According to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, popular opinion regarding President Barack Obama’s health care reform law has dramatically declined since July, 2012.
The NBC/WSJ poll, conducted from May 30-June 2, surveyed 1,000 American adults about their feelings toward the Affordable Care Act, which goes into full effect in just a few months.
The poll reveals that 49 percent of Americans believe the Affordable Care Act is a bad idea, while only 37 percent think it is a good idea. This is in sharp contrast to just 11 months ago, when another NBC/WSJ poll found that margin to be 44/40.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, those who do not currently have health insurance view Obamacare more favorably than those who do.
Of the people surveyed, 38 percent feel that they will be worse off once the law goes into effect, while 19 percent feel they will be better off, and 39 percent do not believe they will be affected.
The poll also illustrates a stark partisan divide. Democrats believe they will be better off because of the Affordable Care Act by a 35 to 11 percent margin; by contrast, Republicans think they will be worse off, by an overwhelming 67 to 4 percent margin.
The findings come after a CNN/ORC International Poll conducted in mid-May found similar results: 43 percent of the public supports Obamacare, while the majority, 54 percent, opposes it.
Just a month ago, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) referenced the significance of Obamacare in the 2014 midterms by saying, “If I were predicting what’s likely to be the biggest issue in the 2014 election, I think it would be Obamacare.” McConnell summed up his views about the law in April, calling it a “train wreck” that Republicans must stop.
Preparing for the upcoming midterm elections, Republicans have begun to use the most recent IRS “scandal” to remind Obama and Democrats that Obamacare is dependent on IRS funds. As McConnell so brazenly put it, “By the way, the IRS has a role to play in the implementation of Obamacare.”
For his part, Obama has shown no indication that he will run away from the law. The president recently urged supporters to promote Obamacare, firmly stating “the law is here to stay.”
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
