Poll: Dems Back Clinton On Health Care

CBS News Poll: Primary Voters Say Hillary Clinton Can Handle Health Care Better Than Rivals

(CBS)  As Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton unveils her health care plan today, Democratic primary voters express more confidence in her ability to handle health care than in her chief Democratic rivals, Senator Barack Obama and former Senator John Edwards, a new CBS News poll finds.

Sixty-one percent of those who plan to vote in a Democratic primary express confidence in Clinton’s ability to make the right decisions about health care. Forty-two percent say they have confidence in Obama, while 39 percent say they have confidence in Edwards. Forty-nine percent say Clinton would do a better job on health care than her Democratic opponents.

Registered voters see Clinton's experience with a failed health care proposal as an asset rather than a liability. Sixty-six percent of all voters, and 77 percent on Democratic primary voters, say her past experience will help her to reform health care if she becomes president. Clinton was appointed by her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, to chair a commission on health care reform in 1993. Just 25 percent of all voters, and 15 percent of Democratic primary voters, say that experience will hurt her.

Fifty-two percent of registered voters say the lack of health care reform in the 1990s was beyond Clinton's control. Only 5 percent say she was "mostly responsible" for the lack of reform, while 39 percent say they do not know enough to have an opinion. In a CBS poll in 1994, 43 percent said Clinton's involvement was one reason health care reform did not pass, while 49 percent disagreed.

The American public continues to be dissatisfied with the quality of health care in the United States. Sixty-six percent are very or somewhat dissatisfied with the quality of health care in the country, and 81 percent are very or somewhat dissatisfied with the cost.

Seventy-six percent say the fact that many Americans do not have health insurance is a very serious problem for the United States.

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Celebrities And Politics
Health Care And The Democratic Presidential Campaign

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Americans were also asked to choose between keeping the current health care system, with insurance provided by private employers and some people uninsured, and a government-run system that provided universal coverage. Fifty-five percent said they preferred the government-run system, while 29 percent said they preferred the current system. This is an increase in support for the government-run system, which was favored by 47 percent of Americans in February.

There has been little change since last month in the race for the Democratic nomination. Forty-three percent of Democratic primary voters nationwide say they favor Clinton, while 22 percent favor Obama and 16 percent favor Edwards.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 706 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone September 14-16, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

[mcvet]

She''ll get it done folks! Lord knows it''s time!

[sthinker]

What a dumb poll, as if most Americans KNOW the specific details of what each candidate is proposing.

What...an...absolutely...dumb...poll.

The people are just voting based on name ID. And CBS has the nerve to post this as if it anything but mindless, Clinton propaganda.

What a joke, the media in the United States have become.

[name_verify]

This was the greatest policy defeat of the 1990s. This is the last person anybody would want to lead this kind of initiative.

[donnie900]

Oh my god.. That record is dun.

[marcolfinu]

In Europe everybody is covered by default, no mattter if he is a citizen, a tourist, or an illegal alien.

If you work you must pay a tax for the health coverage system, and the the more money you make the higher your contribution to the system.

If you are poor or old you pay a symbolical "ticket" for most medications and procedures. This is civilization in my book. Not to have to show your insurance card to be admitted into a hospital if I am feeling sick or I had an accident.

[marcolfinu]

I need a lot of m tions for my Parkinson''s Disease.

"Luckily" I worked for a large corporation so I am covered by United Healthcare and I have to pay "only" a premium of several hundred dollars a month to be insured and then about one hundred dollars a months for the medications.

Every time I get my medications at Walgreens the packages tell me how much I saved by being covered
by United with respect to the "Full price". According to my insurance they save me several hunderd dollars a month.

To my big surprise, I was in Europe and I bought the same exact medications WITHOUT insurance for the SAME PRICE I pay in the USA with the coverage. The difference is that to get that price in the USA I need to be covered at a cost of several hundred a month.

This is a scam, and the Americans that think they are smart because they do not follow the examples of Canada or Europe because they are afraid of concepts like government-run health care or universal coverage are just being fooled by big business that makes huge money from their ignorance and selfishness.

[hwy71so]

Dems back Clinton on it. I don''t.

I say government needs to get serious about real government for a while instead of gimmick politics.

We need someone who''ll work on civil stability. Someone who''ll reaffirm the Constitution and a positive direction for this country.

Healthcare reform seems to be very popular amongst politicians when in fact, it is merely a supporting aspect that could be handled by a working group within congress. Not the Executive branch. If she wants to be president, she needs to stop living on a state level. The needs of people in Oklahoma are not the same as those in Florida or Indiana when it comes to healthcare "reform". This is something that could and should be handled on a state level anyway.

[realpatriot1]

Hywy71so,

You can''t have serious healthcare reform on a state level if you want to regulate industry practices such as denying coverage to those with "pre-existing conditions"(whatever the insurance companies don''t want to pay for).

The companies will threaten to move out odf state and leave all consumers without coverage. The only way to reign in industry abuse is at the federal level.

Did states rights work for civil rights?

[pwrslm]

706 people for a nationwide poll is like a drip in the bucket....it doesnt represent anything like CBS claims, and who picked who gets the call anyway? And what were the exact questions used to get the response recieved??

CBS, stop manipulating public opinion for the Demoncrats, you are supposed to be an unbiased, professional news source, not a wanna be Democlinitonite organization for the election....

[hwy71so]

EVERY campaign trail, the democrats harp on health care. Every time. Yet, once they get in house, they put it on a back burner. Every time. They''d rather take up things like interns, saxophones and peanut farms. Yet, they laud health care reform in their promises never to bring them to fruition.

The president does not have time to put into the endeavor it would take to affect health care reform. That''s why it should be handled within congress. Meanwhile, the congressmen are at each others throats just because he''s a democrat, or shes a republican, etc... They need to drop that party nonsense and get to work. This country was not founded on parties. It was founded on the belief that ALL men were created equal and have certain rights that should not be infringed upon. Yet this congress we have in place now are so caught up in backing their parties they throw common sense out the window.

Hillary, is merely using the health care reform issue as a campaign gimmick. She could care less and she should know, at her age, that she will not have the time to devote to it that this issue needs.

There are just more pressing issues that a president or potential president should be considering. Namely international relations, civil stability, and as I said earlier, the reaffirmation of the Constitution.

Congress and the Supreme Court have been laughing at the Constitution for several years now. I say we fire the whole crew and start from scratch.

[jesse285-2009]

Do''t you think that this is a little late

[jesse285-2009]

It seen like this is a little late why did they wait until it so hard for some peoples to even stay in the job market

[afmca]

This is not just a social issue but an economic one. We cannot compete with manufacturers in other countries until our health care costs are spread over the entire population and companies versus our current single company plans. Companies can gain competitive advantage by removing benefits versus the socially responsible companies that keep theirs.

If GM, Ford, the steel industry, and other manufacturers could lessen the burden of health care costs for retirees they would then again be profitable. Toyota, Honda, VW, etc. manufacture cars in the US and have no issue with profitability because they do not have this burden.

The basic difference is that Democrats are trying to create a plan to cover everyone while the Republican tax credit plans would ensure the rich a healthy tax break, but would leave the majority of people without corporate plans or the ability to purchase private ones.

[biker-n-oh]

Hwy71So: I agree with you totally that the democrats use health care as the PRIMARY issue for every election and then put it to the back burner when elected.

During the Clinton presidency dollar Bill gave one, count them one primary task for the first lady and that was health care reform. There were two terms for Hillary to get this done and she failed. I really don''t understand why people confident that she can do it this time. I see it only being used as a campaign tool.

[yankeerebel7]

I don''t think it''s too late for Republicans to win on Healthcare.

It''s true many Americans are willing to trade healthcare freedoms and innovation for health security...but we need to implement a plan that offers both.

[pepperp1]

Senator Clinton is outlining the primary difference in the parties, the Democrats spend our tax revenues on our Country and the prosperity of our Country first, and the Republicans spend our tax revenues on themselves and their own special interest.

Her plan is doable; compare this against the ultimate price tag for Iraq, Iraq which economist estimate at 2 Trillion dollars, from now until Jan 09 when we are finally rid of Bush Inc Iraq will have sucked up 208 Billion more of our dollars just as operating expense.

Need and example check out what is happening with Senator Stevens in Alaska and the corruption he has orchestrated on our dime to build himself a big house. The Republican Party disgust me.

[oleander8]

"During the Clinton presidency dollar Bill gave one, count them one primary task for the first lady and that was health care reform. There were two terms for Hillary to get this done and she failed. "

But this time she won''t be trying to work with a Republican majority in the House. That''s a whole new ballgame.

[micma-2009]

The majority of Americans know that our health care system is broken. Hillaries'' plan may or may not be the best solution. But she is at least raising the issue and starting the conversation. Republicans would prefer to ignore the real problems and concerns of average Americans.

[cmp271]

This woman is dragging out her old idea on health care. This is never going to fly. She failed then and she will fail again.

Do we really want these hillbillys in our white house again????

[katg21]

Senator Clinton is outlining the primary difference in the parties, the Democrats spend our tax revenues on our Country and the prosperity of our Country first, and the Republicans spend our tax revenues on themselves and their own special interest.Posted by pepperp1

You''re very confused, pepper. Democrats would prefer that you become completely dependent on government by promising you everything under the sun. Where do you think jobs come from? Never heard of poor people handing out jobs. Big business is what keeps our economy going strong and you just have to deal with it. If our economy is really that important to you than why don''t you contribute to it by getting a good education and working your *** off; handouts won''t get you anywhere.

[katg21]

Do we really want these hillbillys in our white house again????
Posted by cmp271 at 11:35 AM : Sep 18, 2007

Hell NO!!! These two have been living off of the peoples money for far too long... carpet baggers!

[one_american]

A man walked into a very high-tech restaurant in a fancy hotel.

As he waited to be seated, he noticed that the Maitre D'' is a robot.

The robot clicked to attention and said, "Sir, there is a one hour
wait. I am programmed to converse with you until a table is
ready, If you please."

Intrigued, the man said, "OK."

The robot clicked a couple more times and then asked,
"Sir, what is your IQ?"

The man answered, "Oh, about 164."

The robot then proceeded to discuss the theory of relativity,
Interstellar space travel, the latest medical breakthroughs, etc.

The man was most impressed. The next day he returned,
But thought he would try a different tack.

The robot again asked, "What is your IQ, sir?" This time the man
answered, "Oh, about 100".

So the robot started discussing NASCAR racing, the latest
basketball Scores, and what to expect the Red Sox to do this weekend.

The guy had to try it one more time. So the next day he returned.

Again the robot asked the question, "What is your IQ?"

This time the man drawled out, " Uh.....''bout 50."

The robot clicked, then leaned close and very slowly asked,

"A-r-e y-o-u-r p-e-o-p-l-e g-o-i-n-g t-o n-o-m-i-n-a-t-e H-i-l-l-a-r-y?"

[whispyseas]

'' ... journalists with hundreds others could have done 100s thousands museums each 100s weeks, giving to 100s thousands for tips, building lacking 300 sponge homes & buses for each 90,000

wedges & screws & levets & pulleys for molecules & microbes to do weed fires exponential

most folk most time didn''t dance get well feed world songs rallied round 100s millions sick beds drifting 10s millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups

i said get sick tax world keeps folk well & fed

& to label epic quests for wheelchairs as quests for gold

and pack leashed kids in dare houses

and poverty causes crime & education cures poverty & that costs money

and fill prisons with ******* & wars with sand ******* & rag heads & dared kids & stack closets 20 high with slaved ******* immigrants & forclose on whitebread & biblebread & ***** & make all lazy naked ignorant profane blemished kids of all ages disappear & keep prostitutes & pedophiles & fatties & ******* praying publicly for their souls

even free food & medicine buttons on telephones were replaced with free cuff cage spank nuke buttons

i said war rapes babies & war saves babies & cracking eggs is part of the fun

none would jump in a volcano for me, though, & when i told them they are free, they screamed: ''no''

not a flicker in oblivion, not a victim in eternal hell, but eternal storyboards swiming infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''

[incog-nito]

I am disappointed in this plan. It keeps the middlemen in place, the for-profit insurance companies that are one of the main reasons health care costs have been skyrocketing. There is no provision to contain costs. The tax credit will help initially, but there is nothing to stop insurers from raising premiums again. In fact, this will probably make it more likely that they will raise premiums. Will we then add more taxes to pay for more tax credits? You can already see the needless added bureaucracy in all of this. Also, the MANDATORY requirement is a huge windfall for insurers. That''s why they wholeheartedly support this.

If you want to reduce costs and have more coverage, cut out the middleman and deal with the health providers directly. None of this giving out with one hand and taking back (more) with the other.

[incog-nito]

Having said that, it''s a modest improvement over the current, bankrupt system.

[foranc]

Hilary just doesn''t get it and neither does any other politician out there, Dem or Rep or whatever. American citizens do NOT need insurance, what they do need is HEALTH CARE!!!!!!!!!!!! HELLO!!!!!!!!

[antoniof123]

"A-r-e y-o-u-r p-e-o-p-l-e g-o-i-n-g t-o n-o-m-i-n-a-t-e H-i-l-l-a-r-y?"

Posted by One_American at 12:23 PM : Sep 18, 2007

Comes back the following day what is your IQ 0.5

You must have voted for George W. Bush.

[standlee5]

Today 110 billion, tomorrow 220 billion, after election 500 billion. This will bury us. Unless there''s some tort reform of some sort. The govt. is going to be ultimately responsible for everyone''s care. And as far as electronic files. No thanks.

[standlee5]

Is there any limitation on illegal status.

[standlee5]

Which will take priority, universal daycare, universal preschool, universal all day kindergarten, or universl health care. Or are they all the same priority. Plus increase earned income tax credit. What are we all going to be paying in taxes. I''d just a soon pay for my daycare, pay for preschool, pay for health insurance,it''d be cheaper.

[standlee5]

How can they enforce this mandatory health coverage. It''ll end up being a massive entitlement program that makes the employer withold like SS, and medicare. Big govt. Giant govt. A govt. so big it will eventually consume us all.

[one_american]

"Comes back the following day what is your IQ 0.5

You must have voted for George W. Bush."

Posted by antoniof123 at 12:51 PM : Sep 18, 2007


Not very creative, are you? That''s the sure sign of a low IQ.

[emma915]

It''ll be nice to say "President Clinton" again.

[mudrose-2009]

How can they enforce this mandatory health coverage. It''''ll end up being a massive entitlement program that makes the employer withold like SS, and medicare. Big govt. Giant govt. A govt. so big it will eventually consume us all.
-Posted by standlee5

With only $110 billion annually to support it. And it is going to be mandated which means forced upon us. It''s going to strip the upper class (very small group of people to begin with) of just about everything to support it and eventually the rest of us will have to fall lockstep because business will also be absorbed into it. We will be swalloed by universal health care. It''s the same old addage, everybody will be covered, which means nobody will be covered. Big Nanny Government is going to bury us all. Nice. Leave it to the Clintoids.

[katg21]

American citizens do NOT need insurance, what they do need is HEALTH CARE!!!!!!!!!!!! HELLO!!!!!!!!
Posted by foranc

Under our current system no one is to be refused treatment/HEALTHCARE, even if they don''t have insurance. So what the hell do you want?

[katg21]

With only $110 billion annually to support it. And it is going to be mandated which means forced upon us. It''''s going to strip the upper class (very small group of people to begin with) of just about everything to support it and eventually the rest of us will have to fall lockstep because business will also be absorbed into it. We will be swalloed by universal health care. It''''s the same old addage, everybody will be covered, which means nobody will be covered. Big Nanny Government is going to bury us all. Nice. Leave it to the Clintoids.
Posted by mudrose at 01:50 PM : Sep 18, 2007

[katg21]

With only $110 billion annually to support it. And it is going to be mandated which means forced upon us. It''''''''s going to strip the upper class (very small group of people to begin with) of just about everything to support it and eventually the rest of us will have to fall lockstep because business will also be absorbed into it. We will be swalloed by universal health care. It''''''''s the same old addage, everybody will be covered, which means nobody will be covered. Big Nanny Government is going to bury us all. Nice. Leave it to the Clintoids.
Posted by mudrose at 01:50 PM : Sep 18, 2007

WORTH REPEATING!!!!!!

[infidel_us]

Mrs Hugo Chavez in a pant suit! Hillary Healthcare Version 2.0 (aka creeping socialism). One the one hand, at least she had the guts to put forth an idea. On the other hand, her ideas SUCK!

[infidel_us]

With only $110 billion annually to support it. Posted by mudrose at 01:50 PM : Sep 18, 2007

Multiply that # by a factor of 6 and you might be a lot closer to reality. Remember, ''the Clintons lie with such ease, it''s troubling.''

I mean, you''d almost have to ''suspend disbelief'' to accept this horse squeeze at face value! :)

[Krazcarl]

That was kind of in the pocket wasn''t it?

[phareis]

Asinine, people don''t have insurance beacause they can''''t afford it! Clue in folks!!!

[infidel_us]

Asinine, people don''''t have insurance beacause they can''''''''t afford it! Clue in folks!!!
Posted by Phareis at 02:36 PM : Sep 18, 2007

Whose fault is that? Out of the sited 47 million, how many are illegal aliens? And even if they are, does ANYONE in this country get turned away? NO!

No doubt our current system could use some tweaking - tort reform would be a nice start. But we DON''T NEED Hillary''s socialized medicine.

[whispyseas]

'' ... as much as i love to see all the naked girls dance get well soon feed the world songs all over the trails and streets and playing first aid on the trail, i love even more, much much more, seeing the big dressed men with the badges and bombs and guns and bullet proof vests dancing get sick soon tax the world songs all over the trails and streets and playing first strike on the trail as they chase the naked girls this way and chase them that way screaming all the while, get dressed you dirty ******, get dressed, this is going to hurt me alot more than it hurts you, don''t make me treat you like some kind of two year old, behave yourselfs, there''s no such thing as charity and non taxation ... ''

[whispyseas]

'' ... journalists with hundreds others could have done 100s thousands museums each 100s weeks, giving to 100s thousands for tips, building lacking 300 sponge homes & buses for each 90,000

wedges & screws & levets & pulleys for molecules & microbes to do weed fires exponential

most folk most time didn''t dance get well feed world songs rallied round 100s millions sick beds drifting 10s millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups

i said get sick tax world keeps folk well & fed

& to label epic quests for wheelchairs as quests for gold

and pack leashed kids in dare houses

and poverty causes crime & education cures poverty & that costs money

and fill prisons with ******* & wars with sand ******* & rag heads & dared kids & stack closets 20 high with slaved ******* immigrants & forclose on whitebread & biblebread & ***** & make all lazy naked ignorant profane blemished kids of all ages disappear & keep prostitutes & pedophiles & fatties & ******* praying publicly for their souls

even free food & medicine buttons on telephones were replaced with free cuff cage spank nuke buttons

i said war rapes babies & war saves babies & cracking eggs is part of the fun

none would jump in a volcano for me, though, & when i told them they are free, they screamed: ''no''

not a flicker in oblivion, not a victim in eternal hell, but eternal storyboards swiming infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''

[mudrose-2009]

No doubt our current system could use some tweaking - tort reform would be a nice start. But we DON''''T NEED Hillary''''s socialized medicine.

Posted by infidel_us

Good point. Tort reform would go a long way toward keeping our doctors instead of forcing them out of practice.

[ryancmmc]

Hilary is a cold horrible monster. If the country elects her (which is virtually 0) then we are screwed. To the Dems who dislike Bush...... Hilary will be the end of the world

[pwrslm]

Health insurers%u2019 profits (and their executives%u2019 salaries) have skyrocketed, as they
raise premiums and limit reimbursement to doctors.
%u2022 %u201CDespite a weak economy and soaring medical costs, U.S. health insurers have raked in earnings at
a far greater pace than the rest of corporate America, with annual profits and margins doubling in
the last four years.%u201D4
%u2022 %u201CAverage pay for the five top executives at [the top] health insurers almost doubled [over the last
four years] to $3 million a year.%u201D5
%u2022 Health insurers raised premiums 59% during the same four-year period.6

[pwrslm]

According to the New York Times,

Industry experts are estimating that profits may reach $60 billion, on a combination of higher premiums along the coasts, no major payouts for natural disasters and strong investment returns. The insurers also had high profits on other lines of coverage like auto insurance, workers compensation and general liability.
Have you ever imagined a situation when insurance companies suggest that because they have earned too much profit, they returned money to policyholders? How much profit is enough? I do not believe our government has the right to regulate the extent to which an insurance company can make a profit; however, I also believe that policyholders have the right to demand accountability if a comany ignores its obligation of good faith and fair dealing with policyholders and instead attempts to reward shareholders.

[mh4cbs1]

So now the corporate-owned Democrats have a plan. They will FORCE every one of us to buy Insurance from their corporate funders!!

[mh4cbs1]

We need REAL health care. Abolish the corrupt and inefficient Insurance companies and HMOs. Why are we FORCED to pay for their CEO mega-million dollar salaries?

Abolish the Insurance companies - their profits are coming from your pocket! Lets run our own health care system, as citizens who hold their government responsible.

Hillary is nothing but a corporate-owned sleazy politician like so many other Democrats, who (unlike Republicans) try to pretend that they care about average hard working families.

I''m sick of the Republicrats. I''ll vote for Nader of Bloomberg if either of them run for PResident. ANYTHING except more of the same **** we have had to endure for the past several decades