GALLUP: By Slim Margin (49/40), Americans Support Healthcare Bill's Passage

[jefferson_dem]

By Slim Margin, Americans Support Healthcare Bill's Passage
Independents evenly split in their basic reactions, but more are "angry" than "enthusiastic"
by Lydia Saad

PRINCETON, NJ -- Nearly half of Americans give a thumbs-up to Congress' passage of a healthcare reform bill last weekend, with 49% calling it "a good thing." Republicans and Democrats have polar opposite reactions, with independents evenly split.



The findings, from a March 22 USA Today/Gallup poll conducted one day after the bill received a majority of votes in the U.S. House of Representatives, represent immediate reactions to the vote.

Americans' emotional responses to the bill's passage are more positive than negative -- with 50% enthusiastic or pleased versus 42% angry or disappointed -- and are similar to their general reactions.

Although much of the public debate over healthcare reform has been heated, barely a third of rank-and-file citizens express either enthusiasm (15%) or anger (19%) about the bill's passage. However, only Democrats show greater enthusiasm than anger. Independents are twice as likely to be angry as enthusiastic, and Republicans 10 times as likely.



<SNIP>

http://www.gallup.com/poll/126929/Slim-Margin-Americans-Support-Healthcare-Bill-Passage.aspx

[Bicoastal]

1. I've said it before and I'll say it again...

GOP: "B-b-b-but we thought the people had SPOKEN!"

[jefferson_dem]

8. There's no question they are doubting their "all in" on the obstructionist position right about now.

These numbers will only improve for our side once people learn more about the REAL benefits not the phony fear.

Funny thing is...the teabagger freaks will not let up. They will keep pushing the Repugs right to the margins. You want to call for repeal? Bring it on! Bwahahahaha...

[Enrique]

11. the Scott Brown election rules supreme

GOP will say the Scott Brown election is a mandate against everything Obama tries to do until 2017.

[rfranklin]

25. More like: "But we told them what to think!"

They are not stupid. They know that they lose when their real positions are revealed. They have to distract and obfuscate.

[villager]

2. How did a nine-point gap become "slim?"

:shrug:

[Jennicut]

5. When the Dems had a positive poll on health care reform.

[Cosmocat]

19. Flip the D to R. and it becomes DEFINITIVE!

[villager]

26. Indeed. "Solid majority supports..."

etc...

[dchill]

34. It becomes a LANDSLIDE!

;)

[ellenfl]

6. good question. eom

[CountAllVotes]

14. those were my thoughts too!

9 points is a huge lead! They are trying to minimize this great victory for the American people!

THEY CAN GO CHENEY THEMSELVES IMO!!

:dem: :kick:

[WCGreen]

33. It's still at least 5 points when the +/- is considered...

In an election, that is landside territory...

[Orsino]

43. That would be an electoral landslide. n/t

[GodlessBiker]

3. I believe that this slim (read sizable) margin will only increase.

[mediaman007]

4. Slim Margin: 49 - 40!

With the undecided's, its possibly 60 - 40. Hooray for populism.

[JaneQPublic]

9. Imagine that poll after Chimpy passing a bill

...The GOP would call it a groundswell of popular support.

[calimary]

44. Consider the last poll of note had it 46 - 45. Sounds like an improvement to me.

The numbers just moved up for approve and down for disapprove.

If the Dems keep pounding away on what the immediate benefits are that take effect this year - we might be able to move the approval numbers way higher.

[ncteechur]

7. MOre republicans are enthusiastic and pleased than democrats who are disappointed and angry.

And I don't believe that REAL independents are against this bill completely.

[NYC Liberal]

10. Gibbs: "this will give the nattering nabobs of negativity something to chew on"

http://twitter.com/PressSec/status/10940111998

[jefferson_dem]

12. HaHa!

Gotta love Gibbsy. :rofl:

[tridim]

13. And that number is still being tempered by media driven FUD.

I bet 6 months from now support will be over 70%.

[shotten99]

15. I had the urge to chant: 4 more years 2 years too early.

[thelordofhell]

16. Me Am Bizarro Gallup!

Me Think Near Double Digit Slim!

[jenmito]

17. "Slim"? Wow-nice spin they put on that! Those numbers are GREAT-it'll take

time for the facts to be realized about the bill (I mean LAW) and it's ALREADY more positive than negative.

[yellowcanine]

18. These are good numbers. And they are bound to get better as people see that the "Chicken Little"

predictions of the teabaggers fail to materialize. By this November this will be a big plus for Democrats. That in fact is why so many Republicans are "angry". They knew that their only chance for big gains in November was to defeat this bill.

[Iris]

38. or once the death panels weed the rest out

lol!

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. Define ''slim" for me, Lydia

[HughMoran]

21. Believe me, the Republican number will get better

After explaining to a person who was livid this morning about the HCR bill that "it's not that radical" and listed all the good things, she basically shut up and went to sit quietly in her office. She did come back a couple more times, I shot her down quickly, then she gave up. She knows it's a good thing and she now realizes that the bill is neither radical, nor does anything but good.

[jenmito]

22. "Opinions turn favorable on health care plan"

Now THAT'S how the poll numbers should be characterized. From the article with the title in my subject:

"WASHINGTON — Americans by 9 percentage points have a favorable view of the health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, a notable turnaround from surveys before the vote that showed a plurality against it.

By 49%-40% those surveyed say it was "a good thing" rather than a bad one that Congress passed the bill. Half describe their reaction in positive terms, as "enthusiastic" or "pleased," while about four in 10 describe it in negative ways, as "disappointed" or "angry."

The largest single group, 48%, calls the bill "a good first step" that should be followed by more action on health care. An additional 4% also have a favorable view, saying the bill makes the most important changes needed in the nation's health care system."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-03-23-health-poll-favorable_N.htm

[Drunken Irishman]

23. 49/40 is not a slim margin!

Great news! :)

[krawhitham]

45. 9 points is a landslide in any election

[Beetwasher]

24. And With The Use Of The Word "Slim" Gallup Undeniably Jumps The Shark

n/t

[Thrill]

27. 9 points is now slim?

LOL

[demosincebirth]

28. Slim?? Must be a new meaning of slim

[karmkay]

35. By that reckoning, i guess I'm slim--Hoooray!!

[demosincebirth]

36. You got a point.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

39. Reagan on in 1980 by a 9=point margin...

and they called it a Landslide.

[aaaaaa5a]

41. To further the point.

In 1980 Reagan had 51% of the vote. Jimmie Carter had 41% of the vote. Third party candidate John Anderson had 9% of the vote, with most of that coming straight from Carter.



In 1980, 49% of Americans did not vote for Ronald Reagan. Yet for some reason history remembers this race as a blowout. It was not.

[SpartanDem]

29. The GOP is going to shoot itself in the foot

a lot people were simply upset with the length and nastiness of the process. Secondly, as more people become informed as to what is actually in the law support for it will rise. But they're out in force creating footage of themselves clamoring for repeal.

[demosincebirth]

30. In a coupe of weeks, the engine will begin to run out of steam.

[asphalt.jungle]

31. if the numbers were reversed, they would report it as

americans overwhelmingly oppose to passing health care bill.

[City Lights]

32. I see gallup is still spinning.

:eyes: If the nine-point margin favored the Grand Teabagger Party, they'd call it "huge." :eyes:

[Robbins]

37. Gallup

Obama's numbers have gone up slightly to 51 percent.with disapproval at 43 percent.

These and now approl of Helath care passing at 49 percent for and 40 percent against Is proff the doom and gloom picture some are
throwing out for Obama and the Democrats.

For Obama the need Is approvol from the 53 percent who voted for him.Most of the 46 percent who voted for Mccain(which Is where the
teabaggers and Birthers come from) will never approve of Obama and will vote for whoever gets the republican nomination In 2012.

Republicans should remember there was a time In MA Coakley had huge lead.Plus remember back In 2008 when people thought Obama
couldn't win Michigan,Florida,NC,Ohio,and Indiana.

[samsingh]

40. how is 9% a slim margin?

[rufus dog]

42. so let's use the floor for support for both parties

A Repub could propose murdering every Santa Clause due to socialism and get 25 to 30% support. A Dem could propose taking all of every companies revenue for a year and give it to the public and would get 10 to 20% support. (OK both are out there but for baselines the historical data supports)

So Repubs spent a year demonizing the bill, and a generation demonizing everyone with a D by their name and gain 10% to their side, while Dems sell another 30% to their base. (30% entrenched repubs plus 20% entrenched Dems) Looks like someone took an pretty bad beating, 3 to 1. It is like a homer writing for a sports page. Twenty-one to seven is a slim loss, while fourteen to ten is a domination if the home team wins.

[4lbs]

46. Furthermore, Obama is at 51% overall job approval. Another 1% increase in one day.

Hmmm...