The Kaiser Health Tracking Poll for February 2011, (conducted 2/3-6 and 2/8-13 by Princeton Survey Research Associates, has some excellent news for supporters of the health care reform legislation passed last year. It’s also a big downer for the GOP repeal advocates, as is clear from responses to two of the pollster’s questions in particular:
Asked, “What would you like to see Congress do when it comes to the health care law?,” 30 percent agreed that “They should expand the law,” while 20 percent said “They should keep the law as is.
Only 19 percent agreed that “They should repeal the law and replace it with a Republican‐sponsored alternative and 20 percent said “they should repeal the law and not replace it.” 10 percent selecting “don’t know/refused.”
It gets worse for the repeal advocates:
Asked “Some lawmakers who oppose the health reform law say that if Congress isn’t able to repeal the law, they should try to stop it from being put into place by cutting off funding to implement it. Whether or not you like the health reform law, would you say you approve or disapprove of cutting off funding as a way to stop some or all of health reform from being put into place?,” a decisive 61 percent said they “disapprove of cutting off funding, and only 34 percent supported cutting off funding. 5 percent responded “don’t know/refused.”
So, after all of the fussing and Republican chest beating about how the American people want to repeal or cut off funding for the Health Care Act, half of Americans want to keep the bill the way it is or expand coverage, and only 39 percent support any kind of repeal. And a hefty majority opposes cutting off funding to kill the legislation.
There’s a lot more for Dems to be encouraged about in the Kaiser poll, which is one of the more respected polling outfits in terms of method and question-framing. For example, 7 of 8 provisions polled well, most extrememly well. Only the requirement that everyone purchases health insurance or pays a fine was opposed by a majority.