Poll: With court鈥檚 health care decision, Obama's lead over Romney slips
The US Supreme Court鈥檚 recent decision upholding the Affordable Care Act was seen as a big win for President Obama. But it also appears to have cut his already-slim lead over Mitt Romney.
According to a new Investor's Business Daily/海角大神 Science Monitor/TIPP Poll of 825 registered voters taken just after the court鈥檚 ruling, Obama鈥檚 lead over Romney has slipped from four percentage points to just one point (43-42).
鈥淐learly Romney is benefiting from the Court's decision,鈥� says Raghavan Mayur, president of TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence in Ramsey, NJ, which conducted the poll. 鈥淚t is energizing the opponents of the [health care] reform, and more folks are likely to聽align themselves with Romney than Obama on this account.鈥澛�
Romney leads among men, whites, voters older than 45, and those earning more than $50,000 a year. Obama is ahead among women, black/Hispanic voters, those younger than 45, and those earning less than $30,000 a year.
How much do you know about health-care reform? Take our quiz!
The state of the economy 鈥� particularly in light of Friday鈥檚 modest jobs report 鈥� appears to be a factor as well.
TIPP reports that 28 percent of US households 鈥� the highest figure detected so far 鈥� have at least one member looking for employment. As it has since the beginning of the year, the 鈥渇inancial related stress index鈥� hovers at around 58 percent.
While a plurality (48-44 percent) approve of Obama鈥檚 overall job performance, only about one-third of those polled think he鈥檚 doing a good job on the economy; 42 percent say he鈥檚 doing a 鈥減oor鈥� or 鈥渦nacceptable鈥� job in this category.
The poll also confirms the country鈥檚 political polarization as Election Day approaches, and it appears that that polarization is sharpening as a result of the Supreme Court鈥檚 鈥淥bamacare鈥� decision. By a wide margin 鈥� 61-34 percent 鈥� most Americans disapprove of the individual mandate requiring everyone to have health care insurance or pay a fine.
Still, says Mr. Mayur, 鈥淒emocrats are in a celebratory mood with their President having ratified his signature piece of legislation with the Supreme Court.鈥�
鈥淭here's also a 鈥榟alo鈥� effect here,鈥� he says. 鈥�Democrats see everything government in a positive light. For instance 64 percent of Democrats say that they prefer a larger government providing more services than a smaller government providing fewer services.听On the other hand,聽two out of five Americans think that the country is becoming socialistic.听This is the polarization.鈥�
Meanwhile, Obama鈥檚 less-than-sterling job approval rating on the economy is extending to some prominent Democrats as well.
Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, points out that in Obama鈥檚 speech in Ohio this week the President reiterated that he had inherited the worst economy since the Great Depression.听
鈥淭hat's true. But the excuse is wearing thin,鈥� Mr. Reich wrote on his Huffington Post blog Friday. 鈥淚t's his economy now, and most voters don't care what he inherited.鈥�
鈥淗e has to show he understands the depth and breadth of this crisis, and is prepared to do large and bold things to turn the economy around in his second term if and when he does have the votes in Congress,鈥� Reich advises. 鈥淪o far, his proposals are policy miniatures relative to the size of the problem.鈥�
How much do you know about health-care reform? Take our quiz!
