Civitas went into the field earlier this month with a flash poll on North Carolina voter attitudes about the health care debate. Here are some of the key findings:
? Respondents were closely divided when asked whether they favored (48 percent) or opposed (47 percent) the plan advanced by President Obama and the Democratic Congress.
? Pluralities of respondents believed that the plan would reduce the quality of their care (45 percent) and increase its cost (48 percent).
? Recent protests didn?t move the needle much.
? Obama?s job approval is down to 44 percent approve/46 percent disapprove.
? Gov. Perdue?s public image remains horrendous: 29 approve/50 percent disapprove.
I think a fair reading of these data is that the public probably wants some form of health reform to pass but isn?t sold on the specifics of what?s currently being debated. More voters believe those specific provisions will hurt them than believe the provisions will help them. This is a picture, in other words, of a real debate in the real world in front of voters who are paying some attention but need a lot more information and discussion before a consensus emerges.
Meanwhile, the Perdue administration is a mess.
