Voters Stay Divided Over Health Care

August 16, 2009 4:29 PM | | Comments (0)

As the debate over health care overhaul rages on, a new Marist poll shows Americans believe President Obama needs to do more to convince them it is the right course of action.

The poll, conducted Aug. 3-6, showed 45 percent of registered U.S. voters say they disapprove of how Obama is handling health care while 43 percent approve. Along party lines, 74 percent of Democrats approvie of the way Obama is dealing with the issue and 76 percent of Republicans disapprove.

A majority of independents, 52 percent, are unhappy with the way Obama is addressing the health care situation.

Although 65 percent of U.S. residents, including 67 percent of registered voters nationwide, think the nation’s health care system needs major change, many are not optimistic about the impact of health care overhaul.

If Congress passes health care legislation, just 39 percent of Americans say health care will get better, while 55 percent say it get worse or stay the same.

The poll indicated older Americans are more pessimistic about the future of the nation’s health care situation than younger residents. Although similar proportions within both age groups believe health care will improve, more residents age 45 and older — 43 percent — believe it will get worse, compared with 32 percent of their younger counterparts.

The telephone survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

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Categories: Marist

Tags: Health, Obama

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