Conservative Talk Show Hosts “Opinion” Once Again Contradict with “Facts”
In the latest example of conservative talk radio show bucking that pesky concept of reality, WISN 1130 morning host Jay Weber spent a segment of his show this morning making the case that “Support for Obama Care is falling.”
Today the Kaiser Family Foundation released a poll showing that despite the consistent trumpeting by the right and their spokesmen on the AM radio dial that support for Pres. Obama’s health care reform is losing support, support among the public for Pres. Obama’s health care reforms are actually gaining support.
The September Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that public support for health reform ended its summer slide, reversed course and moved modestly upwards in September. The survey also finds initial majority support for taxing expensive health plans and imposing fees on insurers to pay for reform.
Fifty-seven percent of Americans now believe that tackling health care reform is more important than ever—up from 53 percent in August. The proportion of Americans who think their families would be better off if health reform passes is up six percentage points (42% versus 36% in August), and the percentage who think that the country would be better off is up eight points (to 53% from 45% in August).
Substantial majorities of Americans continue to say they back individual reform components designed to expand coverage, including an individual mandate (68%), an employer mandate (67%) and an expansion of state programs such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (82%).- Kaiser Family Foundation
Once again, conservative talk show hosts are pushing an agenda and trying to create a perception that the public is on their side. And yet again, you have factual information flying smack in the face of the disinformation they’re trying to push.
Come on Dan, you can’t just pick one poll to refute that claim…..
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform
That’s the phenomenal thing about statistics and more importantly polls – you do enough research and you’re bound to find something that helps make your argument…..
I agree that many times you can find a poll that will back your opinion, as Weber did above with Rasmussen.
The thing about Rasumussen (and Zogby) is they’re been consistently backing Conservative viewpoints and don’t provide methodology or crosstabs unless you’re a premium “member”.
The Kaiser poll however, does share their crosstabs and methodology, and I’ll always put more stock in polls which are open about their methods than those who aren’t or charge for them.
The survey was conducted September 11 through September 18, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,203 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (801) and cell phone (402, including 147 who had no landline telephone
Zogby and Rasmussen are respected, pretty accurate polls….to make a judgement on either poll at this point, considering the “confusing” nature of this issue along with the lack of quality discourse, is iffy – at best.
Dan, I think that you’re comparing apples to oranges. Kaiser asked about health care issues and Rasmussen polled specifically on Obama’s health care reform plan.
I reread the article that you quoted several times, and nowhere did it state that Kaiser polled people specifically on Obama’s proposed health care reform. In fact, had you quoted their entire article that you linked to, the final papargraph stated “The September poll, the sixth in a series designed and analyzed by the Foundation’s public opinion survey research team, examines voters’ specific health care issue interests and experiences and perceptions about health care reform.”
Pretty clear that Kaiser didn’t ask the same health care questions that the Rasmussen poll did. You can’t ask one group which they prefer, an apple or an orange, and then compare those results to the results of a group that was asked about peaches and plums.
So, can you come up with a current poll that actually shows support of Obama’s proposed plan?
I also have more confidence in the accuracy of a Rasmussen or Zogby poll for a very simple reason; that’s how they make their living. How many clients would they have, or how long would they stay in business, if they got the reputation of conducting skewed polls? You may not like their motive for conducting polls, but making more money in the future is a strong motivator for providing a reliable and accurate service today.
You two can fight it out here
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/06/public-support-for-public-option.html
Seems Rasmussen has a suspect question but is fairly reputable. Kaiser is reputable. And no one has said for a long time that Zogby was a respectable pollster.
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard random polling, Hogwash! there’s nothing random about the Kaiser poll. random?…..well yes, I guess you could say random if you mean I just randomly polled several members of the NEA, and they all approved of Obama’s health care plan. For goodness sake! wake up.
Dan, I think you are just looking for some good news to support your own opinion. Kaiser is a supporter of Obama-care so their political bend makes their data automatically suspicious. Add to that the fact that used very vague questions and the results become meaningless. When you specifically poll people as to whether or not they want government run health care, the answer is more “no” everyday. Same goes for the Obama plan. People don’t trust government run systems to be able to help them. Is everyone for improvement in health care? Of course people want improvement… they just don’t want what the Democrats are currently offering.
I’ll make note on another point you offered. You don’t trust polls that make you pay for the full results. I actually trust them more. Someone paid for the Kaiser poll. Someone who had an interest in those questions being asked in that way. Rasmussen, Zogby, and many others poll to make money. The bread and butter of such a company is accuracy. Who would pay for their services if they were always wrong? While you may see them as backing Conservative results, that is only because the people polled feel that way. Rassmussen and Zogy have often reported results that go against conservatism, and I never felt that made them liberal. Do not confuse the popular opinion of Americans with the opinions of the messenger… or the pollster.
What does Strategic Vision say? That should settle it.