Though the WH claims broad based support for the proposed healthcare plan, the numbers just don’t seem to sync with the pronouncements.
From the newly released NBC /WSJ survey:
From what you have heard about Barack Obama’s health care plan, do you think his plan is a good idea or a bad idea?
32% Good idea
47% Bad idea
17% No opinionhttp://www.pollster.com/blogs/us_national_survey_nbcwsj_1211.php
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For the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing.
This marks a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors, and a place in history with the worst ratings of any president at the end of his first year.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004574600002289276662.html
50% Feel positively towards Obama in Dec., 68% in March
47% Approve of job Obama is doing, 46% Disapprove
33% Country moving in Right Direction, 55% Wrong Track
Democrats’ Blues Grow Deeper in New Poll, Dec. 17, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126100346902694549.html
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Some miscellaneous results:
22% Approve of job Congress is doing, 68% Disapprove
38% Congressional rep deserves to be reelected, 49% Give new person a chance
55% Support increasing troop levels in Afghanistan, 39% Oppose
23% Global climate change has been established as a serious problem
15% Feel positively towards Tiger Woods, 42% Unfavorably
http://www.pollster.com/blogs/us_national_survey_nbcwsj_1211.php
The Homa Files 
December 17, 2009 at 9:29 am |
In my opinion, the popular support for more troops in Afghanistan just undermines all the other data here. For one, it makes it seem like these are right-leaning assessments; secondly, it suggests these are simply knee-jerk opinions based on emotion rather than consideration for all short-term or long-term consequences. History has shown that Afghanistan is a very strong opponent while “playing at home.” As if BHO is not already leading us down a path of becoming the next U.S.S.R., that’s one minefield that seems even more obvious than universal healthcare that we need to avoid.
Speaking to healthcare, there doesn’t seem to be any good solution to a growing problem. With insurance costs rising 5-15 percent per year, and recession-era salaries +/- flat year-over-year, something needs to be done to reign in costs for the middle and lower class. “Free” universal coverage probably isn’t the right solution, but there’s an obvious problem when people’s net take-home pay after insurance costs are falling at a ~10 percent clip. Keeping in mind that you need to “pay to play,” there’s obviously a trade off between cost and access to quality of care. Rationing or inferior service are probably the worst options. If funding for a basic level of health care services (particularly for the lower class) is being provided largely by a “surcharge” on, say, $700,000/year average Goldman bonuses, I see that as a viable way to fund these initiatives. It seems like few, except said IBankers, would oppose a plan of that nature.