Poll: 49% disapprove of Obama's handling of healthcare policy

Source: Los Angeles Times

A new Gallup poll shows 43% in support of the president. Findings are essentially unchanged over the last three weeks.
By Mark Silva
5:19 AM PDT, August 12, 2009

Reporting from Washington -- The vocal few standing up at summer town-hall meetings with complaints about the president's proposed healthcare reforms aren't the only ones with concerns, polling shows. Slightly more Americans disapprove of the president's handling of healthcare than those who approve, the Gallup Poll reports this morning -- with findings essentially unchanged during the last three weeks of an increasingly volatile public debate.

The latest measure of public support for the president's initiative follows weeks of action by congressional committees in the House, an ongoing debate in a key Senate committee and a personal campaign by President Obama to build public support for an overhaul of the nation's health insurance.

Nearly half of those surveyed -- 49% -- said they disapproved of Obama's "handling of healthcare policy." And 43% told Gallup's interviewers that they approved. The findings of the Aug. 6-9 survey are virtually unchanged from those of a Gallup poll conducted in mid-July, when 50% said they disapproved and 44% said they approved.

Since the latest survey was conducted, the president has embarked on a stepped-up campaign for public support, with a town-hall-style appearance Tuesday in Portsmouth, N.H., and two more planned: Friday in Montana and over the weekend in Colorado. The stops are part of a Western tour during which Obama and his family also will visit two crown jewels of the national parks system, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-health-poll13-2009aug13,0,5171745.story

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Of the 49% who disapprove, approximately 48.7% have absolutely no idea what Obama's health care policy actually is.

Is it "more taste" or "less filling"?

his near success at ruining this country.

designed to mislead.

I for one support the President's health initiative, but disapprove of the way it has been handled.

Just because 49% disapprove the handling of the health initiative does not mean 49% are against the initiative.

are listed. It's tricky to reduce complex issues to a simple yes or no.

On a complex or emotionally charged issue it's difficult to understand the reasons behind the approval or disapproval rating. As Xipe illustrated, there are many of us who would say we're disappointed in how Obama's handling health care reform (for me, the lack of a single payer approach is the issue) but I would answer differently if asked about agreeing with the POTUS that reform is needed, or if I thought the current reform proposals are good compared to the status quo.

A better way to get a handle on it would be to ask a battery of related questions and compare the results. Even better would be to create a psychometric scale to tease out more about the attitudes.


eta: Gallup includes the standard disclaimer that question phrasing can influence outcome. IOW, they are acknowledging the limitations of their approach. What they are doing is watching whether attitudes are changing over time.

People don't pay for polls to find out what people really want.

I support the president but think the dems including the president have not been effective against what they surely knew was coming for them... the rightwing attack machine.
tib

I don't really approve either (the way it has been handled) Although I probably would have told the pollster that I do approve of his handling of it - so as not to give the RW something to point to.

I disapprove because he won't touch single payer and seems to be caving to corporate interests.

This poll does not provide any useful information. Without knowing WHY people are disapproving, there's no point in even conducting the poll.

A lot of people just think it is being pushed through too quickly, without enough open debate, and without people knowing what is actually in it.

I'm one.

I would rather it take longer and get it right. I would rather Obama lead more and not leave it so much to a very unpopular infighting congress.

I read the house bill, It has some things in it that as a small businessman with a dozen employees I provide good insurance for, scares me. Especially putting the IRS and treasury dept in the mix.

politicians really suck, all they do is bullshit and lie

nt

They show photos of these "grassroots" protestors at town hall meetings and present them as angered honest citizens, framing the topic as "Some say they are being orchestrated by right-wing groups but the protestors say they are just outraged citizens" -- ignoring factual proof of what is going on. After awhile, people who for whatever reason can't be bothered to check for themselves figure there must be something to the protests of these "honest" citizens.

things when answering.

EXAMPLE: I support Obama but I wonder if he made a
mistake giving the BILL to Congress to develop. They
have dithered away time and left us hanging out
there with nothing to support.

I understand he was trying to avoid the Clinton Mistake
but did he ovecorrect.?

This has not made some great change in my opinion of Obama.

A pollster could put this in negative light.


Another person may think the Plan is bad and the pollster
will lump everything together as negative.

I am certain a lot of people are not satisfied for many different reasons. Many want single-payer, many think he should not be trying to be 'bipartisan', etc. The MSM keep mentioning this number in the context of the nation is extremely divided on health care with 49% not wanting to do anything. That is a lie.

But it's because he's not pushing it, leaving it too much to Congress and seems to be waffling on the public option. Would love to see the real reason behind the disapproal as many are like me . . . never gonna give the GOP a vote for anything ever again, but sure as Hell pissed that Obama isn't beating the Hell out of the GOP on this one. I'm also aggrevated about the Big Pharm deal. So, yeah, I disapprove but not for the whacko-right's wet dream reasons.

and the insurance industry are the only ones who seem to care how our own representatives will vote. Kind of amazing that those that write legislation..because it's their job..don't seem to be the problem.