Research
Independents Remain Steady in Support for Republican Plans to Repeal Health Care Reform Law Posted on January 18, 2011 | Polling Analysis
A plurality of registered voters (49 to 44 percent) supports Republican plans to repeal and replace the health care reform bill, including a majority of Independents (54 to 36 percent support). While overall intensity is balanced (37 percent strongly support and 34 percent strongly oppose), Independents are more intense in their preference for repeal (39 percent strongly support and 24 percent strongly oppose). Voters aren’t swayed one way or the other by arguments for and against repealing and replacing the law (50 to 44 percent overall), suggesting that they have already absorbed enough information on the subject and are settled in their views.
Overall, Independents’ support of plans to repeal and replace the health care law has remained steady since the mid-term elections, even when comparing Independents who voted in 2010 and the broader cohort of Independents who are registered voters (54 to 36 percent support today compared to 57 to 31 percent support in November). When given arguments for and against repeal, the margin among Independents is identical to our post-election survey (51 to 40 percent today compared to 53 to 42 percent in November). Recent public polling has shown a slight positive bump in President Obama’s job approval, yet that increase has not closed the gap he faces among Independents on his signature domestic initiative.
Majorities of voters favor conservative policy approaches to health care reform on the other five questions tested:
Voters agree that people should be allowed to buy health insurance across state lines by a 70 to 23 percent margin (up from a 67 to 26 percent margin last June);
Oppose an individual mandate to purchase health insurance by a 56 to 39 percent margin (58 to 35 percent in June 2009);
Support individual ownership of health insurance so that people would not lose their insurance if they lost their job by a 53 to 36 percent margin (56 to 34 percent in June 2009);
Say that frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits significantly drive up the cost of health care by a 53 to 38 percent margin (52 to 36 percent last June);
And oppose allowing any taxpayer dollars to fund abortions by a 52 to 41 percent margin.
On all five of these questions – in addition to support for repealing and replacing the health care law – majorities of Independents join Republicans in supporting the conservative position.
Democrats join Republicans and Independents in their support for allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines (61 to 27 percent, compared to 73 to 22 percent among Independents and 78 to 18 percent among Republicans) and in individuals owning their health insurance policies (53 to 37 percent, compared to 53 to 34 percent among Independents and 54 to 34 percent among Republicans).
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