49% say Obama should wait on health-care reform; half say it is not possible to even insure all.

[Occam Bandage]

President Obama told the nation last week that health care reform is one of the top three priorities of his administration, but 49% of U.S. voters say the president should wait until the economy improves before moving forward on the health care front.

Forty-two percent (42%) believe Obama should go ahead with health care reform now, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Ten percent (10%) are not sure what Obama should do.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of Democrats believe the president should move ahead now, but 72% of Republicans and 57% of voters not affiliated with either party say Obama should wait until the economy improves.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of voters acknowledge, however, that reining in health spending is at least somewhat important to improving the nation’s economy. That includes 46% who say it is Very Important.

During his campaign for the presidency, Obama promised if elected that he would reduce the number of Americans who do not have health insurance, improve the overall quality of health care in this country and save the typical family $2,500 per year in medical costs. Forty-four percent (44%) of voters say the president is at least somewhat likely to achieve all three of these goals. Seventeen percent (17%) say Obama is Very Likely to accomplish all three, but 24% say he is not at all likely to do so.

While half expect the president to be able to reduce the number of those without health insurance, just 41% say it is possible to provide health insurance for everyone. Forty-nine percent (49%) disagree and say it is not.

Two-thirds of Democrats (66%) say it is possible to insure everyone, a view shared by 33% of unaffiliated voters and 19% of Republicans. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of GOP voters and 60% of unaffiliateds do not believe it is possible to provide health insurance for everyone, but just 23% of Democrats agree.

The Obama Administration is considering the establishment of a government-run health insurance program to make sure that most people are insured. But 43% of voters say the quality of health care in America will get worse if a government-run health insurance plan is created to compete with private plans.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/healthcare/49_say_obama_should_delay_health_care_reform_until_economy_is_better

There's a very mixed bag here. First, though the question was not asked, I'm not seeing good signs for single-payer any time soon; when nearly half of voters say that the creation of so much as a "government-run health insurance plan" would harm health care in general (which is a completely absurd belief) we're going upstream there.

More importantly, these polls suggest that there is not overwhelming public support behind health-care reform at the moment. This is not a huge stumbling block; Obama has shown an aptitude for moving mountains with his voice. However, it does mean that public pressure is unlikely to move his health-care plan in a positive direction. It looks like he's going to be more concerned with pulling the public to the left here; I'm not rapidly losing any hope that the public will be able to pull Obama to the left. I had hoped single-payer would happen in Obama's first term, but it looks like we're more likely looking to his second term or later on that at the moment.

Which isn't the absolute end of the world; there are very many good things that Obama could do while working within the framework of the ultimately untenable for-profit model. The creation of a government-sponsored health plan for all would be a wonderful thing, and any cost controls he could implement at any level would help everyone.

[sampsonblk]

1. No big deal

If our party "leaders" make the case for it, the numbers will move in our favor.

If they play it like they did the Iraq War and many other issues, then the numbers will continue to look unfavorable.

[Occam Bandage]

3. I highly doubt that they're simply waiting for the right moment to launch a pro-single-payer blitz.

Any push towards single-payer would have to come from the public, and right now it looks like the public is going to need a good amount of convincing to support incremental reform.

[sampsonblk]

14. I agree. So its long past time to start the convincing process (nt)

[Hieronymus]

28. The administration is going full steam ahead for health care. It's necessary

to improve the economy.

[DearAbby]

2. Get it done....get that overwith and we all benefit.

no matter when it will be brought on the table, there will be those who complain about it being too expensive, we can't afford it right now. Swallow the pill, get it over with.

[Thrill]

4. I think there is a clear pattern with Rasmussen Polls

.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. The question is loaded to push a negative response.

By mixing in the current economic situation with health care reform Rasmussen is very carefully creating a narrative that is intended to produce the results reported.

[Occam Bandage]

6. While I agree we should be on the lookout for slanted polls,

at the same time, I think the slant in this one is entirely useful. Every news story from here through the foreseeable future will be seen through the lens of the economy. When Obama makes a proposal, the first thought in the minds of the electorate will be, "how will this help our economic situation?"

All throughout the health-care reform battle, Republicans will be encouraging and profiting off such thought. They are not good at framing debates right now, but I think it would take an idiot to fail to notice a beneficial frame that is already in existence.

[Warren Stupidity]

10. This sort of nonsense invalidates the poll.

The question might just as well have been "are you nervous/scared about the future", as that is what they really were asking.

[FrenchieCat]

7. Wait for what?

The economy can't improve if your Health insurance payments are costing you and business an arm and a leg!

I pay $1,200 for health/dental insurance for a family of 3! That $1,200 per month! not including $30.00 co pays per each visit! If you fix health care, and even bring my premium down $100 per month, that's money for the economy!

[Chan790]

12. That's true...

also I deal with a lot of small business owners in both of my jobs (I work P/T for Sears in bulk hardware and supply sales to contractors and as a fundraiser in the TV/Film production industry, also dabbling in screenwriting.) and one thing I hear constantly is that the cost of benefits (not just health-care...but largely health-care) is throttling that sector. Nobody has the labor they need to get projects done but nobody can afford to hire more labor (or at least the sort of qualified labor they'd actually want to employ) because the cost of providing benefits to that labor is prohibitive.

That's what's killing our economy...sorry to say but this economy is only going in one direction possibly-permanently until we implement single-payer health-care. Screw bailouts, TARP and stimulus bills...we need to take those funds and create a universal insurance pool. What's the largest expense for Starbucks? Healthcare. GM? Chrysler? Ford? Healthcare. Steel manufacturers? Healthcare. Agri-business? Healthcare. Construction? Healthcare. Medical-services/Hospitals? Healthcare. Anybody seeing a trend yet? The anchor on every lagging industry in America is healthcare. Fix healthcare and the economy will right itself.

[Abq_Sarah]

30. It would certainly

Take the pressure off small businesses that can't compete with the big boys on rates thanks in no small part to the Congress... and the lobbying efforts of the insurance industry.

Unfortunately, I suspect instead of paying those premiums to the insurance companies, I'll be sending them directly to Washington because someone is going to have to pay for universal healthcare and who better to demonize than those "greedy rich businessmen"? This "greedy rich businesswoman" by the way, hasn't drawn one cent in pay this year and is living off her planned retirement savings so she doesn't have to cut back benefits or fire anyone. I can make it till June and then the ax is going to have to drop somewhere.

[Louis-Emmanuel]

8. Rasmussen is a Republican pollster who has Obama's approval at 58%

When Gallup has him at 64%. Rasmussen also had Bush always near 40% when everyone else had him in the low 30's.

HIs electoral polls are accurate, but that's because he has no other choice, as election result serve as a measuring stick. but in opinion polls, nobody can really call him on his BS polls because there are no elections to verify if what he's saying is true or not.

[Jennicut]

22. Razz has always under reported support for Obama on everything

[babylonsister]

9. Fix it and they will approve, except the rethugs, who will be intent

on putting up any possible roadblocks, same as they did in 1993.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5171247&mesg_id=5171247

[Phx_Dem]

11. He doesn't need to insure all. He just needs to make it available and

affordable for those who want it, which would probably be most people if the cost is fair.

[Chan790]

13. The key to cost-control...

is being mandatory and universal. You have to make everybody have it in order to make it affordable to all. Otherwise, the people who are generally healthy will remain outside the system...and ultimately the only reason it's viable to insure the unhealthy, elderly and infirm (who are high claim-risk) is because the system is balanced by those who are low claim risk.

Where you see systems that don't work, systems that the GOP loves to point to as proof of the failure of government healthcare, is where people are given opt-out or private options.

[PolNewf]

15. Notice how Ras states "government-run health insurance program"

AFAIK Obama has never proposed any such thing. Government funded yes, run no.

[FrenchieCat]

17. Nice Catch!

This is asking about Single Payer health to those not informed about such matters!

but I don't see where the Government was brought into it, other than the text of the analysis:

Here are the survey questions:

National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters
Conducted February 26-27, 2009

By Rasmussen Reports


1* How important is reining in health spending to improving the nation's economy?


46% Very important

32% Somewhat important

10% Not very important

3% Not at all important

9% Not sure

2* During the campaign candidate Obama promised to reduce the number of uninsured Americans, improve the quality of care and save the typical family $2,500 per year in medical costs. How likely is it that President Obama will be able to accomplish all three of these goals by the end of his first term?

17% Very likely

27% Somewhat likely

29% Not very likely

24% Not at all likely

3% Not sure


3* Of the three goals, which is he most likely to accomplish…..reducing the number of uninsured Americans, improving the quality of health care or saving the typical family $2,500 per year in medical costs?

50% Reducing the number of uninsured Americans

17% Improving the quality of health care

16% Saving the typical family $2,500 per year in medical costs

18% Not sure


4* Given the state of the economy should the Obama administration move forward with healthcare reform or wait until the economy improves?

42% Move forward

49% Wait until the economy improves

10% Not sure


5* Is it possible to provide health insurance for everyone?


41% Yes
49% No
10% Not sure

[TankLV]

16. umm - it's not about "insurance" - it' about "CARE"...get RID of the "insurance"

and you'd save at least NINTY PERCENT of the cost of HEALTHCARE in this country...

after all - we almost OWN the fucking INSURANCE INDUSTRY now - just put it to bed already!!!

[prolesunited]

18. It's a vital part

I know if we didn't have to pay more that $1,000 a month to keep COBRA, we might be able to go out to eat or buy something once in awhile. Right now, every dollar goes to keeping afloat.

I don't mind paying, but more than half your monthly income is fucking insane. And since we both have health issues, we don't have much of a choice. I guess when we're homeless, we can drop the coverage. What can they take then when we get sick? Too bad we'll probably die prematurely from easily treated conditions. Who cares? We're just useless eaters anyway.

Yes, I'm depressed and pissed. I've done nothing but get an education, work hard all my life and live within my means and now I'm suddenly portrayed as useless scum who went on reckless spending sprees.

[fujiyama]

19. I guess I'm another piece of scum with you

along with the growing ranks that have no coverage. People in this country really are fed a million lies about universal health care. They hear one or two bad stories about some Canadians waiting a little while for a major surgery and OMG! Socialized health care is EVIL! I'm sick of hearing the propaganda. Yes, Canada and the UK systems are far from perfect (and I've heard some truly AWFUL things about the UK system - but likely because of Thatcher and Blair basically destroying the NHS). And either way, the simple fact is EVERYONE HAS SOME LEVEL OF HEALTH CARE!

And I'll take it another step. I actually DO mind paying COBRA, which really is about the most impractical and outright idiotic thing I've ever heard of. The costs for one person is crazy. I can't imagine how it would be for a family! I'm sick of my taxes going to either useless or destructive purposes and then on top of that, I deal with a health "care" system that's completely fucking broke.

Seriously, when it comes to "bang for your buck" we have it awful in this country. Our higher education costs a shit ton, our health care system is terrible (and is tied to employment which is incredible fucked up), and in some states like MI, the infrastructure is absolute shit as well.

But guess what? Our military has the shiniest fucking toys in the world!

[Vinca]

20. I guess it depends on how many 9/11s are acceptable to the American people.

18,000 uninsured die each year - six 9/11s. If you consider the cost of the response to the terrorist attacks that day, this shouldn't be an issue. If our government won't provide a path to healthcare for everyone, maybe they could tell us how many must die before they do.

[fujiyama]

21. It looks like people are more clueless than I figured

They've been fed so much propaganda from the media about universal and single payer health care...

And of course, good old Rassie has some slanted poll about "government run health care".

Maybe a lot of people that have a job and benefits just don't realize how bad COBRA costs are until they've been laid off. That's when you realize, oh shit, I'm supposed to pay for COBRA (along with rent/mortgage, food, etc) with unemployment and savings? It's bad enough for one person. I have no clue how a family would handle this.

My hope is Obama will take this issue HEAD ON. I've heard these same stupid arguments a million times before. People seem really scared of anything REALLY shaking up the system. We can't keep doing things the way it's going. I'm convinced the political class is completely incapable of taking on the HMOs (and the big banks for that matter). They seem to have the country by the balls.

[Dawgs]

23. Rasmussen???

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[uponit7771]

24. Rasmussen has a habit of slanting right and having slanted polls

[LaPera]

25. Fucking bullshit! Republican Rasmussen Report- Ask the 100 million plus uninsured people -

They lie and keep using the same "47 million" people uninsured figure that they been using & quoting since 2000.

As if the total of uninsured people hasn't gone up since 2000 (eight years of Bush & the republicans, get real! And now this republican caused depression). What bullshit! That figure is still going up and has been going up every day for years.

In 2000 is when they first started using the "47 million" uninsured figure...not to mention the millions of under-insured and people who get very little for their over priced insurance....You think these people are happy too and want to put it off? Fuck NO!

This Republican Rasmussen poll is complete and utter BULLSHIT!

Republicans will do anything to put off Universal Health Care, until they can get back in power and put an end to it forever, (their hoping in 2010).

[blindpig]

26. You are correct.

But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on the Dems to do anything real, ain't nothin' nearly adequate on Obama's plate. Until the insurance companies are cut out of the picture it's all smoke & mirrors.

[fed_up_mother]

27. I'm not sure we can "insure" all, either

We need universal single payer for this to work. Throwing our money at insurance companies is going to be outrageously expensive. :(

[Orsino]

29. It's possible to treat all--how much do we want to pay for it?

ER rates, or cheaper single-payer?