WASHINGTON (CNN) - As President Barack Obama's health care proposals face opposition at town halls across the country, a new poll indicates American's opinions of how Obama is handling the issue have not changed.
Forty-three percent of people questioned in a Gallup national survey released Wednesday say they approve of how the president's handling health care, with 49 percent opposed.
The 43 percent approval rating is down just one point from a Gallup poll conducted in the middle of July. The 49 percent who oppose the president is also down a point from last month's survey. That's well within the poll's sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.
The new Gallup poll was conducted August 6-9, as lawmakers were beginning their summer recess, and as coverage of people at town halls protesting the president's health care reform proposals increased across the media.
"The good news for the White House is that the town hall protests have not affected views of Obama," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "The bad news for the White House is that a plurality of Americans had a negative view of Obama on health care before the town hall protests began."
One thousand and ten people were questioned by telephone for the Gallup poll.
From CNN Politics
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Pres. Obama, please do not change any thing...we the Americans need this "HEALTH CARE REFORM" very direly, desperately....I know, you have lot of pressure from insurance guys, hospitals, pharmacy companies, and doctors, and AMA too....don't give hoot at these nasty guys...they play money....don't incline...reform is needed in our nation...shame on all these predecessors of presidents, who did not play any role in passing health care....it was needed long time ago...we need this Health Care Reform desperately....ok...nation, of this rich, well organized needs this health care reform...look at the nation, it is standing 47th in health care. America, go for "Health Care Reform..."GOP don't scare old fellows of America...they are innocent...ok....this health care reform covers all Americans.
I can't wait to see how Obama spins this once it fails and blames Bush. Sorry Barry you are digging a hole that you can't get out of. When your position is opposed by more than 50% consistently on a CNN website it is time to throw in the towel
The real issue is TRUST. Do people trust our rock star. He's flipped on almost all of his campaign promises. The only difference between Obama and Al Sharpton is Obama is skinnier and has shorter hair. Two buffons telling lies to the people.
BJNJ
Avg. insurance CEO makes 100,000 dollars an hour. Oh Yeah, they could never afford to compete. People are like property to these CEO's. Count me on the side of the people and president Obama. Get your news from multiple news outlets people not just fox and Limbaugh.
For those who support the Obama/Pelosi health fiasco, they really only need two things: a helmet and a special bus to take them to and from the home.
This is not healthcare reform, unless you define healthcare reform as totally destroying healthcare and replacing it with something out of a communist's dream.
Has anyone against health care reform actually read anything at all about it? Apparently, many cannot read, but that is a whole different issue. So, listening to the talking heads who are damaging this country in order to line their pockets is your information? Good grief Charlie Brown! These people aren't neocons, they're morons. Health care reform is essential to our country, and for those of you who don't know what the heck you are talking about, remember that President Obama is doing this to help YOU. Do some reading. Do some research. Get educated for your own sake!
CNN censors hard at it again...
Some of you need to look up the definition of "social services" before you continue to embarrass yourselves with the Police/Fire/Military argument.
Police/Fire/military, etc. are PUBLIC SERVICE programs, not Social programs, that are paid for by all citizens through city/county/state/federal taxes and are to the benefit of ALL citizens.
Social programs are paid for by the majority for the benefit of the minority.
Also known as welfare.
why do some have to result to name calling ("obummer," etc.) when they disagree with someone or something? whatever happened to civilized discussion/debate on the merits of the issue at hand? personally, i disagreed with 99% of george bush's policies and procedures, but i was able to rise above the petty immaturity of name calling to get my opinion across.
After reading the bill in it's entirety, I appeal to everyone to support it. I'm tired of letting people die based on the current system. What is in the bill, is ONE THOUSAND times better then what is currently determining Life and Death decisions.
It's a choice: Should Health Care be based on Morals and Sense (Health Care Reform) or Dollars and Cents (Current system, where you get to die).
You decide, I'm ok if you die, I actually get paid more when you do.
I support the need for universal healthcare but the greatest fear that I have is that, in addition to the 20 million illegals we currently have, there will be a overwhelming flood of new illegals to get in on the program.
There was a time when conservatives fought tooth and nail against Medicare. It was supposed to be the end of life as we knew it. It passed, with 51 votes. Now, some 40 years later, the people who were probably on the front lines opposing Mediare along with desegregation are now fighting against those same privileges being extended to every American citizen, regardless of their station in life.
It will pass and the mob of the white, old and wrinkled will not prevail.
The bad thing about these polls is that they don't differentiate whether the disapproval is coming from people on the left who think he isn't doing enough or people on the right who oppose what he is doing. This only galvanizes the right wing fringe into assuming that everyone else must be siding with them. Throw in lots of GOP disinformation and Glenn Beck paranoia and you've got a volatile mix.
Why do some people want INSURANCE COMPANIES to continue deciding what doctors and treatment you can get? The current system is designed to rip you off and deny you coverage. WE NEED A GOVERNMENT OPTION NOW!!!
You folks arguing against a government option are really just protecting the insurance companies that have ripped you off your whole lives. I know you probably don't realize it, but its true.
BTW – its an OPTION we are talking about, not a SINGLE PAYER system.
OUR President campaigned on change. Give him credit as he said change is not easily accepted. I love you MR. President! What I don't understand and I am really not trying to is all the mean spirited people who don't want nor understand change. Finally, I am 42 years old and I love and respect senior citizens. Why and who is feeding our precious senior citizens this ignorant talk about them being killed off. Whoever is doing this need to be prosecuted under some law for cruel punishment because many of these seniors believe this, and that is sad! And, to my seniors, use the wisdom that God has blessed you with and understand that this is the USA and unlike no other country, you will be protected no matter who the president is, and actually even more protected under a democratic president as we have now!
Keep up the good fight. I don't have to worry about health insurance at this point in time, but it really sounds quite simple and I do not understand what people are missing. The government wants to help you and at the same time make the insurance companies a lot more responsible. Why is that so hard for people to grasp?
The news Media is failing the public with these town halls rage. President Obama campiagn for two years that he would reform health care. He won! But, the media is fixated on most of the people who did'nt and won't never vote for President Obama. Where is the coverage on the people who want health care reform. Well guess what? Next, the "Climate Bill" more town hall rage. And atfer that the "Eduaction Bill" more town hall rage and after that "Immigration Bill"with more town hall rage. No matter what President Obama does, these people will have rage. Because they lost. So, the Media please stop showing white women crying they want their country back, when they lost it fair and square. The Media needs to be the adult in our society.
More proof that the Obama administration is clueless: He infers that there are "no plants" in his audience at his recent town meeting. Ten minutes of basic research uncovers the fact that the young girl, with a question about the "people with signs saying mean things", is the daughter of a woman who not only donated a large sum of money to the campaign, but has her picture (with Obama) on her Facebook page. Turns out her law firm donated as well. No plants? What a joke! Did he "wink" at them as well?
I always thought the right wing nut base of the republican party was only 11%. I now realize that the wing nuts control fover have of the party.
It is hard to believe that the wing nuts prefer the lies from lobbyist Dick Armey's Army than to real health care reform. At least Dick's millions will trickle down to republicans in congress.
Palin was wrong.
You won't get to stand in front of the "Independent Medicare Advisory Council.” This panel, to be hand-picked by President Obama, will decide who does and doesn't get care and you won't get to say anything about it.
When you discover your grandmother's condition isn't covered by Medicare anymore, don't say you weren't warned.
Check out President Obama's proposed "death panel" at the White House's website, or just search for "Independent Medicare Advisory Council” on your favorite search engine.
When Medicare will no longer pay for your foot surgery, don't come running to me!
Obahahahahahaha ...
Crush Run: I want health care reform and in a hurry so it can collapse in 2010 and the democrats with collapse at the same time.
Does anyone not notice that these supposed protesters are all cut from the same cloth? They are white and senior for the most part. They are easily duped by lies told through the media and are adverse to change in any area. They are racist. They cannot accept an African-American president who has accomplished more in eight months than Bush did in eight years. They reject logic and facts when they are presented to them. Younger generations, minorities of every kind need to rise up and confront these fools and allow the change to go through that will improve life for them and their children. Where are you young folks now and you minorities? WE NEED YOUR VOICE!
If the initiative is so wonderful, it should pass with no problem. Republicians are not the problem, the bill is the problem. If every Republician votes against it, it would still pass with the majority the Democrats have.
What I want to know is how many of those who disapprove of Obama's handling of Healthcare think he's not going far enough? How many think that itisn't happening fast enough?
I cannot believe all the hatred in the republican party. The obnoxious behavior at the town hall meetings, this is meant to intimidate and is not Freedom of Speech. These people are mean-spirited. This is not an America we can be proud of. Wonder why health care cost are so high , just look at all the fraud by those in the Medical Fields, doctors, PA's pharmaceutical companies, durable medical equipment suppliers, only to mention a few. We need a one Medicare plan for all.