Poll: Many Want Congress to Focus on Jobs, not Health Care

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

CBS

House Republicans may be focused on fulfilling their campaign promise to work to overturn the health care reform law, but a new CBS News/New York Times survey finds that a plurality of Americans prefer they focus instead on creating jobs.

The poll finds forty-three percent of Americans believe the most important thing for the new Congress to focus on is job creation - compared to just 18 percent who say the top priority should be health care. Fourteen percent chose the federal budget deficit, 12 percent the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and seven percent illegal immigration. Respondents were presented with a list of options.

The poll also found that a majority of Americans polled - 56 percent - do not believe the health care bill's impact on themselves and their families has been clearly explained. Only 41 percent say it has been explained somewhat or very well, including just one in ten who say it has been explained very well.

Republicans have sought to tie their effort to repeal the health care law to the issue of jobs, labeling the legislation passed last year "job-killing" and "job-destroying." Democrats have used Republican endeavors to overturn the law as a second opportunity to sell the law to the American people after falling short in their first attempt.

This report covers an early release of a pair of questions from the survey. The full poll will be released at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,036 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone January 15 - 19, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[Muymuybien]

Not only the Congress should focus on job creation. We all should do
that - both business owners, politicians and not at least: the consumers! Consumers have purchasing power - consumers can demand.
So, why not establish the ability to create jobs as a quality and
selling proposition? If environmental friendliness can act as a quality and selling proposition, why shouldn't "job friendliness" act as same? Let us start (as businesses) to sell job creation as a quality - let us start to demand (as consumers) job creation!
How? You can study an example on Spreadshirt's website under uk section (Marketplace) with search term job creation.

[askagain]

What planet have some of you been living on? Jobs and health care go hand in hand. When an employer hires you, he is responsible for many expenses besides your salary. There are expenses such as unemployment insurance, worker's compensation, social security taxes, liability insurance, etc. Many employers also provide retirement plans, sick days, persdonal leave days, paid holidays, and health insurance benefits. Just doing payroll entails expense. As a small businessman, I have to evaluate whether it is worth paying all of these expenses for additional employees or simply expecting more productivity from existing employees. My company's gross sales declined 20% two years ago and 10% last year. What person in their right mind expects me hire more people knowing that providing health insurance will become mandatory instead of voluntary based on whether my company can afford it?

[antoniof123]

Really what planet do you live on.

The fact is health insurance is a tax deduction so they are given credit for it.

Your decrease in sales is one of two things,

1) The economy died but 20 percent that is high that leads to the second reason.
2) Your management failed to chart the right course.

The second is most likely, our company did lose some sales but for the most part we were flat.

Stop trying to shell out propoganda because the way you are stating the number is you comapany is ready to fail and you will not be hiring anyone.

[2-manyrepubs]

lets see , how do I put this ? "IDIOTS" , this is what you get when voting in repubs to control anything-Ya, they heard AMERICANS LOUD AND CLEAR , But which Americans , the Insurance Industry Americans ? they've got all of you buffaloed into believing that the healthcare bill will kill jobs , when in fact its been proven that it will have very little to no effect on jobs - given the fact that none of this will take effect until 2014 , I don't see how anyone can predict that outcome NOW !Also what exactly were the repubs listening too when they alledgedly heard Ameicans loud and clear -"IT'S ABOUT JOBS ,STUPID " And it just might be that creating jobs will help reduce the deficit - for one its costing us millions a day to pay people who are unemployed , quit paying them and we'll have even larger issues , but mind you they don't pay taxes when they are collecting unemployment- now heres my theory , the unemployment rate is at 10% (and higher in some places ) now thats some 10 million people out of work -NOT PAYING INTO TAXES , with the government paying out and NOT recieving any taxes from this 10 mill or more theres some (APPROXIMATE)billion dollars NOT being put back into the tax pool, - given the fact that when times are good we usually average around a 3% unemployment rate - so thats (approximate) 7% who are not paying back into the tax pool , thats a lot of money that the government can NOT claim - get these people back to work , you'll see the deficit drop (probably dramatically) and this burden won't be brought onto our kids , but lets take a look at our parents who were brought to wars before we were both born and afterwards,and suffered a few recessions as well ,are we still paying for all those benefits like SS ,Mediacare , only when we mismanage the money - Reagan began robbing SS to pay down the deficit in the 80's , GHWB and Clinton did so again respectifully , GWB robbed it to pay for his Iraq war- now if this isn't a misappropiation of funding , I don't know what is .We need to start putting the money where we need it only , and cutting the military will put us at risk of future attacks , I don't see where this is a good idea at any level - so think about it maybe cutting the salaries of congressmen and women will help , not only with the deficit , but getting the message -our politicians will get the message LOUD AND CLEAR - and don't respond with Clinton signing NAFTA that sent American jobs over seas - before you post on that take a look at NAFTA - its origin began with Reagan , signed by GHWB , Clinton only extended it to include Mexico , and as for the closing of our military bases - blame Reagan , he signed that bill in the early 80's to take place in the following decade - so quit blaming Demos for all the illicit acts brought on by the repubs - its their fault we're in this mess , and you've extended it by puttin the idiots back in charge !!

[gthog]

push poll much?

I must have forgotten the poll you conducted this time last year that asked the same question. We are supposed to believe that health care was jammed down our throat but now we don't want any consideration about it because now we want Congress to focus on jobs, which the last Congress never did because it was focused on health care.

This Congress was elected to repeal health care and cut spending. That is exactly what they are doing. Did the poll ask what Congress is supposed to do to "create jobs"? I doubt it.

Our media is absolutely horrible. They may as well be an arm of the democratic party. Do you think we will hear any more about how so many were so wrong about the AZ shooting? Nope, be proven wrong, just ignore it and push forward with another push poll.

[jimbom121]

Then why do only 18% in recent polling (multiple polls) favor repealing the law.

[raflin1]

Didn't Republicans CAMPAIGN and WIN the House on their promise to create jobs? What have they DONE in that regard so far?? So far, they've wasted time proving they can read aloud in front of people, (the Constiution,) AND they've spent time holding "hearings" and voting to repeal a bill that is DOOMED to failure.

Hey Republicans? There's ANOTHER election in JUST TWO YEARS! CHOP! CHOP! (or YOU will be CHOPPED......) Stop fing around.

[curse914]

by clarkw11 January 21, 2011 12:16 AM EST
Dear maiingan: Stop using BIG words get off your BIG butt and get a job. Your "not being allowed" to get a job? Your kidding right? Go out and beat the street, I'm tired of paying your unemployment benafits. Your not equitable for the economy.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Clark, dismount your anti-intellectual high horse.

If he or she is receiving unemployment benefits, they were gainfully employed. It varies with each state, but the presumption is that you were laid off, not fired. The employer knows how much they have to pay into UI and that is factored into wages, otherwise, that employer does not deserve to be in business to begin with. Trust me Clark, you ain't paying for anyone's UI unless you are one of these "intelligent" business owners, get it...your point is moot.

If you are coming from the "stimulus" slant, then what is the distinction between the mini-worker bailout and the Financial Sector bailout...one was most definitely guilty of wrong doing and that wrong doing led to the other needing assistance to begin with. Is that to complex for you to follow, Clark?

[curse914]

by curse914 January 20, 2011 9:48 PM EST
Define populist.

Their are those who do not give credit to those "who do" (the laborer). The populist promises leverage for the lower class. Good luck selling your Social Darwinism to the rest of us. You can count on social upheaval within the context of wrenching wealth disparity in an unemployed, educated nation. Brown has warned of a revolt of the vast pool of degreed unemployed. He understands Class stratification and the failure of its supposed visionaries to create an egalitarian, sustainable economic model especial from an educated underclass who can see past the cheap rhetoric veneer seeking to scapegoat the strawman named "those who don't."

================================

by discussthis January 20, 2011 9:56 PM EST
What manifesto are you plagiarizing from? Who is Brown? I did not use the word "populist". You really should get into a twelve step program and soon.

00000000000000000000000000000000

Look, dunderhead, I wanted you to enlighten yourself. Populist by definition is "popular." It is your task to convince the populace at _large_ that everyone has equal knowledge and that the playing field is level; that in fact, advantage does not exist. In your mythical land of opportunity, opportunity is not weighted toward one side or another or the myth unravels. The proposition of Social Darwinism is atrocious, like selling a lemon of a vehicle...but a sucker is required for such a transaction to take place.

By the way "Brown" is the Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the UK and he understands that an unemployed, educated populace, is a dangerous populace.

[maiingan]

Dear "curse914": You're the first person other than myself I've seen use the term "Social Darwinism" in the media. I think most Americans, including most pols, are Social Darwinists, but don't know the term or what it means - or that it was discredited decades ago. As one of the "degreed unemployed," I'm one who can, but is not being allowed to, because of peremptory job discrimination. Last I read, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. had received about 15,000 "Resumes for America" in his campaign for the unemployed. By all rights he should have about 15 MILLION resumes. There should be 15 million or so unemployed and underemployed Americans marching on Washington demanding at least a more equitable distribution of unemployment.

[clarkw11]

Dear maiingan: Stop using BIG words get off your BIG butt and get a job. Your "not being allowed" to get a job? Your kidding right? Go out and beat the street, I'm tired of paying your unemployment benafits. Your not equitable for the economy.

[curse914]

I recall reading about a study where it was determined that 80 percent of jobs were acquired through an acquaintance or relative, thus illustrating the power of the clique and exposing the myth that all success is earned.

[RobAla]

The repeal of the horrible health care law is part of turning the high unemployment around. The two are absolutely linked, because the law has a negative impact on business.

May 2010 Chamber of Commerce article:
Taxes and Fees. The bill imposes $569 billion in new and higher taxes on businesses and individuals. New taxes on pharmaceutical companies (beginning in 2011), medical devices (beginning in 2013), and the health insurance sector (beginning in 2014) will be passed on to every American in the form of higher prices and premiums. Beginning in 2018, a 40% excise tax will be imposed on employer-sponsored health premiums that exceed $10,200 for single coverage and $27,500 for family coverage.

Is this health care law a job killer? It looks that way. This 2700 page disaster in the making can't be effectively tweaked, it must he entirely repealed and replaced by something that does not further damage the US economy and actually reduces health care cost for the majority of Americans - not cause premiums to rise.

[discussthis]

It baffles me that while we were told we would not know what was in it til it passed, that all the lib/dem/"progressives" love it, even after the hidden taxes and costs for bureaucracies are just now starting to reveal themselves. Maybe those groups really do hate America as much as obamao does.

[WaterBuffaloRider]

The weak and wealthy men now in control of the US House of Representatives, rather than working to create more jobs for the American people, voted to put big health insurance corporations back in charge and to deny American families the same health care coverage Members of Congress enjoy. President Obama's Stimulus Package and Health-Care bill has America recovering from the worst recession in American history.

[j40405]

Ok, lets keep heath care reform, in fact lets all quit work and live off the government.Congress should pass a law that it is illegal to profit from hard work in America. Only Obama and his future income panels will decide how much credit you getea month. We'll all move into Democrat provided public housing, sit on our porch and wait on checks. Thats probably what you do everyday, isn.t it JA**A**. Then we'll all be equal. What a lovely utopia you Du**a**'* wish to create.

[discussthis]

Hey rider, no one has the insurance coverage enjoyed by congress, but congress. They exempted themselves from obamao care because they want nothing to do with that trash. The Stimulus and "health care" bills have America recovering? Under dems since 2007 and obamao since 2009 we have record below poverty families, record food stamp recipients record foreclosures. How's that "summer of recovery tour" workin' for ya?