surveys say is that people have no understanding of what the bill does. 62% think it will increase their personal healthcare expenses? Somehow I doubt they’ve done the math. 70% think deficits will go up, despite the CBO’s report $100 billion to the contrary?

Crap like like is exactly why we shouldn’t govern based on polls and makes me glad Obama didn’t cave to the numbers.
Washington DC Insider March 22nd, 2010 1:15 pm ET
This bill will most likely pass, but the fallout from this bill will have wide reaching effects over the 2010 elections and into 2012. While Obama can say “Mission Accomplished” and check this off his To Do list, he has alienated the entire Republican Party and started to create a revolt within his own party with the Blue Dog Democrats.

I suspect we’ll see some interesting things happen over the next 6 months, but I feel Independents will cause the control of the House to swing more to the middle and take it away from the Liberals who are literally bleeding our Country dry. When 60% of those polled, or 60% of the Nation is not a fan of your bill…that is a warning sign. There was no mandate, but everyone is acting like there was. Interesting days, interesting days.
j March 22nd, 2010 1:15 pm ET
Americans don’t understand the health care reform bill, what’s in it, and how it will benefit them. When they see that’s it’s not the big scary thing the Republicans are making it out to be, Americans will be fine with it.

The Republicans and Conservatives that voted against this bill and are obstructing other measures because our President is biracial and a Democrat are on the wrong side of history.
enough already March 22nd, 2010 1:14 pm ET
Just wait until Obama does his road show to drum up support. The opposition will surely grow.
Right Leaning Independent March 22nd, 2010 1:14 pm ET
No worries! Obama will lecture, I mean educate us on how we are misguided!
pat March 22nd, 2010 1:14 pm ET
nobody poll me. I like some of the health care bill but this is better then nothing.
Glenn Koons March 22nd, 2010 1:14 pm ET
So the socialist monstrosity has passed and now the Middle Class will be getting whacked. There will be no tax cuts for the Middle Class. And with the IRS now in charge of Healthcare, we will be like people who will simply open our wallets and give them to the Feds to take care of non-earners, illegals, and frankly losers in our society. Polls will show that this is hated. But no matter to our new Venezuela Govt., amnesty will happen and illegals will be on the dole to give Obama and the Dems new voters for 2012. This is not a Party or Prez who loves America, free enterprise, liberty and our national security. This is a group who wants to punish America for its supposed greed. I frankly hope all Americans will wake up and instead punish them at the polls in Nov.
NVa Native March 22nd, 2010 1:14 pm ET
I’m sure the right wing whackos / tea-baggers will make a big deal about this one poll by pairing it with the deception that every one who doesn’t think the bill does enough agrees with them, which of course would just be another Republican/Fox lie.
From thge party of “NO” truth that’s exactly what we can expect.
This is a great day for working middle class Americans.
Shame on the corproate sponsored Republican thugs.
Michelle March 22nd, 2010 1:14 pm ET
Well since this bill will be changed for the better by the Senate, I fail to see the need for this poll. No one liked everything in the bill…it was watered down and changed for the prissy Reiublicans who wouldn’t have voted for it no matter what. Now we can go back and put in the public option and some cost saving measures. A dumb way to do it, but that’s how the system works.
Right Leaning Independent March 22nd, 2010 1:12 pm ET
BUT, the folks standing in line with their hands out for another freebie will post on here that they are estastic that it was passed! The entitlers won this fight but the middle class will lose in the end when they find themselves paying taxes for this free or subsidized health care!
Ed March 22nd, 2010 1:12 pm ET
The most important statistic from this poll is that 57 percent of Americans, a majority, favor health care reform, but some of these Americans do not like the current bill because it does not do enough. This says more about the progressive nature of Americans than the republicans pundits care to recognize and the democrats should leverage moving forward to further reduce costs. This bill further demonstrates that the Democrats are the only party capable of lowering the deficit while still attempting to improve the health care for all Americans. We need to move forward and reduce costs a process that can include ideas from the left and right.
Repubhypocrites March 22nd, 2010 1:12 pm ET
CNN your polls are BS. Tell that to the families of those 45,000 people per year who die due to lack of coverage. Or those that are uninsured. I am a tax payer and I support. HCR. The greed and selfishness in this country is pitiful. Its not going to be perfect. But its a start. Things will improve later. CNN and these republicans/teabaggers need to stop with this all or nothing attitude.
Tom, Bradenton,FL March 22nd, 2010 1:12 pm ET
I am still looking for a job. Now with another $2trillion added in health care Obama has spent $4trillion in one year more than Bush in 8 and I thought Bush was bad.
Lynne March 22nd, 2010 1:11 pm ET
The rancorof the Rep. Leaders is most unprofessioal. Eric Cantor and John Boeher appear as men of doom and gloom, of deep unhealthy anger, if these Republicans know so much about economics and can see into the future how is it that they lead us right into the near economic collapse of last year? The language of these men is mean spirited and I wish to say I’m weary of hearing “what all Americans” want! How can these men be so arrogant to imply that they alone know everyone’s mind? Once again Republicans are using fear to manipulate Americans, and once again this form of propaganda seems to be spreading like a deadly virus. I do not for one minute think the people of the Rep. Party care about me, their agenda is about holding office, power, and tax cuts for themselves.
andrew March 22nd, 2010 1:10 pm ET
On the question of costs, 62 percent said the bill increases the amount of money they personally spend on health care; 21 percent said their costs would remain the same and 16 percent said they would decrease

___

How exactly would the average american be able to knowingly answer this question? They dont know how this will affect their costs personally.

Another useless poll.
Wendy March 22nd, 2010 1:10 pm ET
No one polled me!
Who are the majority of Americans that you polled?
I want a change in health care and happy that it has passed.
I have health care at my work and it keeps getting more expensive every year .
I do believe people should be responsible and get health care for their family and if they cannot afford it they should be able to be helped out with getting insurance.
My husband has lost his job and is taking care of our 3 year old because we could not afford daycare anymore while looking for a job.
I had to put him on my insurance which is costing $$$$.
Maybe their should be more people being polled in the millions and not the thousands on how they feel about certain subject before you say the majority of americans.
Thanks,
Wendy
one voice March 22nd, 2010 1:10 pm ET
The only people that don’t like the HCR is the Insurance Industry, the filthy rich and the Corporate sheep that are too dumb to know any better. This bill will put in place important regulation that will stop Insurance Companies from dropping coverage when you get sick, stop Insurance Companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions and take 1.3 trillion dollars off the deficit in the first 20 years. Who in their right mind could argue against this?
Doyle Wiley, MI March 22nd, 2010 1:10 pm ET
I have health care so the bill doesn’t impact me, but I’m glad there will be something in place to help the over 30 millions Americans that are not in my shoes. Great job Mr. President.
Open Minded March 22nd, 2010 1:10 pm ET
I’m really getting tired of everyone speaking for me. I’ll speak for myself…I’m all for HEALTH CARE….I remember when both my children were still at home, they were both kicked off Kids Connection. They said I made to much money. What a joke that was. That happened during the time Joannes was governor of Nebraska….and Bush was in office. I was faced with paying the mortgage, paying the utilities, putting food on the table, car expenses, etc. and most important figuring out how I was going to pay for HEALTH INSURANCE. My work at that time was no premium for single coverage, but close to $400.00 to add my children to the policy. So my children went without coverage for almost 2 years. During that time my son was injured with a baseball bat to the head and were talking close to $4,000.00 in doctor expenses which I’m still paying on. There now adults and now they can have the chance to be insured without breaing there bank accounts. During all of this debating going over HEALTH CARE, I have never heard the GOP come up with anything. All they have done is instill fear in the American population. My dad also is still paying for my stepmother’s fight with Colon Cancer almost 5 1/2 years after her death. He is ’75’ and that is wrong. Some of this name calling going on isn’t showing are children how to behave as adults. If my taxes go up I don’t care if it means it’s going to help someone else get coverage. I prefer this over lining the pockets of the GOP. Thank You for allowing me to make my comments which Is A Right that I have as an American. The GOP is mad because it wasn’t them who got it done. It was the democrats. Everyone have a grand week.
Th3rdpwr March 22nd, 2010 1:10 pm ET
I couldn’t possibly care less about the deficit.

As someone who’s unemployed but still has to pay rent, buy food and, generally, survive. I have to continue to spend whatever funds available and, thus, incur debt. Bush’s deficits and financial crisis put America in this same position. At least the money is now being spent on creating something to benefit American citizens.

Besides, after six years of gross fiscal irresponsibility, I’m not taking the naysayings of repubs concerning this country’s monetary solvency. If these do nothings want to help the deficit vote themselves a pay cut, shrink their staffs, close some of the military bases we have around the world, and spend their energy on getting us out of these wars, rather than feeding enemy propaganda, by saying how weak America is.

Finally, if there’s a choice between government choosing my healthcare, and profit hungry insurance companies choosing my healthcare, I’ll go with government everytime!
After all don’t these conservs always say this is the greatest country on Earth? Well, our government is a big part of that reason.
KM March 22nd, 2010 1:09 pm ET
I think I figured out why most americans didn’t want this bill to pass and here is my theory. If 95% of americans have access to healthcare then there is no way to differentiate between the “haves” and the “have nots”. Everyone will be able to see a doctor of their choosing. This is all about social and economic classes.

If I make $90,000 per year and the guy at the local gas station make $15,000 per year but we both share the same doctor then we both share something in common. In my humble opinion, some people in each class don’t feel that it is right for someone in a lower class standing to have the same things that they have. I am turning off my sarcasm now but tell me how did that sound.
Dick Cheney For President In 2012 March 22nd, 2010 1:09 pm ET
59% of the voters opposed the bill. Nevertheless, Obama and the Politburo rammed it through anyway.

59% of the voters might be enough to initiate impeachment proceedings.
Capt. Snarky March 22nd, 2010 1:09 pm ET
Yep, we don’t like it. The fact is that it is going to wind up as an underfunded entitlement program by the middle of this century – guaranteed. With it choking off our economy, our nation’s decline will make us look a lot like Greece currently is. Bunch of whiny, tit-babies rioting because our government can’t afford our luxuries anymore………….

Good luck, America. Hope you like the hell our congress voted in……
marlene March 22nd, 2010 1:08 pm ET
As often happens Americans believe the misinformation from the GOP and the media regarding the health care reform bill. Depends on what “spin” one is listening to, or where polled citizens are getting their facts. Don’t believe everything you read or hear. To many times the headline teaser, especially recently for CNN, for an article is totally different from the actual content or tone of the article.
Jeff Spangler, Arlington, VA March 22nd, 2010 1:07 pm ET
Obama & Company: “OK, so we lied a little. No one anywhere on earth is really very good at controlling medical costs. Thanks, suckers!”
Larry March 22nd, 2010 1:07 pm ET
I know it has always been a Republican battle cry but it’s time for the “Silent Majority” to be heard. I’m tired of biased polls, deep pockets, fear mongers and loud protesters from self serving factions trying to control the outcome of legislation, elections and the overall direction our country is run. It’s time for this country to be, once again, run by the majority. Of the people, for the people and by the people ….. anybody remember those words?
chris l March 22nd, 2010 1:06 pm ET
Its Hilarious, CNN puts up articles with titles such as “How can Republicans overcome their waterloo?”, or something else discussing how historic it is or some other nonsense. All the while its been shown time and time again that a big majority of Americans Despise OBOZOCARE. CNN, MSNBC, ABC, WAPO, NY TIMES etc…. really are all disgusting, partisan Radical supporting so-called “news outlets” WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU, COME NOVEMBER THE RADICAL ANTI AMERICAN LIBERAL PARTY IS HISTORY. HELL, REVOLUTION IS BREWING AND AT THIS RATE THEY MIGHT NOT MAKE IT TO NOVEMBER. AS FAR AS OUR RADICAL AND CHIEF IS CONCERNED HE WILL BE LUCKY TO MAKE IT TO 2012 WITHOUT BEING PHYSICALLY REMOVED FROM OFFICE DUE TO THE REVOLUTION. LIBERALS SHARE THE SAME GOALS AS AL QUEDA WHICH IS TO DESTROY THIS COUNTRY FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THEIR EXTREME AGENDA IS DANGEROUS AND IT MUST BE STOPPED ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
wayne March 22nd, 2010 1:05 pm ET
My name is Wayne, Not Joe, But do represent the average american citizen. I don’t recall anyone ever asking what I believe about this mess, or any of my friends, or family on these poles. We believe they are not your average citizen. First John Boener, we dont trust the people on capital hill. and it’s not because of the health care that was passed. It started when A Person was put into the whitehouse as president of the United States without the peoples vote in the year 2000. Then started a war that we did not want, instead of going after bin laden. Then decided to start taking our rights away. He should of been impeached . Oh then he was appointed again in 2004 without the peoples vote. The Replublicans pushed every thing they wanted down our throats. Now they complain about the health care. It happens to be the first thing that was done on capital hill that is actually going to help the ****average american*****.The real reason the republicans don’t like this is that now they are going to lose campaign money from the insurance company’s and there lobbyists. Wake up America The corporations are running this country now and we have to do something about it. The Republican party supports the corporations and not the people of this country. We need to wake up, We are being fed lies and misinformation about what is really happening in this country. I could go on , but I won’t.

signed ; Average american Citizen.
Steve in Ct March 22nd, 2010 1:05 pm ET
It’s not just the Healthcare bill but all the things the government is taking away one at a time. I’ll only go back a little. Clinton gave away the Long Beach Navel Station to China without even maintaining the right to inspect to know what they’re doing there. People are complaining about Mexicans flowing into our country and taking our financial security when there are even more coming from China on freighters and walking into The US throught a gate. Bush took our privacy and allowed the gov. to spy on our own. Now POTUS Obama is controlling our money, income and now our health. Add to that this bill is taking away our retirements using medicare money to finance this insurance give-away and giving Social Security cards to the illeagles who broke the law coming here in the first place. They tell us medicare and s.s. are “intitlements, like food stamps. We’ve paid for these agreed programs and they’re NOT handouts. There isn’t one person in the United States who today can’t get medical care with or without insurance or money. We already pay extra for our hospital visits to cover those who can’t pay but the hospital is bound by law to treat. Our politicians who are supposed to be representing us are representing their party instead. Soon we’ll go to a cashless society so the government can freeze your account and prevent you from buying/selling. thgen it’s our guns to make one last stand whiline starving and it’s all over. For you who support Big Brother and are too blind to see what’s happening “Thanks a lot for destroying us”.
Luke Brown March 22nd, 2010 1:04 pm ET
The special interests and their Republican pals have so distorted and exaggerated what this bill would do that no one really understands it other than those who have put it together.

The Bush tax cuts, Medicaid Part D, and the two wars in the Middle East, were all far more expensive and complicated … and we survived.

Everyone take a deep breath.
Jerry March 22nd, 2010 1:04 pm ET
The math is very simple
Social Security is broke
Medicare is broke
Health Care will soon equal you are broke
Emma March 22nd, 2010 1:04 pm ET
Obviously, the Poll responders do not fully understand the bill.
Michael from Ventura March 22nd, 2010 1:04 pm ET
After six months, let’s see what they say. The sky won’t fall, the Stars and Stripes will not be replaced by the hammer and sickel and people will be able to get insurance who couldn’t before. The fear mongers have done another fine job- too bad that’s all they’ve got!
How are you paying for it??? March 22nd, 2010 1:03 pm ET
Yeah, I see where OBOZO plans to “hit the road” to try and sell his Obozocare. The public knows the man is a proven liar. Joe Wilson was right, this man is a liar. He’ll sit there with that serious look and sell you a bill of goods like a used car saleman.

Well, I plan on cheating on my taxes. My plan is to let DUMocRATS pay for this for I will no longer support this. AND as an employere, I expect to layoff a few employees to pay for the new payroll tax. I have a few DUMocRATS in mind. They voted for change, so YES I CAN, give it to them.
Sniffit March 22nd, 2010 1:03 pm ET
I will say this, now that it’s passed. This is a HUGE boon for us lawyers. We’re gonna get rich off you worthless scum now rather than the insurance people! HAHAHA!
Fed Up March 22nd, 2010 1:02 pm ET
Yeah I don’t like it either and I blame the Republicans for the lousey bill.

Had they worked with the Dems in good faith, there may have been more concessions by the Dems and maybe more of provisions that the GOP favored would have been inlcuded in the bill. After all, the Dems were desperate for Republican support.

However, John Boehner’s constant stonewalling eventually forced Obama/Pelosi and the gang to face reality and go it alone. So why should the Dems make any more concessions? They weren’t going to get GOP support anyway.

Boehner and his sad excuse for leadership took a gamble and lost.

Nasty Nancy took a different sort of risk and won.

Yeah I don’t like this bill, but bottom line … the time had come and we got something that was better than the status quo.
Brendan March 22nd, 2010 1:02 pm ET
Read carefully – take out the liberals who say the bill doesn’t do enough and opposition is 43%. And the conservative Americans who say they don’t like the bill like the particulars when asked about the details. It is apparent that the scare tactics and misinformation of the GOP has worked.
Lucy March 22nd, 2010 1:02 pm ET
I would like to know where CNN gets it’s information regarding who likes Healthcare Reform. I like it.

If everyone understood that the bottom line to all of this is that The Republicans are Racists and does not want to do anything that will help the poor. They consider the poor BLACKS.

If everyone would just use common sense and stop listening to the group who is fearful they would understand that this is best for our country.

All of this concern about future debt is just crazy. We were in debt with the unnecessary war that took place so stop showing other countries how ignorant and uncaring we are.
so rich even obama couldn’t hurt me but you middle class folk should worry March 22nd, 2010 1:02 pm ET
yes but uh did you ask them about pre existing conditions????? because page 1074-1076 takes care of that, what forget about the other 2789 pages that’s just well just stuff that’s not important the important thing is pre existing conditions, you’ll see you can trust them this is a brilliant. this is gonna save money while extending coverage to all and wait for the best part …. are you ready!!!!! the quality of care is gonna get better! that’s right BETTER! and did I mention pre existing conditions! your not against pre existing conditions are you? I am so sorry children of america I had nothing to do with this, I tried I voted I called but I am sorry, I am 40 and there is no doubt you will not grow up in the beautiful country I did. it is now our turn to hate this country, just like this current administration and the liberals in this country have hated this country for decades, you think you hated bush???? you think you let it known??? YOU HAVEN’t SEEN ANYTHING YET!!! LMAO
chris March 22nd, 2010 1:01 pm ET
This just shows you how uninformed most Americans are. If we quit getting our news from political blogs and our media explains legislation better, instead of bringing two ideologues on air to debate the talking points, then maybe 70% of Americans wouldnt believe a healthcare bill that cuts the deficit by 1.4 trillion over 20 years would add to the deficit.
david, CA March 22nd, 2010 1:01 pm ET
those poll numbers reflect the persuadability of Americans to an orchestrated campaign of lies by the right-wing out to destroy the Obama presidency.
fair March 22nd, 2010 1:01 pm ET
Obama will definitely pay for this bill. He is bankrupting this country on purpose because he has never loved this great country.
aliou March 22nd, 2010 1:01 pm ET
I like the bill. I would have loved it if it had a single payer system to it. and if it started right away.
francesN March 22nd, 2010 1:00 pm ET
Big thumbs up from CANADA to the USA

But what you did is the RIGHT thing to do.

You CANNOT say you are PRO-LIFE if you do not support universal health care.
foolindeed1 March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
What do you call “socialistic nationalized goverment take-over approach”? A mandate for everyone to get a health insurance? There can be no reform without a mandate as only when the pool includes everyone it has enough resources for success – otherwise insurance companies go bankrupt – the only entity that can do mandate is federal goverment.
ej in Tacoma March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
The average American complaining about the bill has not read it. They are blindly going by the the Right wing whom are preaching, fear, anger, and doom. They were given plenty of time to come up with positive ideas but only touted their brand of obstructionist politics.
EJ inTacoma
Steve March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
Socialist agenda from a president who lied to us all
Paul H March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
That means that a whole party voted against “We the People” and forced a health care bill down our throat. That means they really didn’t act on our behalf.
Who did they do it for then?
foolindeed1 March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
Japan (#2 economy in the world) has the longest healthy life expectancy on Earth and spends half (in percent of GDP) as much on health care as the United States. Japan has universal health care system. Everyone in Japan is required to get a health insurance policy, either at work or through a community-based insurer. The government picks up the tab for those who are too poor. It’s a model of social insurance that is used in many wealthy countries. But it’s definitely not “socialized medicine.” Eighty percent of Japan’s hospitals are privately owned — more than in the United States — and almost every doctor’s office is a private business. The Japanese go to the doctor about three times as often as Americans. Because there are no gatekeepers, they can see any specialist they want. Japanese patients also stay in the hospital much longer than Americans, on average. They love technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); they have nearly twice as many scans per capita as Americans do. The Japanese Health Ministry tightly controls the price of health care down to the smallest detail. Every two years, the health care industry and the health ministry negotiate a fixed price for every procedure and every drug. That helps keep premiums to around $280 a month for the average Japanese family, and Japan’s employers pick up at least half of that.
If you lose your job, you keep your health insurance.
Japanese insurers are a lot more accommodating than their American counterparts. For one thing, they can’t deny a claim. And they have to cover everybody. Even an applicant with heart disease can’t be turned down, that is forbidden. Nor do health care plans covering basic health care for workers and their families make a profit. Anything left over is carried over to the next year. If the carryover was big, then the premium rate would go down.
No one in Japan goes broke because of medical expenses.
Personal bankruptcy due to medical expenses is unheard of in Japan.
cspurgeon March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
I think CNN polls are just as suspect as Fox anymore and besides does someone care. I am an independendent never been included on a poll because I am on a cell phyone, love it that way but do support health reform as a way forward for our country.Polls and media do not run our country thank God. The voting booth is where it counts and I will certainly be there. I do not vote a ticket. I vote for people who share my views and am especialloy interested in newcomers because they haven’t sold their ethics yet. CNN is in a ratings war with Fox and have sold their ethics so very rarely watch either one. Actually spend more time on CSPAN making up my own mind…
Ash March 22nd, 2010 12:59 pm ET
So what? I’d imagine more than 59% of Americans don’t accept evolution either. Just because it’s a majority from a sampling (not sure from where they sampled) doesn’t mean that the majority is right, only that the majority feels a certain way.

Americans don’t seem to like paying taxes either, but they certainly enjoy having the fire department come when there’s a fire, sending their kids to public schools, using interstate highways, traffic lights, food inspections, etc.

We are (were?) the only country in the developed world to not have some sort of universal coverage, and our statistics in terms of health, quality of life, etc. certainly show it. Not to mention, we’re also the only country in the developed world to allow pharmaceuticals to advertise, on which they spend billions which could be lowering costs of medicine.
Sniffit March 22nd, 2010 12:58 pm ET
Yeah but most americans voted for Dubya twice and are elitist racist punks!
Tell the Truth March 22nd, 2010 12:58 pm ET
I have lost all respect for Wolf Blitzer and CNN. Republicans already have FOX news getting their lies out. They will not like CNN or Wolf any more for spreading their lies. Republicans are using you. You are all RACISTS. Tell the truth!
Aunt Bea and Opie March 22nd, 2010 12:57 pm ET
Its a great day.Limbaugh is crying and whining like a baby without his bottle of oxys.hahaha
billincalif March 22nd, 2010 12:57 pm ET
YOU’VE BEEN LURED BY THE snake in the grass (a.k.a. SATAN) I hope the apple that you’ve chosen to bite from doesn’t bite you back. Be sure to take that ‘Executive Order” with you as you stand before your maker!
Karen March 22nd, 2010 12:56 pm ET
will you survey the same respondents 10 year from now?

what about opinions of the uninsured? Has any body heard their voice recently from CNN?
Claudia, Houston, Tx March 22nd, 2010 12:56 pm ET
This is one of the most worthy pollings I’ve ever read until the truth of consequences is unveiled in approximately a year or two. There will be a favorable spike in the polls for healthcare reform.
francesN March 22nd, 2010 12:56 pm ET
Most Americans never liked the idea of Medicare either.

No one likes taking taxes from ‘many’ and giving it to a ‘few’

You don’t do it because it’s nice.

You do it because it’s the RIGHT thing, the MORAL thing, to do.
stevetall March 22nd, 2010 12:56 pm ET
Another worthless poll. This means absolutely nothing.
FRANK, LAS VEGAS March 22nd, 2010 12:55 pm ET
Like most polls of health care, this one is still polling on the lies that the American people have been fed by the GOP. Wait until the American people really understand what’s in the bill, like small companies get a tax break, pre-existing conditions are gone, lifetime maximums are gone, there are no death panels (never was), you now get to deal with your doctor about what is needed instead of the insurance company telling you what they will pay for, your children can stay on your insurance policy until they are 26 years old, you still have the same insurance you had yesterday, there has been no government takeover of anything and Medicare benefits have not been cut. Oh and let’s not forget that the deficit will actually go down. And what will the GOP do once the Tea Baggers find out they’ve been used and lied to by the GOP, not to mention the rest of the American people?
aliou March 22nd, 2010 12:55 pm ET
I like it way better than the alternative: “do nothing or tax breaks for the rich and more wars”.
I like it anyway. I am not in love with the healthcare reform bill because it wasn’t a single payer system.
I am the Great and Omnipotent Wizard of Rush and I Say . . . March 22nd, 2010 12:55 pm ET
Churchill was right.
“A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to gets its pants on.”

And the republicans are masters of the art of lying.
Lynn March 22nd, 2010 12:54 pm ET
I found it hard to believe the people surveyed actually know what’s in the bill. As someone who watches C-span’s Washington Journal every morning, I am amazed that many of those who call in in opposition have no understanding whatsoever what’s in the bill…..yesterday during the hearings several people called in to complain…..one had VA care, another – both her and her husband were on Medicare, another on Medicaid, and they’re all complaining about the “gov’t take-over.” Or others who have no insurance whatsoever complain about being forced to buy insurance, yet fail to understand that when they require emergency care, we more often than not, end up paying for it.
Carl Justus March 22nd, 2010 12:54 pm ET
I for one like the bill. It is time someone besides the rich and members of congress, and most public employees get health insurance, along with those who work for major corporations.
Lynda/Minnesota March 22nd, 2010 12:54 pm ET
Haven’t blogged on this thread for months. I see CNN is still catering to it’s big business lobbyists …

If by 59%, CNN is referencing the same old same old polls which have been circulating for months, I would suggest that CNN update it’s polling and demographics lists, as well as utilizing updated and informative questionnaires.
Receiver of Many Guests March 22nd, 2010 12:54 pm ET
Well, well, bravo for the Dems, looks like a party is gonna be thrown but I wouldn’t be all too excited if I were them. But it sure seems to me that we, Conservatives, are gonna be more influential and persuasive than ever before, arguably since the 9/11 attacks, though we got national Security in our pockets. Good for them, it is in some way a W for them but only time(or decades) will tell how far this bill will go and can, good luck.

And for the record, they are baby killers, I hope he would have hit em with a stick just like back in the day in the head, then we’ll see who’s more divisive and heartless in this game.

But is good times, is nice outside, the bad people are out(stupid cops, I told em), the kids are out so the spring is coming out! Let’s all rejoice and give thanks to what the lord gave us and that’s a life. Good luck and remember, put a smile in your face! :)
Like-a-ton-of-bricks… March 22nd, 2010 12:53 pm ET
The Dems health care bill will sink under its own weight further eroding the system with higher costs and less quality services and perhaps throwing more insured off the system than the 32Million
Pres Obama claims will get on it.

As we saw after the passing of the bill by a narrow margin 219-212 there was not much rejoicing by Dems in the chamber. So the Dems together with Pres Obama claim they can govern..Really? with their majority in Congress and at the helm in the White House all they came up with is a very, very bad half-measured bill and bipartisan in opposition Only….
lovable liberal March 22nd, 2010 12:53 pm ET
The truth about these polls:
– Americans don’t want their health care to contain the Republican lies.
– Americans do want the actual content the Democrats put into the health care bill.
Jeff March 22nd, 2010 12:53 pm ET
I only wish the bill was better. Every other industrialized nation has a for of universal healthcare, we are so far behind. This is a step in the right direction, but we further reform.
Jim March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
Interestingly, this poll doesn’t speak to the bills actual strengths or weakness, but it does indicate who has been running the better PR war.

It would be good if they posted a break down of reasons why people opposed the bill. Last time I was a poll that did this, it showed a significant part disapproval group did so because the bill was not progressive enough. I’m curious to see if that is still true.
ted March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
I applaud the democrats for having the intestinal fortitude to pass healthcare reform. This is a great day for the uninsured, the previously uninsured and uninsurable, the people who get jerked around by healthcare companies by getting dropped from coverage or premiums go sky high. The Grand Obstructionist Party made it abundantly clear they dislike the American people and I hope they suffer in future elections.
Mr. Moderate March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
Still lower than the percent of people who wanted the US to get out of Iraq. Of course the president then was considered an honorable man who stuck to his principles, while the poll respondents were condidered borderline traitors who advocated surrender. Why the different standards for this president? Hmmmmmm?
Seth March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
We are in a war now… it is no longer a struggle, but an all out war.

I hate to use the term Civil War, there can only be one of those.

But perhaps the term Political War will suffice for now. It is the Progressives against the Centrists and the Conservatives.

It will come out all right for the good of our Country, because history has always been on the good verses evil side of things.

The passion of this political War, won’t spill any blood, Thank God,
but it will spill over into political ugliness the likes of which this nation has never seen. If conservatism loses this political war, there will not be anything left worth fighting for.
tina March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
as a nurse, I believe this “reform” will be a disaster
Susan March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
I don’t know who CNN is polling..oh yea I do..Republicans. I am so sick of them all!!!
Robert March 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm ET
There are so many obvious ways that americans prove they don’t know what they are talking about. What is the point of polling them? They constantly vote against their own self-interest. This isn’t surprising, especially considering the current climate of fear and anger being supported from the right.
Jerry March 22nd, 2010 12:51 pm ET
Dear Mr. Obama, I agree with you 100% that healthcare is screwed up and needs fixed. However, your “plan” does nothing to fix it. All it does is put an even bigger burden on the middle class. How does taxing benefits fix the problem? How does requiring people to get coverage even if they cannot afford it fix the problem? How does pooping on small business fix the problem? It doesn’t. I hope you enjoy your only term
Shelly March 22nd, 2010 12:51 pm ET
I saw a poll that said 56 percent of Americans believe they saw aliens land it their backyard! We are a lost people when our moral compass and higher wisdom does not guide us anymore!
When it is grand to spend a trillion dollars on an unnecessary war and kill thousands of Americans and Iraqis but whine and complain when we spend to save millions of our own citizens! Ridiculous!
Gertie March 22nd, 2010 12:51 pm ET
70% of respondents thought this bill would increase the deficit, but the CBO’s report clearly stated it would reduce the deficit. Get the facts. Knowledge is your friend!
Rick in OP March 22nd, 2010 12:50 pm ET
When politicians arrogantly thumb their noses at the will of the people, it is called TYRANNY.
Do you remember what happened the last time someone tried that in this country?
frank in Valparaiso March 22nd, 2010 12:50 pm ET
So what. It passed. Its the law of the land.

People in this country are ignorant. They have allowed Murdoch, Beck, Rush, Reagan and Bush to lead them around by their nose. Those people are only interested in NOT paying their fair share of taxes. Their kids go to private school, they live in gated estates, they can afford a health savings account (especially since its a tax shelter).

Consider this, they believe evolution is a theory, man made climate change doesn’t exist, man walked with dinosaurs, and there are ghosts. Mormons believe Jesus Christ walked with Native Americans.

So we trust these rubes with opinions on health care? Get real. How about how much we have spent in Iraq and why Bush got us into that war?
SocialismBad March 22nd, 2010 12:49 pm ET
“That gives the president an opportunity – and seven months – to make the affirmative case for the health care bill.”
==================================================
The fool has given over 50 speeches, interviews, etc. 14 MONTHS worth of BS and more BS. And this imbecile thinks all it needs is ANOTHER 7 months to convince the American people this fiasco is good for them.

The Amercian people have been more engaged THAN EVER. They know when they are being sold SNAKE OIL by a SNAKEOIL SALESMAN, aka Obama. They have seen their government raid and loot social security and run up an HUGE UNFUNDED obligation. They have seen Medicare near BANKRUPTCY while millions are supposed to be retiring and going on the plan. And now Snakeoil Master Obama wants to sell them yet another multi-TRILLION dolar entitlement plan.

DemocRATS will be near extinction come next November. Obama will be handcuffed by a Republican majority. 2012 will see this one term disaster removed from office in humiliation.

Thus will END America’s brief socialist experiment.
Randolph Carter, I’m no expert but… March 22nd, 2010 12:48 pm ET
Not surprising, given how misinformed and easily manipulated the average “real American” is. Have a nice day!
Tom in Delaware March 22nd, 2010 12:48 pm ET
Now the question….will your employer cut you free from your HC benefits and make you buy Insurance on your own and just pay the fine or continue to pay many thousands of dollars more on which you will have to be taxed.

Congratulations America….you’ve been snookered.
Phil March 22nd, 2010 12:48 pm ET
You actually think Congress cares what We the People think??? All they are worried about is ramming this down our throats so it can go into the history books. If it was such a great plan, why don’t they participate??? I guess giving up their super health plan that WE pay for would be uncalled for. There are going to be plenty of unemployed Congressman come this November.
Sue March 22nd, 2010 12:48 pm ET
Of course, CNN would not do/post their “poll” before the Democrats were able to shove this garbage down our throats.

Also, CNN can see through their own poll what the majority in the country feels regarding this health care disaster and many other issues–but they continue to cater to the loony left.

CNN will never be successful again……..until it begins to figure out that the majority in the country are moderates to conversative (middle to right)––NOT the loony left.

In addition, based on these polls……..It just goes to show what is going to happen in the November elections.
SoCalGal March 22nd, 2010 12:47 pm ET
You know, if 59% of the people oppose the bill, that means at least 59% of the politicians as our representatives should have also. Since the politicians appear to be NOT representing their voters, i.e., voting their personal views, they should be immediately removed from office for fraud AND THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE IMPEACHED!
Judy March 22nd, 2010 12:47 pm ET
Too bad for the Democrats that they don’t care what the majority of the American people want. They’ll pay the price come November. If they think it’s going to be forgotten by then they are sadly mistaken. November can’t come soon enough. Out with the bums!
Mom in NC March 22nd, 2010 12:47 pm ET
This bill will be studied for hundreds of years as the turning point of our country: the downfall of the American republic and the start of the American socialist nation. And by the way, what does student loan reform have to do with health care? On the bright side, I am eagerly awaiting the promised deficit reduction and employment increase that will come with this bill! HA!
Jai-hoe March 22nd, 2010 12:45 pm ET
This congress has already proven many times over the past year that it doesn’t matter what the American people like. That’s why this bill has taken this long to get passed while the job’s bill sits on the backburner.
kd March 22nd, 2010 12:45 pm ET
this poll is more an indicator of how the right can manipulate the process through lies and at the high level of illiteracy among US citizens when it comes to laws’ benefits and problems.
BS Bill Misleading Americans March 22nd, 2010 12:45 pm ET
No, the overwhelming majority of American people do not like this Healthscare Plan nor did we want it. This is all about saving the hind of President Obama. Obama’s corrupt, deceiving, threatening tactics will not stand in America. For him to threaten house dems with their career future is unheard of.

The good part is that this is far from over. Obama will not make it for a second term once America see’s just how damaging this bill will be, should it , in the end get through.
J Lewis March 22nd, 2010 12:44 pm ET
When you say “Americans” what Americans are you speaking of? In other words what percentage of Americans were in this poll and where are they? I am an American and I wasn’t polled nor was anyone I know or related to. Anyone I speak to in the store and/or the mall, at the movies or at a restaurant. No one in my near or far vacinity was included in this “POLL”. So you can’t just say “Americans” you must put a percentage of these “AMERICANS” and where they are to make sense of your so call poll. I am happy it passed and so are most of my polls of Americans that I have asked who are around me everyday and Americans I just pass by in grocery stores, malls, movie theaters and restaurants. Its a move in the right direction, a direction I know a lot of Americans (including me and my family) are numb to since we have been going in the wrong direction for the last 12 years, with the last 8 being the worst I have ever seen in my 46 years on this earth, and as an “AMERICAN”. God bless American and may He keep taking the blinders off of the “Americans” that were in your poll, and allow them to see this is good for all “AMERICANS, not just for the rich and well off Americans.
Jerry – Florida March 22nd, 2010 12:44 pm ET
OMG! CNN, did you folks just discover this. After watching small parts of your broadcast last night, I am speechless. Most of your reporters and commentators seemed to be in support of President NObama’s health care debacle. Unfortunately, including Dr. Gupta.

Oh well, you know what they say about “birds of a feather”…
Four and The Door March 22nd, 2010 12:44 pm ET
I just hate what it is going to do to our economy and to the quality and cost of health care. Here are some guarantees:

1. Unemployment will go up. Health care will be too expensive for companies to hire employees.
2. The cost of health care will go up. For everyone except those that get it paid for by the taxpayers.
3. Thre quality of health care will go down. There is nothing in this bill to keep that from happening and everything in this bill to encourage it to happen. More people to treat without the resources being in place or being added. You know how that works out.

Americans just got shafted by political gamesmanship.
Ann Johnson March 22nd, 2010 12:43 pm ET
Obama has become a dictator. The people have made it
very clear that they don”t want this health care. He has bought
off our represenitives. I will never vote for anyone who voted
for this plain. The majority of the people feel the same way.

.
GI Joe March 22nd, 2010 12:43 pm ET
If CNN polls were correct, Hillary would be President and the Health Care Bill would have died forever in January.

That’s not a POLL it’s a FACT.
No Incumbents 2010 March 22nd, 2010 12:42 pm ET
It is very easy to brainwash Americans if you spend enough money. That is why the same people who vehemently oppose HCR, were strident proponents of the huge new beauracracy and Medicare entitlement for presciption drugs, Part D, which Bush rammed through Congress. With hypocrisy like this by fiscally irresponsible Republicans, our deficits have been exploding ever since.
forgive me not March 22nd, 2010 12:42 pm ET
Did not polled me. I love it and so do millions like me! Down with your poll CNN>
DeDe March 22nd, 2010 12:42 pm ET
You poll 1,030 adult Americans and you say this small sampling speaks for most Americans. Shame on you CNN for taking such a small group and saying they speak for the majority of the population. The American Health Care System is broken and I applaud those who was willing to take a chance on trying to fix the problem.
willard bullock March 22nd, 2010 12:41 pm ET
Okay iam belived that amercia are keep playing games vote for obama about reform healtth
Amercian are nothing paying for bills cause amercian are keep used drugs ocaine without pay for bill
GI Joe March 22nd, 2010 12:40 pm ET
I like it, but I’m never polled.

CNNs polls don’t mean anything. NOTHING
kem March 22nd, 2010 12:39 pm ET
This poll clearly shows that the white house must do a better job communicating the details of the health care reform plan. It isnt enough to generalize the plan and how it will affect us, some people will have to be “spoon fed” the information because they dont trust him. The only way he can convice the people is to implement the plan and it begins to work. He did the right thing.
Adalbert March 22nd, 2010 12:39 pm ET
Those Americans who do not like this HC bill have been brainwashed by fox and the republicans or they work for the health insurance cartel.
It is not a perfect bill, none of them are, but it is a good start for the working class Americans.
dmrci March 22nd, 2010 12:38 pm ET
Let’s see, the pharmaceutical sector gets hit with a $2.3 billion tax, the medical device sector gets a $3 billion tax, and insurance companies are expected to waive all pre-existing limits and caps and we’re supposed to believe our premiums won’t increase? I think we’ll be wishing for the days when we thought a 30% increase was ridiculous. I’m guessing we’ll see insurance companies dropping out of the medical business in waves. Hope they accounted for the hundreds of thousands of the newly unemployed that will be created.
Dan Holiday March 22nd, 2010 12:38 pm ET
Shows you who the democrats really represent. Themselves! Nice job guys. Way to listen to the people.
Joan March 22nd, 2010 12:37 pm ET
It would be interesting to know what parts of the country were called for this poll, which red or blue states, what time of day the calls were made, exactly how the questions were asked, the ages of the respondents, whether you made an allowance for the majority of cell phone users and whether the person who conducted the poll leans right of left. It is so obvious which wasy the journalists lean when you post stories on this ticker. It is kind of interesting to look at all the polls on sites that list them all. Gallop is the most unbiased and Rasmussen and Fox are so biased they are not even credible. Once people really get to hear the truth about the bill and how it will help them, do a broad, fair and unbiased poll which would be credible.
Ashley March 22nd, 2010 12:37 pm ET
Bush said he didn’t care about polls, why should Obama?
Stacie March 22nd, 2010 12:37 pm ET
This poll just proves that many Americans aren’t well informed. The CBO clearly stated it will REDUCE the deficit.

Some people will pay more for health insurance because they will be able to get BETTER insurance: comprehensive medical insurance vs major medical only.
Fed Up March 22nd, 2010 12:37 pm ET
Does it matter what the American people want? No. The bigwigs in Washington know more than we do. They feel more than we do. They feel our pain. NOT!!! They don’t pay their taxes. Vote ’em in. Vote ’em out!
rick March 22nd, 2010 12:37 pm ET
CNN has become the mouth of the GOP. How many people were asked this question. I for one support health care, and no one asked me.
Felly March 22nd, 2010 12:35 pm ET
Forget about this poll. When people see the benefits of this health insurance reform, they will embrace it. In 2001, my premium was $100 for a family of 5. Today, I’m paying $600 while my employer matches it with $600 totaling $1200. Right now, it’s mandatory to have auto insurance in Texas. In fact, my car has a better insurance than I do. Shame on the GOP– Obstructionist Party! They care about the unborn baby while discriminating the baby after birth. They have their priorities backward. What a hypocrisy!
LIP March 22nd, 2010 12:35 pm ET
The majority of Americans don’t agree with Congress…That may be the case, but what we Americans have learned through the years is that Congress doesn’t listen to it’s constituents. They march to a different drummer and think only of feathering their nest.
dan smith March 22nd, 2010 12:35 pm ET
Now all you IDIOTS that supported this IGNORANT bill can watch the economy really go in the tank and you can be happy knowing that it was all your fault.
amy March 22nd, 2010 12:35 pm ET
that’s because most of americans are stupid!!

the civilized world is laughing loud!!!!!!!

Europe has had universal healt care for 100 years!!!!
Clay March 22nd, 2010 12:34 pm ET
If journalists would tell the entire story rather than managing the fight like a Saturday night brawl, then maybe the American people would have a better idea of the benefits this bill will bring them. Instead, you continue to forcast doom for the Democrats – the majority by the way – while expecting what? Success for the Republicans when it was their “flawed” policies that got us into this mess in the first plac? A little truth and perspective would be nice for a change. Perhaps you in the media might consider that sometime.
rachel March 22nd, 2010 12:34 pm ET
CNN POST

It is quite clear that our elected congressmen and women have forgotten who they work for. Some of them are under the impression that they work for the president instead of their consituents and some of them are under the impression that they work for themselves getting sweet heart deals and perks. I am thinking of voting against every incumbent in my state and district.
Voted4HealthCare March 22nd, 2010 12:33 pm ET
Interesting, the Wall Street Journal poll found 45% disapproved and 46% approved of health care. Gallup had similarly even results.

Several polls also showed the majority of Americans wanted a public option, and this bill can at least be a foundation to add a public-option provision going forward.
dan smith March 22nd, 2010 12:33 pm ET
Get a job welfare queens.
dan smith March 22nd, 2010 12:32 pm ET
Democrat Party is the new Taliban.
The Unsub March 22nd, 2010 12:32 pm ET
I wasn’t polled so it is not valid. I support the bill.
dan smith March 22nd, 2010 12:32 pm ET
I don’t know of anyone who trusts Obama on anything especially health care.
jeff jackson, alabama March 22nd, 2010 12:32 pm ET
The bill was never posted on the internet.
Obama promised Americans would have
access to all info on bills while he was
running for President.
The Bible is on the net. The book War and Peace
is on the net. The health care bill was never
available to the American people.
Texas Doc March 22nd, 2010 12:31 pm ET
Its not a “majority” of Americans, its a “majority of Fox…I mean CNN polltakers. NIce try though. It passed, deal with it.
bigcat1967 March 22nd, 2010 12:30 pm ET
keep on piling it on Obama. What’s another 10 trillion added to the deficit. We’ll all pay for this. The Chinese are saving our butts right now by buying up the T-Bills – but hey Mr. Obama – what will happen if the Chinese stopped buying them???
call me crazy March 22nd, 2010 12:30 pm ET
The majority of the people were in favor of health care reform before they took out the public option. That was done to gain republican support, and of course it didn’t. Now the people who wanted the PO don’t like the bill and no one is happy with it.

I think it is a good compromise, and I believe people will come back around and support it in the long run.
Brink March 22nd, 2010 12:30 pm ET
What percent of people who answered have any idea what is actually in the bill? What percentage of people have any idea how health care finance and reimbursement works? The Administration did a poor job of educating the public on what is in the bill and what the landscape of healthcare would look like with and without reform. This opened the door for special interests and their paid lackeys (the GOP) to spread misinformation and outright lies in order to try to maintain the status quo of health insurance profits. Americans did not like Medicare either, until they needed it. History will prove this to be the the right policy move. Public opinion will eventually change when the public figures out who were for the people of this country and who were out for themselves.
John March 22nd, 2010 12:29 pm ET
I don’t like it one bit……

in time the Obama-lemmings on this website will realize the mistake….. too bad this had to happen this way. It could have been done so much better than this…. the rush to do it…. I will never fully understand….

The “something is better than nothing” arguement is so weak….. someday people will realize the problems with this bill…. and it’s not all getting ‘fixed’…. I can assure you of that….

It’s just too bad it had to go down with back-room deals and bi-partisan ‘against’ and partisan ‘for’…..
Jack March 22nd, 2010 12:29 pm ET
Does it matter. After last night’s vote America has surpassed the democracy and entered a period of socialism where we are no longer represented but rather are ruled. Ruled by the professional politician supported by the minority special interest groups. Last night was the death of the individual originally held high within our own Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Sad time in American history when the politicians believe they know better rather than representing the majority.
Merrick March 22nd, 2010 12:27 pm ET
Rest assured CNN all the leftists that frequent these boards love the healthcare bill. The Independs like me and GOP members that do not miss voting in elections whether it rains or snows hate the bill. And if you are dumb enough to trust Obama who has not spoke one truthfull word except he would get you Gov. Healthcare. I will be maxing my contributions this year to my congressional member who voted no.
Fair is Fair March 22nd, 2010 12:27 pm ET
Queue up the O-Blah-Blah supporters with their “I was never polled” comments…
patricia cash March 22nd, 2010 12:27 pm ET
You need to do a better job of polling . Your polling republican teabagger
awaitingliberalizationbyCNN March 22nd, 2010 12:26 pm ET
I am waiting for that $2,000 reduction in my health care premiums that Obozo and his Democratic stooges promised. Now that “the children” will be covered by this corrupt monstrosity, does that mean SCHIP and associated taxes that Obozo promisned would cover the “children” be repealed? How come the bill waits so long to tax the “cadillac” health plans of the unions? We know why, I just want to hear what the lying, corrupt liberal explanation is. How is that tort reform going? If Medicare and Medicaid have so much waste and corruption, how come we are just now going after it and exactly how will the go after it? In the mean time liberal liars, I am waiting for my health care insurance premiums to decrease by $2,000. Of course, I noticed my taxes increased this year in spite the great Kool Aid server in the White House saying they wouldn’t. Wait till April 15th, explosion in America when people see what the big lying fraud has done to us. WHERE ARE THE JOBS IDIOTS.
Eddie B March 22nd, 2010 12:26 pm ET
I am so sick of these polls. They sway like the wind. I guarantee now that the bill is passed the new polls are going to say that Americans are for it. Also, they never poll the low or lower middle class. These same sentiments were expressed about Medicare and now it can’t be touched.
Tram March 22nd, 2010 12:26 pm ET
BULL! Look, I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but the real Americans where I live want health care reform. We know this one won’t solve all the problems, but it’s the first step. It get rid of the doughnut hole in Medicare – and believe me, that doughnut hole should never have existed. It gets rid of the pre-existing condition nonsense.

Now if this bill charged insurance companies with manslaughter every time they actively sought to deny a legal and valid claim, then that would have been a grand slam for the American people.
ThinkAgain March 22nd, 2010 12:26 pm ET
The President and the Democratic Party just need to make sure they spread the word – frequently and loudly – of the successes and savings of the health care reform bill.

We all know that Fox and the GOP and all their lackeys will spend millions of dollars spreading their lies and distortions – especially now that they got their way with the Supreme Court ruling saying that corporations are “people” and can give unlimited amounts of money to campaigns.

Pretty sick when our country has a political party whose sole purpose is to make our President and our country fail.

Because think about it, folks: The GOP is planning on doing all it can to make us suffer terribly and then blame the Democrats for our problems – all for the purpose of regaining political control.

To do what? If the GOP is willing to harm us this much to get back into power, JUST WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK THEY’RE GOING TO DO TO US ONCE THEY GET THERE?

Hint: A continuation of the tried-and-failed economic, military and foreign policies of Bush/Cheney. Remember them? They started two unfunded wars, brought our country to the brink of economic collapse, real wages went down, jobs went overseas, the Constitution was trampled upon, anyone disagreeing with them was labeled a traitor, and political discourse devolved into schoolyard name-calling and bullying.

You really want that, folks? Wake up and smell the coffee!

The GOP = Party Before Country
dan smith March 22nd, 2010 12:26 pm ET
Get a job now all you welfare queens out there that supported this garbage of a bill.
J.P. March 22nd, 2010 12:25 pm ET
There was a vote last night.
Now, we get to vote in November.

Socialist kamikaze politicians are going to be defeated in droves in November.

Then, we repeal this unconstitutional law, *IF* the Supreme Court doesn’t beat us to the punch.

Take a good long look at the Democrat Controlled Congress, because it’s the last one you’ll see in your lifetime.
Rick McDaniel March 22nd, 2010 12:25 pm ET
On the contrary, personal health care costs will rise significantly, and those who can ill afford to buy health care will be forced to buy it, or will be taxed if they don’t.

It is a huge travesty on the public.
Chuck March 22nd, 2010 12:25 pm ET
Polls! Polls! Polls! It is quite funny how we all hear about these polls that are taken but everyone that I talk to has never been called for their opinions. Get to the average guy our in Middle American and asked him or her. Most polls average around 1,000 calls. Call thousands of people and see what they think!!!!
The Great Northwest March 22nd, 2010 12:25 pm ET
The poll must have been taken by CNN at Faux No News.
Your so called poll has a margin of error of 100%.
special kay March 22nd, 2010 12:25 pm ET
Well, I wasn’t contacted by any pollsters but I DO support the current health care bill (soon to become law 3/23). THANKS DEMS AND MR PRESIDENT!!!!!!
Equality for all March 22nd, 2010 12:25 pm ET
The majority of Americans don’t understand the bill, or are so afraid of any progressive change to their narrow lives and view points, and therefore don’t like it. Once the real benefits kick in, these same people will be first in line to get their share.
Death Assurance Companies March 22nd, 2010 12:24 pm ET
Where did they do this poll,Alabama?Polls are nothing more than sheepdogs for the stupid.1005 morons out of 300 million.Wow.
Troy March 22nd, 2010 12:24 pm ET
Now do a poll on how many Americans UNDERSTAND the bill. Gut instinct says that as comprehension of the language increases, so, too, will approval of the legislation.
vicki San Pedro March 22nd, 2010 12:23 pm ET
Is there a sale somewhere on crystal balls? Relax, people. The sky is not falling.
some guy in New Hampshire March 22nd, 2010 12:22 pm ET
People don’t like the bill but several polls find that a majority want the individual changes embodied in the bill. When people stop hearing hysterical politicians talking about killing your granny, they’ll see that the features don’t amount to a federal takeover of health care.

What should concern us is how this is supposedly going to be paid for. More than half the cost comes from cutting payments to Medicare service providers. Can we trust Congress to stand up to the medical industry’s army of lobbyists who will storm the capitol demanding those payments be increased?
Doug,lib jersey March 22nd, 2010 12:22 pm ET
Your typical lib liar.

Jim – “I am an independent voter and have voted republican for 2 presidents and several senators. but due to the incivility ( use of n word, barney franks sexuality, and calling stupak a baby killer) I will not vote for a Republican this fall.”

Hey Jim its libs like former Klan-grand wizard Senator Robert Byrd D-W. Virginia who use the N word, and Democrat plans at events where people like Sarah Palin speak (same ones who blow up DNC headcorders like in Colorado trying to blame it on the right).

Robert Byrd was a Klan member and racist, you are just an idiot lib Obama-bot sheep!
dan smith March 22nd, 2010 12:22 pm ET
Nazi Democrats need to be voted out of office as soon as possible.
Kevin in Ohio March 22nd, 2010 12:21 pm ET
This is no surprise at all….. CNN finally publishes it after we’ve known the distaste for this government takeover for months!

My doctor has already indicated to his patients he will be leaving private practice because of this bill.

And I’m waiting to see if my insurer just plain out bails. If I were them, I would, because there is no longer a viable business opportunity for them.

So much for choice and keeping my insurance……
G March 22nd, 2010 12:20 pm ET
hate this bill. Won’t vote Democrat again. You guys lost me with this bill. bye bye
Comments have been closed for this article

Posted in Bill Clinton, Health Care, Polls. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 11 Comments »

Obama To Appear on Fox–The Scene Of The Crime

March 17, 2010 — Ron Chusid

Barack Obama and members of his administration realize that Fox is far more a propaganda arm of the Republican Party than a legitimate news organization but they also realize that they have to use all possible means of getting their message out. This includes going on Fox, with Barack Obama to appear on Special Report this evening. Michael Calderone writes:

With Robert Gibbs appearing on “Fox News Sunday” and Timothy Geithner stopping by Fox Business yesterday, it’s clear that top administration officials are willing to engage the much-criticized network a lot more these days.

Now tonight, President Obama sits down for an exclusive interview on “Special Report” as the health care debate wages and a vote’s expected. The upcoming Fox interview was a topic of discussion on — you guessed it — Fox.

On “The O’Reilly Factor, Brit Hume said that Obama’s decision to appear on Fox  “tells you for sure, if you didn’t know it already, they haven’t got the votes.”

Bill O’Reilly responded that ‘it’s a smart move to do it because there a lot of independents who watch” the network.

The White House believes that some of Fox’s audience may be swayed by the president. Gibbs, when asked Tuesday if Obama might be able to change any minds, said it was “certainly worth a shot.” And this morning, a White House official further explained the decision further to Playbook:

“Many of the falsehoods and myths about health reform gained traction with Glenn Beck and others on FOX, so the President is returning to the scene of the crime to make the final sale. As we have said, we will work with Fox where it serves our communications interests, and this does.”

There is a segment of the population which gets all of its news from Fox and similar right wing propaganda outlets and this is the only way to reach these people. The problem is that such people are not likely to have their minds changed by the facts. The question is whether there are enough persuadable viewers who are watching Fox.

It is a tough call as to whether to go on Fox. Based upon their past track record, there is a high possibility that Fox will twist whatever is said in coverage of the interview afterward. However, if administration officials do not go on Fox they will simply twist other news footage to present their misinformation. Perhaps going on Fox will at least allow them to get their message to people who watch the actual interview, even if it is inevitable that any subsequent coverage will be distorted .

Posted in Barack Obama, News Media. Tags: , , , , . 2 Comments »

Transforming An Insurgent Campaign Into A Governing Philosophy

February 17, 2010 — Ron Chusid

Running an insurgent campaign is one thing. It is harder to be the insurgent force once you are in office. Tim Dickinson looked into the attempt to make this transformation in an article at Rolling Stone. He places the blame for the failure to maintain the enthusiasm for Obama’s agenda on David Plouffe, who was eager to get out after the campaign:

“There was no question of my joining the administration,” he recounts in his memoir. So Plouffe, in a truly bizarre call, decided to incorporate Obama for America as part of the Democratic National Committee. The move meant that the machinery of an insurgent candidate, one who had vowed to upend the Washington establishment, would now become part of that establishment, subject to the entrenched, partisan interests of the Democratic Party. It made about as much sense as moving Greenpeace into the headquarters of ExxonMobil.

This led to problems including becoming two closely identified with the Democratic Party machinery, risking the alienation of independents and Republicans who backed Obama. The departure of Plouffe (who has since rejoined the Obama administration as an adviser) also led to a more conventional legislative strategy:

The decision to shunt Organizing for America into the DNC had far-reaching consequences for the president’s first year in office. For starters, it destroyed his hard-earned image as a new kind of politician, undercutting the post-partisan aura that Obama enjoyed after the election. “There were a lot of independents, and maybe even some Republicans, on his list of 13 million people,” says Joe Trippi, who launched the digital age of politics as the campaign manager for Howard Dean in 2004. “They suddenly had to ask themselves, ‘Do I really want to help build the Democratic Party?'”

In addition, with Plouffe providing less input in his inner circle, Obama began to pursue a more traditional, backroom approach to enacting his agenda. Rather than using OFA to engage millions of voters to turn up the heat on Congress, the president yoked his political fortunes to the unabashedly transactional style of politics advocated by his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. Health care reform — the centerpiece of his agenda — was no longer about mobilizing supporters to convince their friends, families and neighbors in all 50 states. It was about convincing 60 senators in Washington. It became about deals.

This affected how health care reform was approached:

What backfired, it turns out, was ceding populist outrage on health care to the far right. Because OFA failed to mobilize the American people to confront the insurance companies, it allowed industry-funded Republicans, like former House majority leader Dick Armey, to foment a revolt by the Tea Partiers, whose anger dominated the news. Stewart, the director of OFA, says the failure to anticipate last summer’s town-hall ragefest was his. “Organizing for America did not properly plan for that first week of August,” he says. “That was an error on my part.” OFA scrambled to rally its troops, generating more than 300,000 calls to Congress on a single day. But the belated effort typified the group’s first year. “It’s always reactive and half-hearted,” says Moulitsas. “The movement was built on the concept of big change — but they haven’t gone after the things you need to do to enact change.” Indeed, OFA’s own numbers reveal a sharp drop-off in activist participation: All told, only 2.5 million of its 13 million followers took part in its health care campaign last year — and that’s counting people who did nothing but sign the group’s “statement of support.”

“It didn’t work — with an exclamation point at the end!” says Rollins, the former Reagan strategist. “They didn’t keep the organization alive. They thought it was out there to use whenever they wanted to use it. But with constituents who feel like they’ve been part of a revolution — as ours did in ’80 and ’81 — you’ve got to feed them. You’ve got to make sure that they feel important.” Instead, says Rollins, OFA “e-mailed them to death, but without any real steps to make them feel a part of the process, like they felt a part of the campaign.”

Fortunately the Obama administration is becoming more engaged in pushing for health care reform. The question is if it is too late to overcome the propaganda campaign of the far right which has many people believing false claims regarding the legislation.

Posted in Barack Obama, Blogs & Social Media, Democrats, Health Care. Tags: , , , , , , , . No Comments »

When You Lose Joe The Plumber You Are Really In Danger Of Losing The Moron Vote

February 15, 2010 — Ron Chusid

Poor Sarah Palin. First Joe the Plumber turned on John McCain, the politician who made him famous, and was leaning more in the Sarah Palin/know-nothing direction. Now Joe is attacking both McCain and Palin. He hates McCain so much that he will no longer support Palin just because Palin is now campaigning for McCain’s reelection campaign.

To lose the know-nothing extremist element which Joe’s support represents is bad news for Palin considering how she has already lost the support of pretty much everyone else in the country. John Avlon has an analysis for CNN today as to why  Palm-gate’ proves centrists’ Palin doubts:

She is queen of the conservative populists, and to her supporters she can do no wrong. She is despised by Democrats. But — and here’s the biggest hurdle — she is disliked and distrusted by Independents and centrists.

Palin’s “Palm-gate” incident matters because it validates the doubts deeply held by Sarah skeptics in the center of the American electorate.

I was in the room when she gave her speech at Nashville’s Opryland Hotel. It was well-written and rapturously received by the Tea Party crowd. It was part campaign speech and part state of the union address, focusing on foreign policy for the first 15 minutes — a subject rarely discussed inside the Tea Party movement — before she got to the red meat of deficits and debt.

It had a string of her patented folksy and sarcastic one-liners, such as “How’s that hopey-changey thing working for ya?” It brought the house down. And then there was the one-liner that would haunt her a few minutes later: a dig at President Obama as “a charismatic guy with a teleprompter.”

Ironically, Palin is a charismatic gal who could have used a teleprompter that night. It would have helped her avoid looking down at her text half the time, and it would have slowed her delivery to the pace she used in her devastatingly effective 2008 convention address.

But she presumably avoided a teleprompter in part to use that one line — and the audience loved it. When it came time for the post-speech question-and-answer session, no one announced that she had been given the questions in advance. It wouldn’t have sounded very populist.

But that’s the only explanation for why she had written notes on her hand. That such a stunt would get a kid kicked out of a junior high classroom isn’t the point — the real problem is the question that prompted the note-taking.

Palin was asked to recommend the top three things Republicans should do when they retake Congress. The follow-up was the first three things she would do if elected president.

She wrote on her hand the following notes: “energy”; “budget cuts” (“budget” was then crossed out and replaced with “tax” — presumably because a call for budget cuts would require sticky specifics); and “lift American spirits” — the last being a call for more reliance on God in our politics.

The questions would have been softballs even if she hadn’t seen them in advance. The answers are so boilerplate that a candidate for city council wouldn’t need prompting.

That Palin believed she needed to write them down is the political equivalent of reminding yourself to breathe. The gap between Palin’s scripted surgical strikes in her speech and the need to rely on notes for a simple question she saw in advance validates the doubts that nonconservatives have long had about her.

A poll taken toward the end of the 2008 campaign found that 47 percent of centrists said her selection made them less likely to vote for John McCain as president. A July 2009 Washington Post/ABC News poll showed that 58 percent of independent voters did not believe that she understood complex issues.

Palin’s Palm-gate only compounds these problems.

Just to repeat for the pro-Palin trolls who are bound to show up, clueless as to why it is ok for Obama to use a teleprompter but Palin has been ridiculed for her notes on her palm: All politicians use teleprompters for prepared statements. Sarah Palin usually uses one too, except for when she looks down at notes so that she can attack Obama for using a teleprompter. What is significant here is that the notes on Palins palm were for a softball question which had been arranged ahead of time for the Q&A session. Being unable to handle a simple planted question is far different from using a teleprompter for a prepared statement.

Related Post: The Top Ten Things Written on Sarah Palin’s Hand

Posted in Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin. Tags: , , , , , . 6 Comments »

Obama Speaks The Truth, Shocking Ideologues Of Both Left and Right

February 10, 2010 — Ron Chusid

It looks like once again long-time Obama-hate Paul Krugman is really the clueless one as he attacks Obama while twisting what he actually said. He dwells on a few words taken out of context from an interview while totally missing Obama’s actual point. It’s bad enough we constantly have to put up with conservatives doing this. Some Clinton backers really need to realize the primary battle was over a long time ago.

Those who have read Obama’s actual words are far less shocked than Krugman. Steve Benen writes, “Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see why the president’s comments this morning about the bonuses awarded to the CEOs of Goldman Sachs and Chase were so controversial. The wording was a little awkward, but that’s about it.”

Greg Sargent has posted the actual transcript with Obama’s remarks, noting that “the comments seem a bit more nuanced than the headlines suggest.” Here is the transcript (emphasis mine on the key parts that people such as Paul Krugman have ignored):

QUESTION: Let’s talk bonuses for a minute: Lloyd Blankfein, $9 million; Jamie Dimon, $17 million. Now, granted, those were in stock and less than what some had expected. But are those numbers okay?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, first of all, I know both those guys. They’re very savvy businessmen. And I, like most of the American people, don’t begrudge people success or wealth. That’s part of the free market system. I do think that the compensation packages that we’ve seen over the last decade at least have not matched up always to performance. I think that shareholders oftentimes have not had any significant say in the pay structures for CEOs.

QUESTION: Seventeen million dollars is a lot for Main Street to stomach.

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, $17 million is an extraordinary amount of money. Of course, there are some baseball players who are making more than that who don’t get to the World Series either. So I’m shocked by that as well. I guess the main principle we want to promote is a simple principle of “say on pay,” that shareholders have a chance to actually scrutinize what CEOs are getting paid. And I think that serves as a restraint and helps align performance with pay.

The other thing we do think is the more that pay comes in the form of stock that requires proven performance over a certain period of time as opposed to quarterly earnings is a fairer way of measuring CEOs’ success and ultimately will make the performance of American businesses better.

Greg Sargent also points out:

It seems like there’s a bit more of an emphasis here than the initial story suggested on his support for specific measures to check the long-term trend of inflated bonuses, and the thrust of his comments seem aimed at combating the perception that such policies are anti-business.

Steve M. argues that Obama is not going to be successful in speaking in the middle on economic issues such as this:

Look, obviously Obama is trying to thread the needle here. But why bother? No one the right is going to give him credit for this — they’re all too invested in the Obama-as-socialist meme. (Without that, what would Glenn Beck have to talk about every day on radio and TV?) Here’s National Review, in response to the original Bloomberg report, accusing him of making the statement because his party is losing Wall Street donations, and calling the “praise of the free market … about as bland and uncontroversial as it gets” — then slamming him for releasing the full transcript (“the White House is already starting to walk [the remarks] back”). No love there.

Every teabagger is going to ignore the positive words about capitalism — and yet every liberal and every moderate swing voter is going to hear just what Krugman heard: a clueless president saying nice words about the enemy

Steve is correct that teabaggers will ignore the positive comments on capitalism which do not match their absurd belief that Obama is a socialist, but they were never going to vote for him. The point is not whether Obama is clueless in playing politics here but that he is not playing politics at all.

As he has done from the start, Obama is trying to talk to voters as intelligent adults. He is saying what he really believes, not what he thinks is the politically safest thing to do. Doing so he loses the support from ideologues of both the far right and left. He also retains the respect of independents such as myself who generally do support the free market system, but also agree with Obama’s remarks that CEO pay has exceeded what is deserved based upon their performance.

Update: More on the White House response.

Posted in Barack Obama, Blogs & Social Media, Economy. Tags: , , , , . 9 Comments »
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