Polls, Polls, Polls: Where does the public really stand?
Every week, new data is released discussing public opinion of the ongoing healthcare debate. But can we really trust these polls?
Over the past few months, the public has been inundated with polls showing where the American public stands on the healthcare debate. It seems to me that every week different pollsters are coming out with different data implying different results which supposedly reflect the pendulum of public opinion. But, in all honesty, no one really seems to know where the public lies!
This week, Politico published an interesting piece discussing how healthcare is causing pollsters a major headache. There is so much data out there indicating where the public opinion is, and each poll seems to take a different slant. For example, this past week Rasmussen Reports – a large, well known polling company – released a report saying support for the healthcare efforts of Congressional Democrats and the Obama administration had reached an all-time low with 56 percent of those surveyed opposing reform. Then, about 24 hours later, the Kaiser Family Foundation released their poll figures showing that 57 percent support the healthcare reform efforts! Does your head hurt yet?
To make matters even more confusing, the Kaiser Family report said that 68 percent of Americans favor a government “public option” mandate which directly contradicts the results of a New York Times/CBS Poll the same week showing support of the mandate at 51 percent. What is even crazier is that the same New York Times/CBS Poll directly contradicts the Rasmussen and the Kaiser data by reporting that 47 percent of Americans approve while the two latter polls report a 45 percent disapprove the ongoing reform. Time for an aspirin, a Tylenol, or an Ibuprofen – you pick your favorite – it just needs to be a pain reducer or anti-inflammatory!!
Now, here’s the kicker … National Public Radio, together with the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, released a new poll showing that the public feels their voice is not heard in the healthcare debate. With the polls leaning this way and that, I tend to feel that NPR may be on to something.
The views and opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Dell Services or its affiliates.
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