Of Health and Polls

GOPers think they have a winning issue in gubment control of healthcare, in Obamacare and even Medicare as expensive and intrusive.  That's somewhat why Romney makes them nervous--he has to grow a really long nose to distance himself from Romneycare.  But how winning are these issues?

The facts have never been in their side, and ironically a new study suggests that Medicare costs are coming down because healthcare costs are stabilizing and declining, and that may well be because of Obamacare, which is just effectively getting started.  And this study expects the trend to continue.

There's some questions anyway whether Obamacare is a minus for the reelection campaign, and might well be a plus (the Obama campaign thinks so, especially with particular groups, like women and Latinos.)  Ironically, getting it fully discussed in a presidential campaign might dispel some of the idiotic misconceptions about it, especially now that some provisions have taken effect and are working as intended.

Also this past week, there's been buzz about the sudden plunge in President Obama's favorability number in a couple of polls, notably the New York Times.  But since then another poll has emerged that show him gaining. Reuters: For the first time since early July, more Americans approve of the job President Barack Obama is doing than disapprove, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll that shows his approval rating now at 50 percent.

 But for those who need to jump to conclusions about the poll they've jumped to conclusions about, the rise in gasoline prices seemed the only possible culprit--a perception encouraged by GOPer mouths.  Only there is this poll that says it ain't true.  Two-thirds place the blame elsewhere, and more trust President Obama to deal with it than the GOPers.  The National Journal story headline is Poll Shows Public Supports Obama on Gas Prices.  

PM Update: Two new interesting polls.  The new Pew poll which also shows President Obama at 50% approval, and with a 12 point lead over Romney. 59% expect him to win reelection over Romney, 68% over Santorum.  And a U. of Maryland poll shows that 70% of Americans surveyed favor diplomacy to prevent Iran from going nuclear, with only 25% favoring Israeli air strikes.  Together with other surveys that show majorities in favor of withdrawing from Afghanistan, this is further evidence that America is now anti-war.

Later PM Update: The outlines of the Pew poll (Obama's higher favorability, beating Romney and Santorum)  are confirmed by another new poll by--get this--Fox News.