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Rasmussen: Conservative Anger Against Obamacare Hitting 'Stratospheric Levels'
Newsmax
Paul Scicchitano and Kathleen Walter
7/2/2012
Excerpt:
"Conservative interest in the presidential election hit “stratospheric levels” following last week’s Supreme Court ruling upholding Obamacare, noted pollster and author Scott Rasmussen tells Newsmax.TV.
“All that did was energize conservatives,” declared Rasmussen in an exclusive interview on Monday. “The conservative interest in the election was already much higher than that of moderates and liberals. It went up to really stratospheric levels right after the ruling. We don’t know if that will continue or if it’s just a temporary response to the news cycle.”
Most importantly, he said, Republicans have to make the case that the unpopular Obamacare will be a further drain on America’s disappointing economic recovery since the economy still tops the list of voter concerns.
“Anything that can be tied to the economy is going to be an important part of the debate,” observed Rasmussen, founder and president of Rasmussen Reports. “If Mitt Romney and the Republicans are able to make the case that the healthcare law is one reason the economy is struggling, well that will certainly help.”
He said the same goes for energy — and in fact all issues. “If they can tie energy into the economy being sluggish, that will help the Republicans,” explained Rasmussen. “On the other hand, if Barack Obama is able to say ‘no, the healthcare is really a separate issue’ then it won’t play much of a role at all. It is first and foremost how people are feeling about the economy and every other issue matters only so long as it affects the economy.”
More than half of the country — 52 percent of American voters — believe that Obamacare should be repealed.
“That number hasn’t changed much over the past week. In fact, it hasn’t changed much over the past two years,” said Rasmussen, who is the author of the book, “The People’s Money: How Voters Will Balance the Budget and Eliminate the Federal Debt."
“From the day the law was passed, a majority of American voters have said we want to see it repealed. And there’s really not much that would change that,” he said. “The support has been so consistent.”
Since the healthcare law has been so unpopular among voters, Rasmussen will be watching to see if Democrats go along with a largely symbolic measure to repeal Obamacare in the House.
“Now as for that vote next week, while people were calling it symbolic, one of the interesting things to watch will be how many Democratic congressmen will sign on and support the repeal,” Rasmussen said. “There will probably be a fair number of Democratic members of Congress who are too afraid for their own future to vote in support of the healthcare law.”
But it’s not a question of reigniting the political fight over the president’s signature legislation.
“The Democrats in Congress passed it despite popular opposition. They continued to believe that somehow it would get popular over time. It didn’t,” he said. “This is not a question of re-litigating or re-debating the healthcare law. That is over. The question is now whether the government will respond to a majority of voters or it will continue to move on its own direction.”
He predicted that there is virtually no chance the healthcare law will survive if GOP nominee Romney wins the election.
“And if President Obama is somehow re-elected this fall, and brings in Democrats with him to control the Senate, the law will still be in trouble,” predicted Rasmussen. “It is simply unpopular with voters and that will call for some major change.”
..........................................
View the complete article at:
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/ras...7/02/id/444211
Newsmax
Paul Scicchitano and Kathleen Walter
7/2/2012
Excerpt:
"Conservative interest in the presidential election hit “stratospheric levels” following last week’s Supreme Court ruling upholding Obamacare, noted pollster and author Scott Rasmussen tells Newsmax.TV.
“All that did was energize conservatives,” declared Rasmussen in an exclusive interview on Monday. “The conservative interest in the election was already much higher than that of moderates and liberals. It went up to really stratospheric levels right after the ruling. We don’t know if that will continue or if it’s just a temporary response to the news cycle.”
Most importantly, he said, Republicans have to make the case that the unpopular Obamacare will be a further drain on America’s disappointing economic recovery since the economy still tops the list of voter concerns.
“Anything that can be tied to the economy is going to be an important part of the debate,” observed Rasmussen, founder and president of Rasmussen Reports. “If Mitt Romney and the Republicans are able to make the case that the healthcare law is one reason the economy is struggling, well that will certainly help.”
He said the same goes for energy — and in fact all issues. “If they can tie energy into the economy being sluggish, that will help the Republicans,” explained Rasmussen. “On the other hand, if Barack Obama is able to say ‘no, the healthcare is really a separate issue’ then it won’t play much of a role at all. It is first and foremost how people are feeling about the economy and every other issue matters only so long as it affects the economy.”
More than half of the country — 52 percent of American voters — believe that Obamacare should be repealed.
“That number hasn’t changed much over the past week. In fact, it hasn’t changed much over the past two years,” said Rasmussen, who is the author of the book, “The People’s Money: How Voters Will Balance the Budget and Eliminate the Federal Debt."
“From the day the law was passed, a majority of American voters have said we want to see it repealed. And there’s really not much that would change that,” he said. “The support has been so consistent.”
Since the healthcare law has been so unpopular among voters, Rasmussen will be watching to see if Democrats go along with a largely symbolic measure to repeal Obamacare in the House.
“Now as for that vote next week, while people were calling it symbolic, one of the interesting things to watch will be how many Democratic congressmen will sign on and support the repeal,” Rasmussen said. “There will probably be a fair number of Democratic members of Congress who are too afraid for their own future to vote in support of the healthcare law.”
But it’s not a question of reigniting the political fight over the president’s signature legislation.
“The Democrats in Congress passed it despite popular opposition. They continued to believe that somehow it would get popular over time. It didn’t,” he said. “This is not a question of re-litigating or re-debating the healthcare law. That is over. The question is now whether the government will respond to a majority of voters or it will continue to move on its own direction.”
He predicted that there is virtually no chance the healthcare law will survive if GOP nominee Romney wins the election.
“And if President Obama is somehow re-elected this fall, and brings in Democrats with him to control the Senate, the law will still be in trouble,” predicted Rasmussen. “It is simply unpopular with voters and that will call for some major change.”
..........................................
View the complete article at:
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/ras...7/02/id/444211