Florida (FL) Poll * August 20, 2009 * Obama Approval Hits New Low In - Quinnipiac University

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August 20, 2009 - Obama Approval Hits New Low In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Say 5-1 Town Hall Protests Are Not Un- American

Word format President Barack Obama gets a 47 - 48 percent approval rating from Florida voters, down from 58 - 35 percent June 10, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This is President Obama's lowest approval in any national or statewide poll conducted by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University/
Voters approve 55 - 35 percent of the protests against health care reform and reject 79 - 14 percent the argument that these protests are un-American.
Floridians also reject 59 - 37 percent enacting health care reform if it "significantly" increases the federal budget deficit. By a 71 - 23 percent margin, voters don't believe Obama can keep his promise to reform health care without increasing the federal budget deficit.
Florida voters oppose 62 - 35 percent the idea that Democrats in Congress should use their majorities to push through a health care overhaul even if it only gets Democratic votes.
But voters support 58 - 36 percent creating a government health insurance plan.
"Although he still gets a 51 - 44 percent favorability rating, that's down from 62 - 32 percent in June and the President's 47 - 48 percent thumbs down verdict on his job performance makes Florida the first state in which a Quinnipiac University survey shows his job approval is underwater, even if his nose is right at the surface," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "This is also the first time that President Obama's approval rating has fallen below the 51 percent of the popular vote that he won in Florida.
"At least in Florida, the protests against the proposed health care overhaul that have been surfacing at town meetings held by members of Congress have struck a chord with the public."
"Voters approve of the demonstrations and they overwhelmingly disagree with the view expressed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that these protests are un-American," Brown added.
"There is a partisan split on approval of the protests, as Democrats disapprove 61 - 29 percent. But on whether they are un-American, even Democrats don't think so, 67 - 25 percent."
Obama's positive job approval among Democrats dropped from 91 percent to 83 percent. But a larger and politically more significant drop is among independent voters who disapprove 51 - 46 percent, down from a 50 - 42 percent approval June 10.
While lower income voters are more optimistic that Obama's economic and health care policies will help them personally, that optimism drops as income rises.
Overall, voters say 46 - 42 percent that his policies will help the economy, but only 33 percent say it will help them financially, while 39 percent say it will hurt them and 25 percent say it will make no difference. By a 48 - 34 percent margin, voters say Obama's health care plan will hurt rather than help the economy.
Only 38 percent believe his plan will improve health care nationally, while 45 percent say it will hurt health care.
And only 23 percent say Obama's plan will improve the quality of the care they receive, while 38 percent say it will hurt their quality of care and 35 percent say it won't affect their care.
Still, Florida voters trust Obama more than Congressional Republicans 42 - 38 percent to handle health care. And voters support several elements of Obama's plan, including:
59 - 38 percent in favor of raising taxes on high-income couples to pay for health care reform; 57 - 34 percent in favor of subsidies for families earning up to $88,000 a year; 49 - 40 percent in favor of requiring businesses to provide employee health insurance.
"It's no coincidence that as skepticism about the President's health care and economic programs grows, his job approval drops. In 2008, President Obama's ability to carry Florida was one of the surprises of the election. His loss of support there is something the White House will undoubtedly be paying attention to as the calendar shifts toward 2012," said Brown.
From August 12 - 17, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,136 Florida voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed - http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.
19. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Approve 47% 12% 83% 46% 45% 49% 21% Disapprove 48 84 11 51 50 45 74 DK/NA 5 4 6 3 5 6 5 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Approve 56% 48% 48% 40% Disapprove 33 49 48 58 DK/NA 11 3 4 3
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?
Aug 20 Jun 10 Apr 16 Feb 19 2009 2009 2009 2009 Approve 47 58 60 64 Disapprove 48 35 32 23 DK/NA 5 7 8 13
20. Would you say that Barack Obama is doing a better job as president than you expected, a worse job, or about what you expected?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Better 17% 6% 32% 13% 19% 16% 10% Worse 26 44 6 31 29 24 39 About expected 55 49 60 55 51 59 50 DK/NA 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Better 19% 22% 14% 17% Worse 22 30 26 26 About expected 55 48 59 57 DK/NA 4 - - -
TREND: Would you say that Barack Obama is doing a better job as president than you expected, a worse job, or about what you expected?
Aug 20 Jun 10 Apr 16 2009 2009 2009 Better 17 27 28 Worse 26 17 15 As expected 55 53 52 DK/NA 2 3 5
21. Is your opinion of - Barack Obama favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Favorable 51% 14% 88% 50% 49% 53% 24% Unfavorable 44 80 8 47 47 41 69 Hvn't hrd enough 3 3 2 - 2 4 3 REFUSED 2 3 2 3 2 3 5 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Favorable 64% 48% 51% 45% Unfavorable 28 48 47 53 Hvn't hrd enough 5 2 1 1 REFUSED 4 1 2 -
TREND: Is your opinion of - Barack Obama favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
FAVORABLE.... High Low Aug 20 Jun 10 Apr 16 Feb 19 Jan 21 Feb 19 Apr 2 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 2007 Favorable 51 62 63 69 66 69 42 Unfavorable 44 32 30 22 16 22 38 Hvn't hrd enough 3 4 5 6 12 6 16 REFUSED 2 2 1 3 5 3 4
25. Do you think President Obama's policies have helped the economy, hurt the economy, or haven't made a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Helped 36% 10% 68% 29% 37% 35% 17% Hurt 37 65 7 40 40 34 63 No difference 23 23 21 25 20 25 17 DK/NA 4 2 4 6 3 5 3 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Helped 37% 38% 36% 38% Hurt 25 40 41 37 No difference 32 18 20 24 DK/NA 6 5 3 1
26. Looking forward, do you think President Obama's policies will help the economy, will hurt the economy, or won't make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Will help 46% 12% 84% 41% 44% 49% 21% Will hurt 42 75 7 47 45 38 66 No difference 8 10 6 7 8 8 10 DK/NA 4 3 3 6 2 5 3 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Will help 58% 44% 47% 39% Will hurt 24 44 47 53 No difference 12 8 3 6 DK/NA 6 4 2 1
27. Do you think President Obama's policies have helped your personal financial situation, hurt your personal financial situation, or haven't made a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Helped 14% 3% 30% 9% 14% 15% 8% Hurt 26 46 7 23 25 26 39 No difference 59 50 62 67 61 58 51 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Helped 14% 16% 13% 18% Hurt 22 23 26 32 No difference 64 61 60 50 DK/NA 1 - - -
28. Looking forward, do you think President Obama's policies will help your personal financial situation, will hurt your personal financial situation, or won't make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Will help 33% 7% 60% 30% 33% 34% 13% Will hurt 39 68 6 42 40 37 61 No difference 25 22 31 25 26 25 24 DK/NA 3 3 3 3 2 4 3 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Will help 38% 30% 38% 27% Will hurt 23 45 41 47 No difference 35 23 18 26 DK/NA 4 2 3 -
29. Who do you trust to do a better job handling health care - President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl President Obama 42% 8% 79% 37% 42% 43% 17% Reps in Congress 38 73 9 35 38 37 59 DK/NA 20 18 11 28 20 20 24 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K President Obama 57% 40% 43% 35% Reps in Congress 26 43 44 45 DK/NA 18 18 13 20
30. Do you think President Obama's health care plan would improve the quality of health care in the nation, hurt the quality of health care in the nation, or not make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Improve 38% 8% 73% 34% 37% 39% 11% Hurt 45 81 11 47 46 44 71 No difference 11 7 11 11 10 11 9 DK/NA 6 4 6 8 6 6 9 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Improve 48% 34% 39% 31% Hurt 31 50 49 53 No difference 14 11 7 13 DK/NA 7 6 5 2
31. Do you think President Obama's health care plan will improve the quality of health care you receive, hurt the quality of health care you receive, or not make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Improve 23% 6% 45% 17% 25% 21% 7% Hurt 38 68 9 40 37 39 65 No difference 35 23 40 40 35 35 25 DK/NA 4 2 6 4 3 5 4 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Improve 38% 20% 18% 16% Hurt 28 41 43 44 No difference 27 36 38 39 DK/NA 7 3 2 1
32. Do you think President Obama's health care plan would help the economy, hurt the economy, or not make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Help 34% 8% 64% 29% 33% 35% 10% Hurt 48 81 15 54 49 48 75 No difference 13 9 15 11 15 11 11 DK/NA 4 1 6 6 3 6 4 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Help 39% 31% 37% 28% Hurt 34 50 51 57 No difference 20 14 8 14 DK/NA 7 5 3 1
33. Do you think President Obama's health care plan would increase your health care costs, decrease your health care costs, or not make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Increase costs 40% 63% 16% 39% 41% 39% 63% Decrease costs 18 6 31 17 19 17 7 No difference 37 24 47 39 36 37 25 DK/NA 6 6 6 5 4 7 5 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Increase costs 29% 45% 40% 43% Decrease costs 21 21 14 24 No difference 43 29 41 30 DK/NA 8 4 6 3
34. Do you think President Obama's health care plan would increase the taxes that you pay, decrease the taxes you pay, or not make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Increase taxes 65% 88% 38% 71% 68% 61% 87% Decrease taxes 5 1 9 5 4 7 2 No difference 26 10 48 19 26 26 10 DK/NA 4 1 5 5 3 6 2 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Increase taxes 44% 71% 66% 81% Decrease taxes 7 6 4 1 No difference 43 20 26 16 DK/NA 5 3 4 2
35. Do you support or oppose requiring people to have health insurance or pay a fine of 2.5 percent of their income?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Support 27% 21% 37% 24% 31% 24% 22% Oppose 66 74 52 71 64 67 73 DK/NA 7 5 11 5 5 9 5 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Support 24% 29% 33% 27% Oppose 61 68 63 72 DK/NA 16 4 4 1
36. Do you support or oppose requiring businesses with payrolls of 250,000 dollars per year to offer their employees health insurance or pay the government 8 percent of their payroll to underwrite health insurance?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Support 49% 30% 72% 46% 44% 54% 33% Oppose 40 62 18 40 47 33 56 DK/NA 11 8 10 14 9 13 11 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Support 55% 50% 56% 35% Oppose 27 40 38 62 DK/NA 18 10 6 3
37. Do you support or oppose giving people the option of being covered by a government health insurance plan that would compete with private plans?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Support 58% 32% 84% 57% 55% 61% 42% Oppose 36 60 11 39 42 31 54 DK/NA 6 9 5 4 3 8 4 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Support 63% 61% 60% 53% Oppose 28 35 37 44 DK/NA 9 5 3 3
38. Would you rather purchase health insurance from a private sector company or from a government program?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Private sector 59% 81% 32% 65% 64% 54% 78% Gov't program 22 10 36 19 19 24 12 DK/NA 19 9 32 16 17 21 11 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Private sector 41% 59% 67% 78% Gov't program 36 23 14 12 DK/NA 23 18 19 10
39. Do you support or oppose government subsidies for individuals who earn 43,000 dollars or less or families of four who earn less than 88,000 dollars a year to buy health care insurance?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Support 57% 39% 73% 58% 58% 56% 47% Oppose 34 52 19 32 35 34 44 DK/NA 9 9 8 9 7 10 9 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Support 56% 65% 59% 53% Oppose 33 26 35 46 DK/NA 11 9 6 2
40. To extend health insurance coverage to most Americans over the next decade, would you support or oppose imposing an extra tax on individuals who earn more than 350,000 dollars and couples who earn more than 1 million dollars a year?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Support 59% 32% 83% 60% 56% 62% 41% Oppose 38 63 15 37 41 35 55 DK/NA 3 5 2 3 3 3 4 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Support 69% 62% 57% 48% Oppose 26 36 39 51 DK/NA 4 2 4 2
41. To extend health insurance coverage to most Americans over the next decade, would you support or oppose a new tax on employees for the health care benefits that they receive from their employers?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Support 21% 8% 34% 23% 25% 18% 13% Oppose 73 88 59 73 73 74 82 DK/NA 5 3 7 5 3 8 5 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Support 23% 24% 20% 19% Oppose 67 71 78 80 DK/NA 9 5 3 1
42. Which concerns you more - Congress does not pass legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system or the cost of overhauling the nation's health care system will significantly increase the federal budget deficit?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Cong doesn't pass 39% 23% 63% 32% 38% 40% 24% Increase deficit 50 68 27 58 52 49 65 DK/NA 11 9 10 11 10 11 11 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Cong doesn't pass 41% 42% 42% 37% Increase deficit 41 47 50 60 DK/NA 18 11 8 3
43. Do you agree or disagree with the following: Congress should approve a health care overhaul plan even if only Democrats support it.
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Agree 35% 10% 67% 30% 36% 34% 16% Disagree 62 87 31 67 60 63 81 DK/NA 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Agree 47% 37% 34% 26% Disagree 48 61 62 73 DK/NA 5 2 3 2
44. President Obama has pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our federal budget deficit over the next decade. Do you think that President Obama will be able to keep his promise or do you think any health care plan that Congress passes and President Obama signs will add to the federal budget deficit?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Will keep promise 23% 5% 44% 19% 23% 23% 10% Will add to deficit 71 92 46 77 73 69 83 DK/NA 6 4 10 4 4 8 6 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Will keep promise 30% 21% 19% 25% Will add to deficit 61 74 75 74 DK/NA 9 5 5 1
45. Do you agree or disagree with the following: Overhauling the nation's health care system is so important that it should be enacted even if it significantly increases the federal budget deficit.
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Agree 37% 9% 66% 34% 37% 38% 19% Disagree 59 87 29 63 60 58 77 DK/NA 4 4 5 3 3 4 4 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Agree 44% 41% 37% 28% Disagree 50 57 60 71 DK/NA 6 2 3 1
46. Are you now covered by any form of health insurance or health plan?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Yes 87% 91% 91% 84% 86% 89% 92% No 12 9 9 16 14 11 8 DK/NA - - - - - - - INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Yes 77% 85% 96% 94% No 23 15 4 6 DK/NA - - - -
47. (If yes q46) Is your health insurance plan Medicare, Medicaid, or a private health insurance plan?
YES Q46........................................... WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Medicare 11% 10% 13% 9% 10% 12% 11% Medicaid 4 4 8 1 3 5 3 Private plan 64 64 62 66 64 63 58 COMB OF PLANS(VOL) 19 19 16 20 18 19 26 DK/NA 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Medicare 22% 8% 6% 2% Medicaid 12 3 - 4 Private plan 37 67 75 86 COMB OF PLANS(VOL) 26 19 17 4 DK/NA 2 3 2 3
48. Do you approve or disapprove of the protests at the recent town hall meetings on health care reform?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Approve 55% 78% 29% 58% 55% 54% 69% Disapprove 35 13 61 32 38 32 23 DK/NA 10 10 10 10 7 14 8 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Approve 41% 55% 62% 62% Disapprove 43 36 29 34 DK/NA 16 9 9 4
49. Some people have called these protests un-American. Do you agree or disagree?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Agree 14% 6% 25% 11% 15% 14% 7% Disagree 79 87 67 84 81 78 85 DK/NA 6 7 7 5 5 8 8 INCOME.................... <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Agree 20% 11% 15% 8% Disagree 69 82 81 88 DK/NA 10 7 4 3