The following chart shows that ObamaCare's unfavorables reached 50 percent in the latest Kaiser Family Foundation poll. That's higher than at any point since KFF started tracking ObamaCare's unfavorables in January 2010. The KFF poll also found that opposition is much more intense than support; 19 percent view the law very favorably, while 34 percent view the law very unfavorably. Despite the availability of the these nuggets, KFF'S press release chose to deemphasize the surge: "Americans Remain Divided Over Health Reform With An Uptick In Public Opposition As GOP Ramped Up Repeal Campaign."
Even more entertaining was this chart, which purports to show that Americans oppose defunding ObamaCare by nearly 2-to-1.
Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find that 16 percent of the public opposes defunding ObamaCare because they want to see the law flat-out repealed. A less-misleading pie chart would show that 33 percent approve of defunding, 16 percent say "don't defund, just repeal" (total: 49 percent), and 46 percent disapprove of defunding ObamaCare.
Other findings include:
- 76 percent of the public oppose the individual mandate (and 55 percent oppose it even after hearing arguments for and against);
- 69 percent support cutting spending on ObamaCare's coverage expansions;
- 60 percent believe ObamaCare will increase the deficit, while only 11 percent believe it will reduce the deficit;
- 52 percent support cutting Medicaid;
- 51 percent oppose ObamaCare's employer mandate; and
- 51 percent oppose ObamaCare's new taxes on over-the-counter medications for HSA, FSA, and HRA holders.
Despite these generally sensible views, 68 percent believe that Congress can balance the budget without cutting Medicare.