Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire
  • omnibus

All U.S. Constituencies Oppose Obama’s “Individual Mandate” for Health Care
28 Mar 2012
🖨️ Print Article

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

President Obama’s mandate to buy private insurance was born in the rightwing Heritage Foundation, and has not found a home among any actual constituency of the public – white, non-white, Republican, Democrat, college-educated or not. A new poll confirms that “Obama has based his plan on a scheme that nobody likes – even his most loyal supporters.”

 

All U.S. Groups Oppose Obama’s “Individual Mandate” for Health Care

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

“The new poll shows that no significant constituency supports Obama’s individual mandate.”

When one takes a cursory look at where various groups in the nation stand on President Obama’s health care legislation – now under review by the U.S. Supreme Court – it appears the country is split along party and race lines. A new poll conducted by Princeton Research Associates shows 75 percent of Democrats support the Obama position, and 86 percent of Republicans oppose it, with so-called independents evenly split. The racial divide is similar. Sixty-eight percent of non-whites “strongly favor” or “somewhat favor” the overall health care law, with only 18 percent opposed. Whites are far more divided, with 33 percent favoring Obama’s law, and 47 percent opposed.

These numbers are, however, heavily influenced by what people think is in the law, and what side they think they should be on, based on their larger loyalties. It is doubtful that majorities on either side of the issue actually understand most of the law’s many provisions, some of which do not go into effect for several years. Therefore, many of the respondents are using the poll to register their broader preference for or against the incumbent president and his party. It is no surprise that majorities of whites and super-majorities of Republicans oppose ObamaCare, as Republicans call it, and more than two thirds of non-whites and three-quarters of Democrats support Health Care Reform, as Obama calls it.

However, most people do understand the central element of the law, the “individual mandate” that forces nearly everyone to buy health insurance from private companies, or face a fine. The new poll shows that no significant constituency supports Obama’s individual mandate, with only 28 percent of the overall public favorable to the scheme. Even non-whites, two-thirds of whom claim to support Obama on health care in general, balk at mandatory purchase of insurance from private companies. Fifty-three percent of non-whites give thumbs down to the individual health insurance mandate, as do 71 percent of whites. More Democrats are opposed to Obama’s individual mandate than favor it: 48 to 44 percent. And Republicans are off the scale in opposition, at 15 to 1.

“Fifty-three percent of non-whites give thumbs down to the individual health insurance mandate.”

So, if the core of the Obama health care plan is the individual mandate, as both the administration and the Republicans contend in their arguments before the Supreme Court, then Obama has based his plan on a scheme that nobody likes – even his most loyal supporters.

There’s another interesting aspect to the new poll. It shows that only a hard core of one in four people want to tamper with Medicare as the Republicans do, with around two-thirds of all racial groups opting to keep the program the way it is, with the government paying doctors and hospitals directly for the service they provide to seniors.” Taken together, the poll indicates strong support for the core elements of the U.S. healthcare safety net, and rejection of private schemes, including Obama’s mandatory purchase of insurance from private companies. It appears that most Americans would rather have the option of dependable, direct health care paid for by the government – which was the case at the beginning of 2009, before Obama unveiled his health care scheme, when 60 percent and more of the American people favored single-payer health care. But Obama maneuvered them into a something they hadn’t asked for, and which, three years later, nobody wants. For Black Agenda Radio, I’m Glen Ford. On the web, go to BlackAgendaReport.com.

BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.



Your browser does not support the audio element.

listen
http://traffic.libsyn.com/blackagendareport/20120328_gf_HealthCarePoll.mp3

More Stories


  • Raymond Nat Turner
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Raymond Nat Turner, Upsurge NYC and Black Agenda Report - Part 2
    12 Apr 2024
    In the second part of a two-part interview, we speak with Raymond Nat Turner about his work and an upcoming performance with his group, Upsurge New York City, on April 13.
  • No NATO no war
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    UNAC Conference: Decolonization and the Fight Against Imperialism
    10 Apr 2024
    The recent 2024 United National Antiwar Coalition conference brought together an international group of activists from member organizations who mobilize against imperialism, racism, and neo-…
  • Original Haitian constitution
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    DOCUMENT: Constitution of Hayti, 20 May 1805
    10 Apr 2024
    The 1805 Constitution of Hayti presents a far-reaching and radical vision for the nation – and demonstrates why Haiti must constantly fight for its sovereignty.
  • Rwandan refugees in Congo
    Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    In Praise of Blood: Crimes of the Rwandan Patriotic Front
    10 Apr 2024
    Judi Rever risked her life to write the true story of the Rwandan Genocide.
  • Mia Mottley and CARICOM
    Kevin Edmonds
    CARICOM, Regional Arm of the Core Group, Sells Out Haiti Again.
    10 Apr 2024
    Don’t be fooled by the "progressive" rhetoric of the leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). What they’re doing in Haiti is shamelessly serving the interest of US empire.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us