Support for repeal of the new national healthcare plan has jumped to its highest level ever. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63 percent of U.S. voters now favor repeal of the plan congressional Democrats passed and President Obama signed into law in March.
Before today, weekly polling had shown support for repeal ranging from 54 percent to 58 percent. Just 32 percent oppose repeal, according to the survey of 1,000 likely voters taken May 22-23.
The new findings include 46 percent who strongly favor repeal of the healthcare bill and 25 percent who strongly oppose it.
While opposition to the bill has remained as consistent since its passage as it was beforehand, this marks the first time that support for repeal has climbed into the 60s. It will be interesting to see whether this marks a brief bounce or indicates a trend of growing opposition.
One-third of voters now believe the healthcare plan will be good for the country, down six points from a week ago and the lowest level of confidence in the plan to date. And 55 percent say it will be bad for the nation, while only 3 percent think it will have no impact.
The political class continues to be a strong supporter of the plan, however. Although 67 percent of mainstream voters believe the plan will be bad for America, 77 percent of the political class disagree and think it will be good.
Almost two-thirds of all voters expect the healthcare plan to increase the federal deficit. Just 12 percent expect the bill to push the deficit down, while 13 percent say it will have no impact.
As for healthcare quality, 55 percent say the plan will make it worse, 20 percent expect it to improve the quality of healthcare, and 18 percent think quality will stay about the same.
Cost-wise, 55 percent also expect the healthcare plan to increase healthcare expenses rather than achieve its stated goal of decreasing them. Only 18 percent believe healthcare costs will indeed go down because of the plan’s passage. Another 16 percent expect costs to stay about the same.
Male voters remain more critical of the healthcare plan than female voters.
While sizable majorities of Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major party continue to favor repeal of the plan, most Democrats remain supportive.