WOW! Obama/Dems Surging in Polls! Obama has 15 point favorability plus in Research 2000

[berni_mccoy]

Obama has been steadily gaining in all the polls from last week. Why? The passage of the historical legislation of Health Care Reform.

Last week the polls looked like this:

Rasmussen: 45% approve / 54% disapprove (Mar 15-18)
Gallup: 46% approve / 48% disapprove (Mar 15-18)
Research: 2000: 53% approve / 41% disapprove (Mar 15-18)

This week however:

Rasmussen: 49% approve / 51% disapprove (7+ point swing)
Gallup: 51% approve / 42% disapprove (11+ point swing)
Research 2000: 56% approve / 39% disapprove (5+ point swing)

The following graph shows the R2000 trend for Pres. Obama:



And it's not just Pres. Obama who is seeing approval rating gains.

According to the Research 2000 poll, which does deep polling on Congress as well:
Pelosi is up 3 points in approval
Boehner is down 5

The trend graph on Cong. Leadership is dramatic:


Congressional Dems are up 3 points
Congressional Repubs are down 7 points

And the trend on Congress is just as dramatic as the leadership graph is:


Democratic party is up 3 points
GOP is down 3 points

Keep going Dems! You've got your groove back!

[Burma Jones]

1. The People will back whomever they see as a "winner"

[still_one]

9. Not quite. I believe they are looking for someone who takes charge, and that should be a lesson

for the Democrats

[TommyO]

2. See what happens when you make steps in the right direction?

Now for a true public option. Keep pushing Congressman Grayson!

[Stinky The Clown]

3. The jukebox has lots of selections. Try B-14. It hasn't been played in a while

:eyes:

[berni_mccoy]

37. You're really unhappy that Democrats are doing well, aren't you?

[Stinky The Clown]

41. Not so. It has nothing to do with Democrats

No matter what you wish it to be, it is what it is. And it ain't 'bout no Democrats.

[LibDemAlways]

4. Six months from now, when people realize how little has actually changed,

and it sinks in that for some the ability to buy health insurance (notice I did not say "get health care") is still years away, the polls will tell a different story.

I hope the Dems understand that bringing affordable health care to everybody has to remain a top priority. So far they've only taken baby steps that mostly benefit big business.

[nevergiveup]

14. Would you consider me a big business?

I have 3 employees. The health care plan I have for them was in jeopardy because of massive rate increases from Blue Cross. Under the new plan I will receive a substantial tax break and will be able to keep the plan and continue paying 100% so my employees have no medical expenses. All three of my employees have a pre-existing condition and would have been in trouble if we had folded the plan. It has been a struggle the last two years saving this 35 yr old very small Ma and Pa business. I am sure there are many other small businesses like ours out there that will benefit hugely from this health care bill. Please do not assume that all is negative for everyone even though you personally dislike the bill.

[berni_mccoy]

26. +1

Furthermore, that poster must be completely uninformed on the bill. Big Business will benefit the least (if at all) on this bill.

[LibDemAlways]

42. I didn't say it was negative for everyone, only that the insurance companies

will be the big winners.I hope they won't jack the rates up so high on you that it eventually does become unaffordable. Cost controls seem to be missing, I'm glad there are employers who are genuinely interested in the health and well being of their employees, and if this bill helps you and those who work for you, good.

[smoogatz]

5. Imagine dat.

People like it when their representatives do what they were elected to do. Sooprise sooprise sooprise.

[flyarm]

6. 55% Favor Repeal of Health Care Bill/rasmussen reports

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/march_2010/55_favor_repeal_of_health_care_bill

55% Favor Repeal of Health Care Bill
Thursday, March 25, 2010


Just before the House of Representatives passed sweeping health care legislation last Sunday, 41% of voters nationwide favored the legislation while 54% were opposed. Now that President Obama has signed the legislation into law, most voters want to see it repealed.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, conducted on the first two nights after the president signed the bill, shows that 55% favor repealing the legislation. Forty-two percent (42%) oppose repeal. Those figures include 46% who Strongly Favor repeal and 35% who Strongly Oppose it.

In terms of Election 2010, 52% say they’d vote for a candidate who favors repeal over one who does not. Forty-one percent (41%) would cast their vote for someone who opposes repeal.

Not surprisingly, Republicans overwhelmingly favor repeal while most Democrats are opposed. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 59% favor repeal, and 35% are against it.

Most senior citizens (59%) also favor repeal. Earlier, voters over 65 had been more opposed to the health care plan than younger adults. Seniors use the health care system more than anyone else.


edit to add...and most seniors vote more often than anyone else!!

[Deep13]

10. Seniors who oppose HRC are being selfish and hypocritical.

They already have universal, single-payer health care.

[LynneSin]

15. In 6 months, when they realize their prescription plans are more affordable...

they'll be singing a different tune.

The crazy thing about HCR is it supports everyone - not just those who supported it.

[sandnsea]

19. And when they get free preventive care

They stand to gain more from this bill, more quickly, than any other group. In six months, when the seniors start changing their minds, this bill will have 75% support.

[Jennicut]

17. Um, it is Rasmussen. They have had Obama's dissproval rating 10 pents higher then his approval

in the past. We all know their polls are biased. I bet the real # is 40%....all the Rethugs in the country.

[smoogatz]

18. Yes, in alternative Republican-world, HCR repeal is a very popular idea.

I hope to God that every Republican in congress runs on HCR repeal in this year's election.

[pampango]

20. Which is probably a good reason to keep them believing their own polls. They'll put all their eggs

in the "repeal" basket. My guess is that Obama would take that bet.

[smoogatz]

24. He's already said as much.

Anyway, repeal is pretty much impossible at this point. Their best bet is to roll back the mandate in the courts, and that seems unlikely on legal grounds (at least as I understand the issue), and also dangerous for Republicans in terms of their relations with the insurance lobby--if there's no mandate, but all the new regulations stay in place, insurers are screwed. But yeah, the advent of Republican-think polling that reflects their worldview in contradiction of all other polling was inevitable, and is going to have an interesting effect on the election process going forward. It's kind of what Rove was talking about before the 2006 elections when he said he was entitled to "the" math. It's all very weird, this business of political figures twisting objective reality to make it conform to their ideology. It reminds me of nothing more than Maoist China in the late 1950s, when they let the party apparatchiks take over the farm collectives and ended up causing a famine that killed between 20 and 40 million Chinese.

[sabrina 1]

30. Republicans don't want to roll back the mandate. It was a

Republican idea. Which is why you rarely hear the Republican leadership even mention it. Teabaggers many of whom are Libertarians, yes.

In fact if Republicans were to gain a majority again, the Mandate would stay, and the fines would increase along with possible jail time.

Over 200 of their own ideas are in the bill. Both Pelosi and Obama verified that they included 'Republican ideas' to expose to the public that the Republican opposition is just politics, they would prefer to have done it themselves and reap the rewards from the Private Insurance Ind.

Neither Pelosi or Obama were as conciliatory towards progressive ideas especially amendments what would have provided competition and kept costs down. None of those amendments made it into the bill. And for all that they did for Republicans, they still couldn't get a single vote.

As for the Insurance Industry they just bailed out, they have already begun doing what they do best, found a possible way to reject sick children until 2014. No surprise to those who were paying attention.

[smoogatz]

32. Except that the Republican state AGs who are suing

using the states' rights argument are, in fact, objecting mostly to the mandate. It's the only part of the bill that's even remotely controversial from a constitutional perspective.

And the insurance industry is most likely not going to get away with trying to wriggle out of the pre-existing conditions for kids thing. The law is unambiguous, and apparently new regulations are being written, just in case. That said, would I have preferred that a public option be added to the current system of mandates/exchanges? Yes, I would. That said, would I have preferred single payer to a public option? Yes, I would.

What's delicious about the current bill, though, aside from the real help it offers people (and it does), is what it does to Republicans politically. They really don't know whether to shit or go blind right now.

[sabrina 1]

36. They are objecting to a Federal Mandate.

Romneycare is a state mandate which is what Republican Governors wanted. However, even if that had been in the bill, they would still be screaming simply because it is a Democratic Bill. And, if this was a Republican Bill, we would be marching in the streets against it.

I do like what losing had done to Republicans. It is nice to watch bullies jumping up and down whining 'no fair'!

But imagine how much more insane they would be if there was a PO in the bill which was supported by the public and the base of the party? Imagine the celebrations when everyone in the Dem Party was on board with enthusiasm instead of the way it is now?

As for their challenging the law already, there actually are aspects of the language that aren't clear, such as exactly when it goes into effect, eg. Immediately as we were told, or six months from now? And how about children whose coverage had lapsed for more than two months?

Not to mention that even if they do have to comply, there is nothing in the bill to stop them from making the premiums for sick children so high that parents will not be able to afford them.

I will never believe that we could not have had a PO. The support was there among the public and in Congress. There is only one possible explanation for that and it simply adds to the cynicism people have about politics in general.

[smoogatz]

40. There was virtually no support for the PO in the senate.

It wasn't going to happen with the current Dem caucus--at least ten of whom are basically center-right. If we were paying attention, that would have been evident pretty much from the get. I don't think there's actually a big rift in the Democratic party now because of this bill. Most of us are willing to take it as a victory, even if it's not everything we'd hoped for. Imperfect as it obviously is, it's still the most significant healthcare reform legislation passed in this country since 1965, and a damn sight better than what we had. It's also the nose under the tent: if we keep Democrats in power I'm reasonably confident that the PO will come along in time--particularly if insurers continue to try to evade regulation.

[karynnj]

27. But, if the Republicans run on that - it means there will be a real discussion of what it does.

When it comes down to it, it really helps many diverse groups - seniors will find the donut hole gone and they will find their benefits still there. (I don't know how Medicare advantage will work out)

For many, the additional years being able to keep their kids on their plans will be very beneficial.

Then, there are all of the additional people added to Medicaid or getting subsidies.

[berni_mccoy]

29. As Obama said, if Republicans want to run on Repeal... "GO FOR IT!" LOL.

[dionysus]

31. keep wishing. it ain't gonna happen.

[imurhuckleberry]

7. k&r

Obama Job Approval at 51% After Healthcare Vote
http://www.gallup.com/poll/126989/Obama-Job-Approval-51-After-Healthcare-Vote.aspx

March 25, 2010 - Obama Gets Small Bounce From Health Care Win
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1437

Polls indicate support for health care reform up since vote
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/25/polls-indicate-support-for-health-care-reform-has-increased-since-sunday-vote/?fbid=mTHKK-Baju9

[yellowcanine]

8. "Boehner is down five" Did you mean for that to be vaguely pornographic or did it just happen that

way? Sorry, I know it is very sophomoric of me to have such a thought but I bet I am not the only one.

[NNN0LHI]

11. My Republican mother said the Repubs should have passed this bill under Bush

She said they screwed up.

Don

[harun]

22. She is right. They could have simply created a bill that put a few reforms/restrictions on

the insurance co's and claimed for the next 50 years that they were the ones that reformed HC. They just couldn't do it though, so too bad.

[NNN0LHI]

28. Too busy starting wars and giving tax cuts to their wealthy cronies

[Dappleganger]

33. And they would skewer her for saying that, then throw her under the bus.

[NeedleCast]

12. I've been saying that its not the HCR bill are afraid/tired of, its the fighting about it

People are sick of the debate over it. Sick of it being in every news cycle. Sick of hearing politicians bickering over it.

Now that it's pretty much done, I'm not surprised at all that Obama's favorables are on the way up again.

[wiggs]

13. And this is in the face of 24/7 smears and lies and fearmongering by the RW. nt

[Champion Jack]

16. Kicked for later

[Enthusiast]

21. Well, Republicans will

just have to ramp up the propaganda. What will they say next?

[Salviati]

23. Definitely glad to see Pelosi getting the win on this one.

She put a lot of work into seeing this through, and had to convince the house to eat a lot of the shit sandwiches served to them by the senate. The party owes her big time.

[tigereye]

25. good, people looked at the legislation and saw many ways that it could

benefit them. And that the world as we know it did not crumble and fall...

[Kingofalldems]

34. Yeah....Yeah!!

Cheetos being spewed in basements across the USA.

[berni_mccoy]

35. lol!

Loved the imagery of that!

[blueworld]

38. For me, it isn't the HCR but rather that the Dems found serious strength

There are a few elements of the HCR that the Dems have a right to be proud of - not many, but a few IMO.

However I've been remarkably impressed with the fact that Pelosi & Reid (and many others) found their spines, got sick of the GOP immature obstructionist tactics & decided to fight back in a big way. The MSM were condemning them for using procedural "tricks" to ram HCR through - I was impressed & gratified that they did the work & fought the fight. This is the best thing to come out of this year-long fiasco for the Dems; they've shown strength & confidence.

The Dems have the mandate from the people. They should craft their future legislation to be as "perfect" as they can, frame it in gold & hang it on the wall. Let the GOPigs start target practice. Pelosi & Reid should CONTINUE to scrap over ever three words they may have to remove to get the bills passed. Screw bipartisanship.

In this way, although no legislation is perfect the rest will be "excellent" instead of barely "good enough" & I won't have to listen to the shite about "don't let the perfect be the enemy...yadda yadda". Way to go, Dems. :toast:

[samsingh]

39. Voters want Democrats to deliver

i think the GOP will destroy itself by revealiing true colors.

[TomCADem]

43. But John Boehner Was So Concerned About Democrats Losing Seats If HCR Passed...

The oddest thing during this debate was the mainstream media asking REPUBLICANS about whether the passage of HCR would be good for Democrats. Worse, they ran these opinions as news.

[Liberal_in_LA]

44. nice. thanks for posting this