Gallup Polls Show Health Blitz Not Helping Obama

Over the last two days Gallup released two very interesting polls on health care, neither of which are good news for the plans President Obama and Democrats in Congress are pushing.

In a poll released today, Gallup finds that despite a month of speeches, interviews, town halls and a national prime time press conference, more people disapprove of President Obama’s handling of health care policy by 49%-43%. This is essentially unchanged from Gallup’s July poll, which found 50% disapprove and 44% approve. However, Obama’s disapproval on health care is up among political independents is slipping. In July, 55% disapproved of Obama’s handling of health care, with only 40% approving. Now, only 35% of independents approve. Of the four issues Gallup asked respondents for their reaction Obama’s performance on, education, foreign affairs, the economy, and health care, health care had the lowest approval rating, 43%. Gallup writes that the new poll “comes after several weeks of Congress’ working to advance [health reform] legislation through committees and the Obama administration’s stepping up efforts to win public support.”

In the other poll, released yesterday, Gallup found that only a third of respondents want their member of Congress to vote for a health care reform bill in September. Gallup notes that the question “did not identify or connect the idea of a new health care reform law with any specific individual or party,” simply asking if their member of Congress should vote for any health care bill at all. Meanwhile, 36% wanted their member of Congress to vote against a health care reform bill next month. Importantly, this is a 21 point drop from a July Gallup poll, which found 56% wanted Congress to pass “a major health care reform bill this year.”

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