Obamacare Opinions Remain Steady In 2013

The Republicans were sure that they had an issue in Obamacare that they could ride to a victory in 2014. Unfortunately, it isn't working out for them. The public didn't like their shutting down the government in an effort to defund Obamacare. And despite all the negative statements and outright lies the GOP has made regarding Obamacare, they just can't get a majority of Americans to agree with them.

The charts above were made from information in the latest Kaiser Foundation Survey, which is done several times a year to determine what the public thinks about medical issues. This new survey was done between October 17th and 23rd of 1,513 nationwide adults (with a 3 point margin of error). Note (in the top chart) that regardless of all the publicity about the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), both negative and positive, the public opinion of the health care reform has remained steady throughout this year.

Back in February of this year, Obamacare had a 36% approval and a 42% disapproval. The latest figures from October are 38% approval and 44% approval (both figures within the margin of error and reflective of public opinion throughout the year). But while a plurality doesn't approve of Obamacare, the Republicans haven't been able to turn that plurality into a majority -- or even make any headway toward that goal.

And when it comes to drumming up support for their efforts to repeal (or defund) Obamacare, the congressional Republicans are even more out of touch with public opinion. Their teabagger base may approve of that, but the general public doesn't (and never has). In fact, support for keeping Obamacare is 10 points higher than support for repealing it (47% to 37%), and 22% would actually like to see Obamacare expanded.

The Republicans haven't given up on Obamacare as an issue yet, but they probably should. They have done everything they can to kill it and try to turn the public against it, and they have failed.