The government-run Obamacare law that includes abortion-funding and rationing concerns for pro-life advocates is not the central topic of political discussion these days as most Americans focus on the Republican presidential primary and the state of the economy.
However, a new poll out today from Rasmussen Reports shows 57% of Americans still want to see the Obamacare law overturned in Congress via legislation to repeal it. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of likely voters has 46 percent strongly favoring repeal. Just 37 percent oppose repeal and only 25% percent oppose it strongly.
That 57 percent mark is the highest support for repealing Obamacare since mid-July and ties for the highest mark since 58% and 62% supported repeal in March polls Rasmussen conducted.
“The number of voters who Strongly Favor repeal of the national health care law ties the highest level reached in several months, as most continue to believe the law will push up health care costs and the federal deficit,” the polling firm reports. “Overall support for repeal is up two points from last week. The percentage of voters who Strongly Favor repeal ties the record high last reached in July. The last time this finding was higher was in mid-March when 51% Strongly Favored repeal.”
“Most voters have favored repeal of the measure every week but one since it was passed by Congress nearly 18 months ago. During that time, weekly support for repeal has ranged from 47% to 63%, although it’s generally been in the mid-50s for months,” Ramussen continued. “Just 34% of voters now think the health care law will be good for the country, a finding that has ranged from 31% to 41% since its passage. Fifty-one percent (51%) believe the law will be bad for the country, while only three percent (3%) feel it will have no impact.”
Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters say the issue of health care is Very Important when it comes to how they will vote in the next congressional election. With the strong opposition to the law, that doesn’t bode well for Obama and Senate Democrats who helped put it in place.
The poll also found 56% of voters think health care costs will go up under the new law, while just 15% expect those costs to go down. Nineteen percent (19%) predict costs will stay about the same. Anywhere from 52% to 61% of voters have expected an increase in health care costs in weekly surveys since the law’s passage.
“Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters believe the new health care law will increase the federal deficit, a finding that has ranged from a low of 51% to a high of 63% since the law’s passage. Only 12% think the law will reduce the deficit, and 19% say it will have no impact. Fifteen percent (15%) aren’t sure what its impact will be,” Rasmussen indicates. “Just 20% believe the quality of health care in America will improve as a result of the new health care law. Forty-nine percent (49%) think the quality of care will get worse, while 24% expect it to stay the same. These findings have been consistent since the law’s passage.”
While a majority of Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major party expect health care costs to increase under the law, Democrats are evenly divided on what will happen to costs, the poll found. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Tea Party voters expect the law to increase the federal deficit, a view shared by just 44% of non-Tea Party members.
“Most voters continue to believe states should be able to opt out of federal programs they don’t like, especially if the federal government doesn’t help pay for them. More than half the states are challenging the constitutionality of the new federal health care law in court, and 54% think states should have the right to opt out of some or all of the health care law,” the polling firm noted.
