Obama's Approval Rating On Health Care Falls Below 50 Percent: WashPost/ABC Poll

Washington Post:

Heading into a critical period in the debate over health-care reform, public approval of President Obama's stewardship on the issue has dropped below the 50 percent threshold for the first time, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[Pleneras]

News to the masses: POLLS DO NOT REFLECT THE PEOPLE AS A WHOLE! Only those who took the poll. 1,000 are not the voices of 50 million uninsured Americans!

POLLS ARE A WASTE AND LIE.

[mitsie]

You have that right, and their are some polling companies, that are just not reliable.

[lentinelia]

Notice that the "key issues" for these cretins at Wash/Po and ABC does NOT
include the war in Iraq.
Neither does it include the Obama administration's ramped up war in Afghanistan.
Neither does it include the Obama administration's military conduct in Pakistan.

If the war in Iraq had been included as a "key issue" it would have been interesting to see the results.

These ivory tower pollsters have no relation to the American people - only to their agendas.
Therefore, war is not a key issue. It does not affect them.

[EducatedObserver]

Given the president's maladroit spending of political capital on the Stimulus bill, as well as the non-appearance of promised "jobs", it is hardly surprising that the Mr Obama's approval ratings are beginning to decline.

Now Health Care Reform is in danger.

It is perhaps not too late for this administration to recapture the narrative, but I suspect the effort will have to be Herculean, as the internecine battles between Democrats in Congress become more entrenched.

[lentinelia]

Obama's claim to fame was his alleged opposition to the war in Iraq.
He told us over and over how brilliant he was.
We are still spending 500,000 dollars a minute there.

Now we're being told that healthcare is his top priority.

The war and its immorality is no longer an issue, according to the lazy and overfed press.

[bilmardre]

Unlike you, most Americans don't believe we go into a country and totally screw it up, and then just say "good day" and leave.
We leave in a planned controlled way that leaves them some semblance of order.

[mitsie]

You have been told, over and over again that the economy is picking up and that employment will not pick up until the recession is well on it's way to recovery. Americans tend to want things now, they have no patience, and this is why this is happening. Many want America to fail. If anyone dosen't like our President, go vote for the next Republican candidate. If you want the do nothing candidates to resume control, and cut the new healthcare legislation, that will be passed, go ahead. I promise you though you will not like the Republicans in charge. For God sakes, give this man at least a year to try to get us out of the mess.

[1088]

Many people I know jobs were saved by the Stimulus bill! So, you may not see a lot a job created, but without it, the unemployment would be worse!

[Lauralics]

The part about "maintaining jobs" is what Obama said as a afterthought to the "it will create jobs".

[ntmessage]

The public thinks that the current bills contain added pork and cost to an already expensive Health Care System while actually protecting some of the profiteers, insurance companies, health care lobbyists and gold plated health care owners.

The public will have more confidence, if Obama really gets after those in the industry that are ripping off the public every day and pass a bill that does not raise taxes .There is already too much money in the system anyhow. It can be done, but some of those special interests will need to bite the dust. With a public option, we could over time get rid duplicative programs.

However, some of the democrats are top recipients of major health care lobby money and the public is correct in losing confidence in Obama when moderate Democrats are pushing back. They are not against the public option mind you, but because of certain fiscally irresponsible “favorites” in the current bill.

Instead of adding more money to an already over bloated system, move the money around and get the total cost of health care down to 8% of GDP over five years. This guarantees Obamas legacy.

Will some of the insurance companies go from Health Care Skimmers to Health Care Processors? Likely. Will the economy skyrocket and the standard of living for every American double the ten years hence? It is unavoidable.

[mitsie]

I agree with trying to cut healthcare costs, however the basic cause is for profit hospitals. It was the Repugs that passed legislation allowing this. Do you really think that hospital administrators want healthcare costs lowered, the answer no, that would affect their bonuses.

BTW we have to have a public option. My husband was hospitalized for 38 hours for a stomach virus. The cost of this 38 hr stay, in the for profit hospital was $23000, or $528 per hour. People who have no insurance would have to pay the whole $23000. If some taxes of the most wealthy are increased, so be it. All the President is going to do, is to let Bush's tax lowering legislation to expire. Nothing wrong with that. I would be willing to pay a 1% federal sales tax to pay because I know how important this is.

[ntmessage]

I am not pointing fingers, but looking at a macro view. We have a system riff with waste fraud and businesses that try to make a profit on top of it all. We must increase quality outcomes and get the countries OVERALL costs down to 8% of GDP.

Looking at one example here and there to justify a particular position is disingenuous.

[swift goat pet for truth]

The are a LOT of reasons for our health care costs. Ineffective treatments, too many tests, high administrative cost for private insurers, costs of medications that are many times the cost that other nations pay for the same medication. Those are some of the big ones.

There are MANY ways we can work to reduce healthcare costs. It would be a mistake to focus on one or two.

[mitsie]

You are missing a few point. They have to do something about for profit hospitals, and correct legislaton that the Republicans passed so they could be profitable. The providers are double billing and committing fraud by billing medicare and medicaid. We are in such a mess with healthcare we have to do something to ensure everyone is covered. If this means not renewing the tax lowering legislation of the Repugs, so be it. If we should have to have a federal sales tax, I am willing to pay it to help my neighbors.

[ntmessage]

Yeah everyone says they are willing to pay for something if they have a vested interest in the outcome. Obvious Health Care System rationalizations aside, this system is so opaque no one really knows where the money goes. That is exactly why costs must be addressed in the public plan option. And no tax for the people.

[Portnoy]

I call BS. These polls are rigged by big media corporate types . The president stll enjoys an average of 66% approval rate overall.

[obamanomics]

His policy number do not, however, and the more his policy numbers slide south they will take the popularity number with them.

[mitsie]

People are impatient, they need to grow up and mature. His poll numbers will not drop significantly when the healthcare legislation is passed.

[lentinelia]

These corporate media types, as you correctly call them, have decided that the war in Iraq is not a "key issue". Neither are the other wars in which we are still engaged.

It would be interesting to see poll results on the Obama's handling of these life and de ath issues.

[sandals]

I think it is time for the President to say to the Rethugs screw you we don't need your stinking votes and get these issued passed.
The overall approval is great, but we know that trying for bipartisanship with criminals never works, they only have one thing in mind and that is to make this President look bad and get back into power.

[obamanomics]

That will help his party out in 2010. It not the repubs fault his numbers are slipping it's because of god awful legislation the American people are deciding they don't like.

[swift goat pet for truth]

It is partly the fault of the GOPers.
Also to blame are the Blue Dog Dems.
Both are in the pocket of big business.
Neither have the interest of the American people at heart.

[blico]

I agree! - Deceptobam doesn't need any GOP votes.
Gitter done!, Go for it!, and.............Own it!

[StillAmused]

And that declining approval rating, after a full five-and-a-half months, would be from all the alert public policy scholars who casually tolerated a du//ard... one who mostly cleared brush for eight years?

Tough audience.

[confuseddemocrat]

Actually his numbers are even dropping among the democrats

[mitsie]

It depends on the polls, a poll taken last week showed his approval at 60%. Any politican would love this number.

[trinidadgirl]

confused dem.......simply because the decromats are not steeping up to the plate!

[Samalabear]

Especially among Progressive Dems and Progressive Independents and Republications who voted for him. You have to visit other places besides this site to understand the anger and frustration over Obama. He should have let single-payer advocates at the table. He didn't. If you think that this came from Congress and Max Baucus exclusively you are delusional. Start doing your research. The article on Obama's former doctor says it all.

[StillAmused]

(repost)

It was probably too much to hope for... in his first address on the subject, President Obama should have invited the American people to DO THE MATH.

His challenge to the private insurance profiteers should have been: Precisely what advantage lies in the glaring overhead (payroll, benefits, executive perks, physical plant, dividends, advertising, etc.) of for-profit private insurance... not to mention the overarching motivation to deny payments, wherever possible, in the interest of corporate profit?

His challenge to the providers should have been: Explain the advantage of the administrative overhead you bear, having to deal with numerous insurance bureaucracies (each on its own terms).

Then, he could have stepped back and let the private insurance industry get pounded by economists, mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries.

Any plan that attempts to accommodate the private, for-profit insurance industry is -- ultimately -- doomed to fail.

[vendetta]

The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz unveiled!!!

[mitsie]

Another person who wants this President to fail. Now go watch Fox.

[RomeoMD25]

Goldman Executive Named as Obama Adviser

President Obama said Friday he would nominate Robert Hormats, a vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International, to a top economic position at the State Department.

[Pierpier]

form the same article:

"The president's overall approval rating remains higher than his marks on particular domestic issues, with 59 percent giving him positive reviews and 37 percent disapproving."

Translate this into an election and figure it out.


Oh, Huffpo: I notice with delight that Washington Post is now your main source of info.

[obamanomics]

Gallup has had his policy numbers below 50% for some time. Furthermore, I find it humorous you think he can remain personaly popular while people continue to dislike his policy.

[mitsie]

Another poll shows his ratings at 60%. I take it you are another one who wants President Obama to fail. That's terrible.

[mick7191]

The republiclowns all come out of the woodwork, don't they?

[mitsie]

They sure are mick7191. I think it's terrible that these people want him to fail, and that is implying that it's ok for America to fail.

[blico]

Is there any doubt? File this under "it just doesn't get any better"
Hillary apologizing - the US is a major contibutor to "climate change"

Hillary to India - You've got to lower your carbon emissions!

India to Hillary - Why should we? Its your fault!

What beautiful clowns we have running the country!

[mitsie]

Another Rethug has spoken

[YewNeekId]

This is not surprising since Obama has shown very little leadership on healthcare. He campaigned for it, but has personally done very little to make it happen.

As it stands, Obama has handed off the planning of the health care legislation to Reid and Pelosi and has failed to provide a framework for the plan.

I want a single payer option, but it's clear that won't happen. I want a public option and if that doesn't happen, then we loose. Obama fails to recognize that a bad bill is worse than no bill.

[Samalabear]

I don't think Obama fails to recognize anything, and that's is what is troublesome. I wish I were alone in this opinion.

[tompoe]

Washington Post offers up more fodder for their already huge credibility gap.

[aOsO]

This means absolutely nothing, comeback in 2012. What matters now is passing legislation and Obama has been successful on the front.