What great luck for Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats! Just as the “7 million” sign-up total is being debunked 8 ways from Sunday, a new ABC news/Washington Post poll comes out showing that approval of ObamaCare has taken a huge leap forward, from 40% approval/57% disapproval all the way up to 49% approval/48% disapproval.
This certainly puts to rest the issue of whether the country loves ObamaCare, doesn\’t it?
Uh……no.
As Mr. Obama and his party groove on the apparent major turnaround in public sentiment, let me share a couple of facts with you that they won\’t be mentioning:
The first is that the 40% approval/57% disapproval poll was not taken immediately prior to the 49% approve/48% disapprove one. There were two others in between.
In actuality, the 40%/57% poll was conducted on November 17th, at the height of publicity surrounding ObamaCare\’s catastrophic rollout – so bad that even Mr. Obama\’s Accomplice Media could not gloss over it. That is why the numbers were so bad…and why they now have become such a wonderful opportunity for Obama & Co. to compare to the March 30 data.
As for the two polls in between – which were conducted December 15th and January 23rd? Both show 46% approval for ObamaCare and 49% disapproval; barely any different from the new, 49%/48% poll.
Further, the poll prior to November 17th, (conducted on October 20th), had exactly the same results as December and January: 46% approval, 49% disapproval.
So what actually happened is that, other than once, when there was atypically low sentiment for ObamaCare, every poll for the past half year has been within a 2% – 3% range.
Are you still impressed with that 49%-48% “triumph”?
But there is another issue: since most polls show positive reaction for ObamaCare much lower than either the 49% or 46% levels (The realclearpolitics.com compilation shows an average of just 40%), how come this one is so different, so much more favorable to Obama & Co.?
To answer that, maybe it would be worth a look at how the question was worded. Here it is:
“Overall,do you support or oppose the federal law making changes to the healthcare system? Do you feel that way strongly, or somewhat?”
Notice anything missing? Like any specific reference to ObamaCare or the Affordable Care Act?
Keep in mind that these are telephone interviews, and respondents do not see the questions, they only hear them. If they don\’t pick up on the subtle way this question is framed…and I\’m betting most don\’t….that question can come across as asking, generally, about whether the health care system should be changed.
People might think they are being asked if, generally speaking, they want changes to the health care system, or, specifically, whether they want changes to ObamaCare – both of which people who are dissatisfied would likely say yes to.
Put another way, this question might well have confused at least some ObamaCare opponents into an answer that is being reported as supportive of ObamaCare instead.
Asking again: Are you still impressed with that 49%-48% “triumph”?
I hope not.
My congratulations to ABC News and the Washington Post, though. Look at how many people this poll will fool into believing there was a major upward surge in positive sentiment for ObamaCare; just what Barack Obama would want them to believe.
What a coincidence.
