Newsweek Poll Confirms White House And Democrats Bungled Selling Of Health Care Reform

A NEWSWEEK poll shows that there is much opposition to Obama’s plan for health care reform — until the respondents are asked about specific proposals, in which case they respond favorably.

When asked about Obama’s plan (without being given any details about what the legislation includes), 49 percent opposed it and 40 percent were in favor. But after hearing key features of the legislation described, 48 percent supported the plan and 43 percent remained opposed.

The NEWSWEEK Poll asked respondents about eight health-care-reform provisions that Obama and many Democrats in Congress have generally supported. It found that the majority of Americans supported five of those provisions, three by particularly large margins. Eighty-one percent agreed with the creation of a new insurance marketplace, the exchange, for individual subscribers to compare plans and buy insurance at a competitive rate. Seventy-six percent thought health insurers should be required to cover anyone who applies, including those with preexisting conditions; and 75 percent agreed with requiring most businesses to offer health insurance to their employees, with incentives for small-business owners to do so.

So what this shows is the Democrats and the White House have done a terrible job selling this to the American people, a problem that will hopefully be corrected with Thursday’s health care summit.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.