Thread: Public Opinion on Health Care

With all the rabid shouting and divisiveness, health care has indeed brought out an audience for people to pontificate their opinion. Health care has also been largely used as a tool for a desperate, flailing Republican party to shove itself in the spotlight. In the same fashion as many Democrats over a half decade ago, emotion has surpassed a rational and logical way to approach health care, but more importantly, health care is being used as a platform to bring extreme, charged views to the spotlight as well.



There is nothing wrong with being radical, as it questions the status quo. But being extreme is another story, because it distorts and only sees the part of the issue one wants to see, while getting lost in emotional kneejerkism. For example, Rush Limbaugh was celebrating over the new Quinnipiac poll recently, because 39% approve and 52% disapprove of the way Obama is handling health care. But Limbaugh failed to read other key questions of the same poll:



"Who do you trust to do a better job handling health care: President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?"



Obama: 46%

Republicans: 37%



"Do you support or oppose giving people the option of being covered by a government health insurance plan that would compete with private plans?"



Support: 62%

Oppose: 32%



"Would you rather purchase health insurance from a private sector company or from a government program?"



Private sector: 61%

Government program: 25%





Other polls signal the same trend: Americans want the option of a government health care program, but they don't care for Obama's handling of pushing it through as much as needing it in a general sense.



Many people don't want a larger deficit, and that's not surprising considering that the Bush and Obama Administrations have racked up mind boggling amounts of debt. But look at the government waste in other areas.



Health care is very important, and the current system sucks. This is where so many shouters are out of tune with most of the country. Most people will admit the system as is is horrible.

got a link for those stats??? or are we supposed to take your word for it... just asking ya know

[quote name='wingrider' date='12 August 2009 - 08:05 PM' timestamp='1250121908' post='4254']

got a link for those stats??? or are we supposed to take your word for it... just asking ya know

[/quote]



Sure, sorry.



http://www.pollingreport.com/health.htm

Great post. I don't there will be many responses since its true and also has little to do with one political party over the other; where its routine and easy mode to spout off generalizations about entire groups of people. Needs more birthers and anti-health care rhetoric these folks are used to.



You're one of the rares ones BG.

[quote name='johnflesh' date='12 August 2009 - 08:52 PM' timestamp='1250124775' post='4271']

Great post. I don't there will be many responses since its true and also has little to do with one political party over the other; where its routine and easy mode to spout off generalizations about entire groups of people. Needs more birthers and anti-health care rhetoric these folks are used to.



You're one of the rares ones BG.

[/quote]



The points you bring to the table are as rational as I've seen. And you are probably right: sadly, there will be very little acknowledgement or responses to my original post. But I will keep putting them out there.



And everyone will probably see this whole fiasco for what it is in the future, after the verbal napalming of entire groups of people is over, just as with any other comparable scenerio in the past. But unfortunately, this crystal clear assessment will be cut short by the next irrational mudslinging.



Keep up the great posts.

[quote name='PoliticalHotwire' date='12 August 2009 - 09:14 PM' timestamp='1250126082' post='4297']

Bluegrass I'm frustrated as hell tonight and this post was an excellent fact-based even-handed post aimed at promoting discussion rather than mudslinging. THANK YOU. If I didn't screw up the board I'd place an appropriately-timed smiley here -->

[/quote]



My pleasure. Thanks for the response.



The fight continues, but the only people really losing are the patients and people who need adequate health care. We've lost sight of this as a country. Everyone wants to be right, but they ironically ignore the facts of what is happening.

[quote name='Ronster' date='12 August 2009 - 10:00 PM' timestamp='1250128837' post='4330']

I believe your post is misleading. Americans are opposed to the health bill that is being presented as it is. And Americans are not happy about paying for health care for 20 million illegal immigrants.[/quote]



Post a reliable source for that.

IF, the public option was taken off the table and we added tort reform to the bill that would go a long way IMO to getting more people on board. For petes sake, I used to work for BCBSFL, and I dealt with Medicare claims all the time and I remember the nightmare we had dealing with them. Also, people have are right to be worried about the government taking over the healthcare system.

Of course people have the right to be concerned with government health care. They should be aware of the lobbyists from pharmecutical companies and others. And they should look at it closely and examine what is on the table. But that doesn't cover up the fact that the health care system now is not good at all. There is something deeply wrong with having to make a certain amount of money or have a certain job to receive quality health care-- health maintaining care, disease prevention: not just ER visits or sick care when something happens. This should be a huge priority, and while many disagree with the way Obama is approaching it, they should not forget that the system is not working. People need to come together for this cause and put the partisanship aside. But that's not popular, and they forget the patients and people who need medical care.

Rationing is a fact of life for countries that have a single payor system. LONG waits are a fact of life for even the most rudimentary of care. Yes, our insurance system should not have a pre-existing clause. And, people that cannot afford healthcare should have access to care. But there is NO reason to overahaul the WHOLE system to do this.

Then what do you suggest, besides saying "no" to Obama? This is my question to you, because the bullshit in this country is getting pretty thick while millions need medical care. Are you going to fuel the partisan anger, or are you going to work with others who don't agree with you 100%?