BY JOHN FUND – The White House expressed confidence yesterday that ObamaCare will survive a federal judge’s ruling that invalidates the law’s health insurance mandate. But behind the optimistic facade, many liberals are worried that the current political climate could give the Supreme Court cover to strike down a key part of the law.
“The states challenging the law are calling for an expedited review of the decision, citing the enormous costs they face in complying at a time of budget stress,” one Democratic congressman told me. “We could see this struck down by the Supreme Court sometime in 2012, just in time to undercut Obama’s greatest accomplishment.”
Almost every poll shows that ObamaCare is losing support. The latest ABC/Washington Post survey of all adults pegs its support at 43%, with 52% opposed. ABC found that 27% of Democrats oppose ObamaCare while only 41% strongly support it. The individual mandate portion of the law that was struck down yesterday is particularly unpopular. A survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation last month found 68% believe that provision should be repealed.
As for outright repeal of the entire bill, the latest Rasmussen Reports poll found that likely voters (a more conservative group than the survey of “all adults” conducted by ABC) support repeal by 60% to 34%. Most ominously for the White House, a full 46% strongly favor repeal while just 23% are strongly opposed.
It’s also unlikely that ObamaCare’s popularity will increase in the near future. Rasmussen found that 44% of those surveyed think it is at least somewhat likely they will have to change their health insurance, including 20% who say it is “very likely.” That’s not the kind of change that’s likely to make Americans believe Mr. Obama should be re-elected.
— John Fund