# Gallup: Public opinion on health-care reform almost unchanged from beginning of August **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 10, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566 "2009-09-10T16:05:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566/1 "2009-09-10T16:05:17Z")
See [here.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/122822/Americans-Sharply-Divided-Healthcare-Reform.aspx) So what exactly did all those town-hall demonstrations, etc., accomplish? Were they a waste of time? ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566/2 "2009-09-10T16:28:13Z")
As with any poll, the results are always a result of the questions asked. In this case, the question is about as vague as one can get. ---
**Author:** ![Zephyurs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dfb087/32.png) [@Zephyurs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zephyurs)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566/3 "2009-09-10T16:33:23Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > As with any poll, the results are always a result of the questions asked. In this case, the question is about as vague as one can get. Well, the question is vague, but it’s the same question. That means it’s measuring the same thing as a month ago. Of course, it’s hard to say what it is measuring, but whatever it is, it’s related to the debate on healthcare reform. That would seem to constitute a failure on the tea baggers’ parts, since their aim was to change the debate. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566/4 "2009-09-10T17:13:26Z")
Seems like a pretty weird poll to me. About a quarter of the respondents have no opinion to offer on health care reform, and of those people, a third of them think that how their congressman votes on health care reform will be a major factor in how they vote in 2010? “I don’t know what he should do, but I’m sure going to judge him harshly for it!” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566/5 "2009-09-10T17:30:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > See [here.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/122822/Americans-Sharply-Divided-Healthcare-Reform.aspx) So what exactly did all those town-hall demonstrations, etc., accomplish? Were they a waste of time? Not as far as I can tell - > [@](#): > > Independents lean against healthcare reform, 44% vs. 29%, although their opposition does not rise to the level of a majority (28% of independents offer no opinion). Obama wasn’t going to get the Republicans, and Democrats aren’t going to change their minds either. As ever, the middle is the way to go, and Obama isn’t going there. ISTM that Obama has nailed his colors to the mast here. If he can’t get this thru Congress even with a substantial majority in both houses, what hope is there for the rest of his agenda? Or if he does ram it thru, and it turns out to be as unpopular as it seems to be, then the fallout from the [68%](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204313604574330442429438938.html) of Americans who rate their health care as good or excellent and who discover that they will have to pay more (which only 28% are willing to do) and get less. Then Obama can either raise taxes, and run the risk of choking off a recovery, or run the deficit even higher than he already has. Regards, Shodan