Idiot's rule. How many know the difference between federal and state court systems, and their appellate procedures? Separation of powers, anyone? Trump clearly missed class that day. Trump described the appellate argument on the stay as "disgusting". What does that even mean? He did not understand it. I guess a 50 year old BA degree in economics without honors makes you a really smart guy in your own insecure eyes, but leave the heavy lifting to those with advanced degrees.
28
As a big fan of schadenfreude, I look forward to the day when the Trump supporters realize they've been shafted. Put that "make-America-great-again" policy in your pipe and smoke it.
43
The majority of the people are ignorant, and deserve to be bamboozled. The Democrats are very good at creating names for acts that are actually the opposite of what the name implies. "Affordable Care" is actually "UNaffordable".
3
Changing the name of Obamacare to Trumpcare will give the Republicans permission to fix it.
5
"it's too hard to understand" is the lament of the intellectually lazy and teenagers. Grow up America!
22
Decaying attention to the American public school
system has resulted in an uneducated impoverished minority populace at a basic level: civics, history, geography. In southern states in particular but let's not exclude the north, teachers are poorly trained and poorly paid. Will newly appointed education boss DeVos do her best to remedy this enormous problem. You can bet she won't! Is her goal to breed stupidity among the masses. Yes.
system has resulted in an uneducated impoverished minority populace at a basic level: civics, history, geography. In southern states in particular but let's not exclude the north, teachers are poorly trained and poorly paid. Will newly appointed education boss DeVos do her best to remedy this enormous problem. You can bet she won't! Is her goal to breed stupidity among the masses. Yes.
21
Systemic ignorance at the national level due to politicized propaganda designed to confuse and influence perceptions about the facts that make up reality.
Neither party is innocent. Both parties are to blame, and the media regurgitating rather than critically reporting. This is what the U.S.A. is made of.
Neither party is innocent. Both parties are to blame, and the media regurgitating rather than critically reporting. This is what the U.S.A. is made of.
12
R.I.F. Reading is Fundamental.
10
There was a concerted effort to misinform people about the law. It is not that complicated or that hard to understand, but voters were told over and over again how hard it was. It's length was commented on again and again by reporters who, I assume, could not bother to read it. It was printed triple spaced with wide margins for editing. Sure some might not be able to read it but the people charged with informing us about the law could probably have grasped it's intricacies with a few afternoons work. Instead they threw up their arms and repeated what the Republicans said about it being too hard to understand.
26
And yet it's the Republican's who wrote the original document and framework for the ACA. Not sure how its hard to understand your own document. More likely they vilified it because the Democratic Administration implemented their plan. So they want tot make their toys home and not let anyone play.
16
Letting all people have a say in government seems like a really bad idea lately.
16
Some people just did not do too well at the 'brain factory', AKA school.
16
Why should this be surprising? About half of Americans believe that God created the earth 5000 years ago and that Noah crammed 2 of every species (and I assume that included dinosaurs) into his ark, along with enough food for 40 days and the strength to shovel all their droppings overboard.
34
That covers the religions right. How about the Obama voters who can't name the president during the Civil War or think we declared independence from Germany.
3
Which is why Trump, "Loves poorly educated voters"!
33
The proper na,e is Affordable Care Act. No one calls Social Securty, FDR Security, or Medicare, LBJ Care. The term Obamacare is a negative term.
18
If United States citizens invested just 50% of the brain power they typically use for understanding sports and other entertainment facts they would have a firm and deeper grasp of policy issues.
54
I think 5% would be more than enough!
7
When I was a kid, my family visited the Lake of the Ozarks where middle class folks would take delight in enjoying the antics of tooth-challenged, unschooled and barefoot rustic singers playing hillbillies at Lee Mace's Ozark Opry. I never dreamed that such caricatures would one day be held up as something to aspire to, and even brag about. How did America become so dumb? Dumb about math, science, the environment, literature, other cultures, and religion. Dumb about government and the separation of powers. Dumb about health care. Dumb about almost everything.
90
Not only have Americans gotten dumber, they have also gotten much fatter and unhealthy. Nobody seems to take care of their bodies anymore. Being fat is now considered a medical disability that people just accept instead of trying to lose weight and get in shape.
12
I have never understood why Federal and State elected officials get gold-plated health care plans for themselves, while large percentages of their constituents have little or no coverage.
The elected representatives should not get any coverage, until all citizens are covered. And they should get the same coverage as the poorest plan. Any further care they want, the elected representatives should pay from their own pockets.
Who paid for Dick Cheney's heart transplant?
The elected representatives should not get any coverage, until all citizens are covered. And they should get the same coverage as the poorest plan. Any further care they want, the elected representatives should pay from their own pockets.
Who paid for Dick Cheney's heart transplant?
255
"Obamacare" isn't just another name for the ACA, it is a pejorative, intended to encourage dislike, or hatred, if you will. And it has worked beautifully.
As for the 1/3 who are unaware that Obamacare and the ACA are the same thing, I'd be very interested to see what percentage of the unaware voted for Trump. My guess--not less than 80%, probably higher.
As for the 1/3 who are unaware that Obamacare and the ACA are the same thing, I'd be very interested to see what percentage of the unaware voted for Trump. My guess--not less than 80%, probably higher.
171
I'm still a Democrat. I have been from birth. But I don't understand how the Party leadership could be so completely brainless/helpless/confused. How could they possibly just sit and watch an opportunity like this slip away? Do they really not see how a concerted/undivided public education campaign (speeches, TV ads, radio ads, social media, etc) could win them converts AND save one of the only progressive things to happen in our nation since the Clean Air Act? AND make the Republicans look like the snakes they are. Do they really not see how such an effort would bring the talent sitting on the bench into the game so we could all see what they look like before 2020?
What is wrong with these people?!
What is wrong with these people?!
181
I too think that the Democratic Party of late has not been very good at public relations. The Democratic Party must have less money than the Republican Party for think tanks, public relations campaigns to change opinions, and so on. I suspect that most of the labor that keeps the Democratic Party going is volunteer. Whenever I say that the Democrats really should take a particular action, I need to stop and think -- because I too am a Democrat. Somehow people like me never realized that it is our turn to get involved in some way, to volunteer and provide ideas.
14
Ever occur to you that the people who do understand it voted against Obama? Better not explain it too well or you'll lose the rest. :)
Ralph,
The Republicans have the Koch brothers. They and their ilk have been spending enormous amounts of money for years! They planned a takeover of the moderate republicans and funded the Tea party.
They plan to spend $400 million on the 2018 election. Read the book Dark Money for the ugly truth and how it has created a congress (both Dems and Reps) beholden to corporations and the systematic PLANNING of this takeover. This is driving the inequality in our society. The problem is fundamental to our democracy and beyond partisan politics!
The problem requires much deeper involvement then thinking about volunteering. Resist! Work on getting the 28th amendment passed. It which will ensure elections are funded by people and not funded by corporations. It also ensures money is not speech. Look up wolf PAC, move to amend or ERSA and work on on of those initiatives.
The Republicans have the Koch brothers. They and their ilk have been spending enormous amounts of money for years! They planned a takeover of the moderate republicans and funded the Tea party.
They plan to spend $400 million on the 2018 election. Read the book Dark Money for the ugly truth and how it has created a congress (both Dems and Reps) beholden to corporations and the systematic PLANNING of this takeover. This is driving the inequality in our society. The problem is fundamental to our democracy and beyond partisan politics!
The problem requires much deeper involvement then thinking about volunteering. Resist! Work on getting the 28th amendment passed. It which will ensure elections are funded by people and not funded by corporations. It also ensures money is not speech. Look up wolf PAC, move to amend or ERSA and work on on of those initiatives.
12
Gotta feel sorry for the Republicans, a little. Sure, it helps their twisted cause that people don't know what all of this is all about. But they will sure figure out who's at fault quickly enough after their benefits swirl down into the abyss.
29
No act of congress should be named after a person.
16
This one is not. Obamacare is a term Republicans came up with in order to exploit the deep (and sometimes racist) hatred their base harbors against Obama in their fight against the healthcare reform.
20
It wasn't.
11
As the pundits love to pontificate, we Americans are a "deeply divided" people. Although we all would like a free lunch. half of us recognize that's not possible, and work to figure out a way that everyone can eat, some paying more for the meal, some paying less.
The other half vote for Republicans, who solve the problem by shutting down the cafeteria.
The other half vote for Republicans, who solve the problem by shutting down the cafeteria.
111
My mom's eldest sister is 81; I recently found out that she was unaware that the ACA was Obamacare. She told her other sister that she "hates Obamacare," which prompted my aunt to ask her more questions.
The ACA neededto do a better job informing citizens – in plain language & understandable infographics (maybe even in graphic novel style) – what the ACA even is and how it works. So many people don't pay attention to things they think don't directly affect them (even if the things really DO, they don't realize it, but it's easier to stay ignorant). If we make it a form of entertainment, information will (sadly) reach more people.
The ACA neededto do a better job informing citizens – in plain language & understandable infographics (maybe even in graphic novel style) – what the ACA even is and how it works. So many people don't pay attention to things they think don't directly affect them (even if the things really DO, they don't realize it, but it's easier to stay ignorant). If we make it a form of entertainment, information will (sadly) reach more people.
55
They STILL don't know they're the same? If the American population is this slow on the uptake BEFORE Betsy DeVos does her magic to public education, we're really quite doomed. I know intelligence is confused with political correctness these days, and is shunned by most, but this is shameful.
103
Hard to imagine who is so dumb as to not already know that the nickname for the Affordable Care Act is "Obamacare". Those do never bothered to lean the difference and voted for Trump deserve the rotten government he's giving them.
62
They are the illerate and uninformed who voted for Trump believing a bus would come and take them to the inauguration.
50
Darwin.
32
Sorta like "The Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States Executive Order" versus "The Muslim Ban." What American could possibly be against the former? What American could possibly be in favor of the latter?
27
Social Security wasn't called the FDR Retirement Act. Medicare wasn't called the LBJ Act or the Medical Care for the Eldery Act. Years ago, people understood the value of names and titles. Somebody took the trouble to think up good names for programs that were intended to become part of American life. It has always boggled my mind that the Democrats and Obama did such an abysmal job of marketing the ACA. Beginning with not giving it a better name than the ACA.
24
It's not your fault if you're stupid, you were born that way. But it is your fault if you're ignorant because you are unwilling to learn.
66
Media is partly to blame. They keep referring to it as Obamacare - the same term used by its opponents to discredit it.
70
If you just poll the administration's finest minds, I'd guess that the percentage of those who think that the two are different would at least double.
20
The moral of the story is: don't base public policy on polls, since most Americans don't have a clue what these policies are or how they affect them.
35
The ignorance of voters is shocking and depressing. And don't blame our schools---nothing is preventing voting adults from being better informed.
46
We that explains why the same percentage of drivers can't drive and get over aggressive when their pea brains can't comprehend how lanes and turn signals work.
17
Keep watching Fox News folks. Who needs to be informed when we can live out our racist, sexist fantasies every night? Digging down deep trying to find empathy for these folks.
41
This is not a matter of "confusion". Period. It's a matter of monumental and willful stupidity of a large portion of people who somehow are allowed to vote.
53
I know it's true, but still hard to believe. One brain, one vote.
10
Just for the record, the full name of this legislation is, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
53
This article sums up exactly why we are where we are in this country.
48
The average American does not read a newspaper. FB, tv and talk radio are their sources for news. They just want their news fast and for free if possible.
19
Unfortunately the increase in Health Care came out a few weeks before the election and the Republicans used it to scare people and make them think that they could give them everything they had for less money, and always referred to it as Obama Care! People were clueless and part of the problem was the lack of publicizing the program...should have been constant commercials and going into the communities to help people understand.
8
Ladies and gentlemen: The trump base. When you lose any medical care due to your vote, just beg a ride to the White House. I'm sure the so-called president will take care of you. (Don't accept a check)
20
Well, that's the state of education and knowledge in this country, and that's with DeVos not yet at the helm. It's only downhill from hhere.
16
What will happen is a rain of furious voters coming down on the Greedy Old Perps party like nobody's business.
Really, Betsy Grizzly De Vos, selling off the National Parks, polluting streams with coal refuse, and fouling up airports all in one week? Gobsmacking!
Really, Betsy Grizzly De Vos, selling off the National Parks, polluting streams with coal refuse, and fouling up airports all in one week? Gobsmacking!
13
make that "bears" some responsibilty..
Welcome to the America that voted for Trump. Herds of sheep, trained to respond negatively to anything with the names Obama or Clinton attached.
Hopefully, once they find out they've been had, they'll vote appropriately in 2 years. Wouldn't count on it though.
Hopefully, once they find out they've been had, they'll vote appropriately in 2 years. Wouldn't count on it though.
28
And that's precisely how Comey was able to perform his magic trick in the final days of the election. He just put together the words 'Hillary' and 'email.' It didn't matter that there was no story there. The public heard the words and went 'ahah!'
9
Redumblicans won the branding war. I guess they are good at that, if absolutely nothing else. Optics over action as they goose step behind President Bannon.
I purchased health care on the marketplace as a self employed individual even though I am not eligible or a subsidy. Honestly, it was a joy (premiums aside) being able to compare plans across providers with all the inane copayment and coinsurance terms. Still, purchasing your own insurance is a pain.
We need single payer with supplemental private insurance should you so choose. And for you currently fortunate people with employer-provided insurance? Look out. I doubt that benefit will last long.
I purchased health care on the marketplace as a self employed individual even though I am not eligible or a subsidy. Honestly, it was a joy (premiums aside) being able to compare plans across providers with all the inane copayment and coinsurance terms. Still, purchasing your own insurance is a pain.
We need single payer with supplemental private insurance should you so choose. And for you currently fortunate people with employer-provided insurance? Look out. I doubt that benefit will last long.
32
This again shows that it wasn't the economy that drove voters for Trump. It was ignorance and bigotry. They shot themselves in the foot because they were so very afraid of a black man. I wonder, what are these idiots doing with all of the guns and ammunition they bought, so sure that Obama was going to take their guns? These people had plenty of time to be informed and they chose not to be.
43
I made this exact point when I called my senators to disagree with the plan to repeal the ACA, but. . . oh, yeah. I'm from Nebraska. Oh, well.
8
Kudos to the republicans and tea partiers and marketeers who "educated" their constituents with, dare I call it, fake news. Now if the ACA is repealed, those same people will find themselves losing insurance and clogging ERs instead.
18
Wow. And who's stupid fault is that?
6
That's it! it is time to restrict the right to vote. The American population is too damn stupid. Institute some sort of basic competency test before people can vote --otherwise will end up with the never ending stream Trumps. Articles like this make me be ashamed to be American.
19
Shocking how partisan all these comments are. Everyone is angry and loaded for bear to blame some particular person or party. The fact is that health care is so expensive because it is allowed to be. No one really cares how much something costs as long as "someone else" is paying for it. That is the crux of the Health Insurance industry business model. It only works if the Insurance companies are involved in every single health care transaction. The question is, how many people are entitled to profit off of my health. If I pay $75.00 for a doctor visit twice a year, should I pay Blue Cross $12,000 per year so that I can pay my doctor $25.00 per visit? I save $100 and it only costs me 11,900. Of course, I can't actually go to "my" Doctor on the Blue Cross plan because he is "out of network." So, I still pay my Doctor $75.00 and it costs $12,000. Oh but what if I get sick? Well, I have been giving $12,000 a year to Insurance, and I haven't gotten sick so, you know, that money is just... Gone. Well, maybe it went into an investment and somehow helped finance someone else's health care. How many people can afford to get cancer? Well the answer has to be none. Otherwise, why would we all buy insurance? As long as people who make a decent living cannot afford to pay for their own health care because a bunch of stock holders and CEOs need to make huge profits off of others' misfortune, there is no way any health care plan will be sustainable. Insurance is, in fact, the problem!
29
Gee, I paid $2500 for my car insurance last year and didn't get into accident, I guess my money is just ... Gone
4
I hang out with a staunchly Republican group for coffee, eight or nine on a typical day. They are all rabidly against Obamacare and/or the ACA. I haven't asked if they understand that they're the same thing. Recently in defending my Yellow Dog Democrat views to them I suggested the following. Instead of having Obamacare or the ACA, we could have a sort of clearing house, managed by the Federal government, that just put people and the insurers together, to find a plan that people could afford. The only condition would be that there would be some rules that the insurers had to follow, such as not refusing people with pre-existing conditions, and keeping adult children on the family policy until they're, say, twenty-six. We could even help out lower-income people with their premium payments if they needed it. The Federal government would not actually provide insurance, just act as a free honest broker between the two parties. One or two of my group smirked slyly, getting the point. The rest thought it sounded like a pretty good idea. They didn't get the point at all. What hope do we have against that level of ignorance. What may save us is the growing Republican bewilderment at finding any kind of replacement for what's already in place.
66
Brilliant!
6
Those must be the same people who call Obamacare 'socialized medicine,' but then howl if anyone suggests touching their Medicare. It's depressing, but ironically funny.
16
It is my observation that Mr. Trump, as a private citizen, was primarily a snake oil salesman. He sold flash as class to any sucker he could.
It would appear that in the role of government, nothing has changed. All his policies have been to make the world better for the sale of other brands of snake oil.
No accountability for the sale of banking products or medication or education.
The rubes voted him in, and he will make sure they stay gullible and fleece than all.
It would appear that in the role of government, nothing has changed. All his policies have been to make the world better for the sale of other brands of snake oil.
No accountability for the sale of banking products or medication or education.
The rubes voted him in, and he will make sure they stay gullible and fleece than all.
28
This failure to educate is a failure that belongs firmly at the feet of the Democrats, President Obama and Hilary Clinton. Why did did not spend time educating voters and citizens about this issue is beyond my comprehension. Note that I am writing as a liberal Democrat.
Even with educational campaigns, there still would be people who don't make the connection. But not this many.
The buck stops with the Dems.
Even with educational campaigns, there still would be people who don't make the connection. But not this many.
The buck stops with the Dems.
9
Fox News had nothing to do with that.
9
A: Because they were beat to the branding by the GOP, who so doused it with confusion and angst that the very Americans most benefited by the ACA saw it mainly as the cause of anger, and uncertainty.
But Democrats are at fault. They were slow to explain it, and wary of taking on the GOP flat-out war machine of propaganda. They were wimps. They let Sen Ben Johnson, for example, continue to call himself a Democrat even after he took the Big Med gigabux to sell out his people. They kept at it, hoping false hope, even after the GOP killed the public option which was its only hope of righting a perverted market.
Of course this is simply ineptitude and caution, nothing next to the carefully-cultivated evil of GOP who knew they could not defeat this measure on the merits so they simply spun it off into the Outer Limits instead, simply to make working people scared..
So both are at fault so it must be equally. Right. Another part of the false equivalence we hear so much of these days.
But Democrats are at fault. They were slow to explain it, and wary of taking on the GOP flat-out war machine of propaganda. They were wimps. They let Sen Ben Johnson, for example, continue to call himself a Democrat even after he took the Big Med gigabux to sell out his people. They kept at it, hoping false hope, even after the GOP killed the public option which was its only hope of righting a perverted market.
Of course this is simply ineptitude and caution, nothing next to the carefully-cultivated evil of GOP who knew they could not defeat this measure on the merits so they simply spun it off into the Outer Limits instead, simply to make working people scared..
So both are at fault so it must be equally. Right. Another part of the false equivalence we hear so much of these days.
17
The transition from Americans valuing intelligence to Americans denigrating intelligence has been the underpinning of the death of our Republic. From our inaction as the media falsely asserts *all* opinions deserve equal consideration to the average American deciding that our representatives should be people they would like to have a beer with instead of people of intelligence, education, wisdom, and integrity we have brought this American Carnage upon ourselves. Your ignorance is not as good as my knowledge! (Apologies to Isaac Asimov)
Now we have come to a critical juncture. If we are to truly "Make America Great Again" we must reverse this trend. No longer can we afford to allow bigotry, prejudice, racism, xenophobia, fear, and anti-intellectualism (and their proponents) equal share. Promulgators of this "equality of ignorance" must be disabused of the notion that all ideas and statements deserve equal share. Intolerance of Intolerance is not de facto intolerance. We must - MUST! - continue to call untruths, "alternative facts", fictitious events, and anything else that runs counter to reality by their true name - Lies.
Most importantly we must always defend the right of every person to speak freely no matter how vehemently we disagree with their opinion. Yet we must also remind them that freedom of speech only means they are free from governmental reprisals: there is no guaranteed platform, no guarantee of a platform free of rebuke.
Now we have come to a critical juncture. If we are to truly "Make America Great Again" we must reverse this trend. No longer can we afford to allow bigotry, prejudice, racism, xenophobia, fear, and anti-intellectualism (and their proponents) equal share. Promulgators of this "equality of ignorance" must be disabused of the notion that all ideas and statements deserve equal share. Intolerance of Intolerance is not de facto intolerance. We must - MUST! - continue to call untruths, "alternative facts", fictitious events, and anything else that runs counter to reality by their true name - Lies.
Most importantly we must always defend the right of every person to speak freely no matter how vehemently we disagree with their opinion. Yet we must also remind them that freedom of speech only means they are free from governmental reprisals: there is no guaranteed platform, no guarantee of a platform free of rebuke.
38
I keep waiting for someone in the Republican Party to explain how they are going to eliminate the mandate and keep the prevision that requires insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions.
18
They can't, but they know Trump voters won't make the connection.
18
Let's look on the bright side. Whatever happens to ACA, this brouhaha is the first step to a sensible replacement: Medicare for all; a truly universal health-care opportunity. It is necessary, it is legal, it will work, and it is on the way. Along with this will come sensible control of drug prices, reasonable regulation of insurance. Even Republicans will eventually realize it is the only way.
22
"Medicare for all; a truly universal health-care opportunity.".....And it would save the country a ton of money. Canadians have better healthcare outcomes and pay 40% less per person for their universal coverage. Imagine if someone suggest a way to save $800 billion dollars a year. Just did.
22
I would love for your outline to become reality. A single payer Medicare system would be our best bet for affordable healthcare that covers 100% of people who wish to participate. However, I believe it is doomed to fail based on your last premise. Time and time again the GOP has proven that it will put party before country. They will always be self serving, and their current tactic is to place the most reprehensible and incompetent people in leadership positions solely so they can point and scream that government does not work. Everything must be controlled by a private corporation that will absolutely self regulate and always put the consumer first, even if it means losing out on profit.
22
The Trump voters who detested President Obama transferred that dislike to their medical plan. Had it been called Republicancare they would have loved it. Then there is the foolish group that hated being forced to acquire insurance like a child hating to take medicine prescribed by a doctor. No sympathy should be given to these contrary adults who are their own worse enemies. Life is tough and if their were stupid enough to vote for the phony President currently occupying the White House then they deserve the rough road ahead.
37
The ACA was based in part on Romney's plan for Massachusetts. The Republicans loved it when it was 'Romneycare.' As soon as Obama's name was attached, it suddenly became evil.
8
The potential destruction of the public school system under DeVos will lead to an even less informed citizenry.
47
There is an entire industry in the US that benefits from the confusion of the poverty stricken who in turn are too busy to pay attention to all the choices.
63
Actually this is very true. A NYT article published a couple weeks ago, give or take, outlined a scientific study where it was shown that people who are tired and have made tons of choices throughout the day without true reprieve, like our hypothetical poverty stricken person, are more likely to forgo thoughtful purchases and make impulse purchases. It's the reason why all stores have items like candy and cigarettes at the cashier- after having to make many choices during a shopping trip, some people are overloaded (especially if they've had a rough day) with choices that they just start saying 'screw it, I'll just buy this to make me happy'. It's not a question of morals- it's a question of our society in which we constantly have to make choices, many of which are moot since almost all companies have similar products (money see, money do), and typically the poor suffer the brunt of this. They have to make more decisions on a typical shopping trip than more wealthy people. Both may care about health, but only one truly has to worry about price. There isn't a fix to this problem, at least not a reasonable one, but highlighting this problem is a good first step towards larger societal change.
3
I agree with this statement but would agree even more strongly if the words "political party" were put in place of the word "industry." Hasn't someone expressed his appreciation recently for the "poorly educated" ?
7
Waleed Khalid, There's another element to the shopping thing:
People struggling with poverty are likely to be tired, discouraged, low-spirited more often than the well-off and secure.
Eating junk -- high calorie, sweet, fatty things -- actually raises serotonin levels, which makes one feel better. That's even apart from a small sugar high which raises energy levels briefly. The harder one's life, the more inevitably (there's absolutely nothing one can do to prevent it) one is propelled towards even momentary relief from feeling bad.
I'm not saying you can't be poor and on a diet or abstain from smoking or alcohol, but what you can't do is avoid the constant craving for relief from low spirits & stress.
People struggling with poverty are likely to be tired, discouraged, low-spirited more often than the well-off and secure.
Eating junk -- high calorie, sweet, fatty things -- actually raises serotonin levels, which makes one feel better. That's even apart from a small sugar high which raises energy levels briefly. The harder one's life, the more inevitably (there's absolutely nothing one can do to prevent it) one is propelled towards even momentary relief from feeling bad.
I'm not saying you can't be poor and on a diet or abstain from smoking or alcohol, but what you can't do is avoid the constant craving for relief from low spirits & stress.
3
I didn't need a poll to tell you that a large percentage of Americans is civically under-informed. Probably a similar proportion (with a high degree of overlap, undoubtedly) cannot name: their two senators, their House congressional district/representative, the first 10 amendments (forget about complex analysis or debate, just name them) of the Constitution, their state representatives, the mayor of their town, et cetera ad nauseum. They can tell you when the forward pass was introduced to the NFL, not who the president was at the time though.
92
I consider myself fairly informed civically and I couldn't name all of those things either.
4
I have some bleak quotes available from Walter Lippmann on this kind of thing, but I'll spare you them.
On the other hand, at times even smart, good people get into life situations from time to time where they have no time to keep themselves informed. (Kids and being forced to work 60 hours a week by employers; medical residency, etc.)
People in this position often recognize their inability to vote with enlightenment, and hopefully abstain until they get more time to stay informed.
(I won't depress you all by telling you what Walter Lippmann seems to have thought about my hopeful view, however.)
On the other hand, at times even smart, good people get into life situations from time to time where they have no time to keep themselves informed. (Kids and being forced to work 60 hours a week by employers; medical residency, etc.)
People in this position often recognize their inability to vote with enlightenment, and hopefully abstain until they get more time to stay informed.
(I won't depress you all by telling you what Walter Lippmann seems to have thought about my hopeful view, however.)
13
This is a prime example of Marketing 101. Aside from the fact that most Americans are clueless -- which is how we've ended up with someone as spectacularly unfit as Donald Trump in the White House, this also goes to show how effectively anything with Obama's name on it has been demonized by Trump and the Republican contingent.
So, if folks don't know that 'Obamacare' and the 'Affordable Care Act' are one and the same thing while ranting to get rid of it, imagine their surprise when it's all rescinded and they're left with nothing...except the bill.
So, if folks don't know that 'Obamacare' and the 'Affordable Care Act' are one and the same thing while ranting to get rid of it, imagine their surprise when it's all rescinded and they're left with nothing...except the bill.
191
Obamacare was demonized before Trump announced his candidacy. You can't blame Trump for everything.
2
We can't afford healthcare for all, we have to spend trillions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan, etc. But look at all the benefits we've gotten from those glorious adventures. Doesn't that make you feel better? Meanwhile those suckers in other developed nations have to suffer under the oppressive yoke of socialism with its horrors like universal health care, guaranteed quality public education, modern infrastructure and public transportation, etc.
239
"We can't afford healthcare for all,"....Universal coverage run like Canada would save the U.S. more than $800 billion dollars a year. But I guess if it means a bigger Federal Government the Republicans would rather continue to throw money away.
8
That's why we have so many Swedes and Danes pouring into our country.
4
Can't pay for college either, have to give those billions to Israel every year so they can build free housing for their citizens.
10
90 percent of Democrats don't know that Obamacare and Romneycare and Nixoncare are the same thing.
24
Republicans will tell you the Obama saddled them with a wildly partisan, totally unfair health care law.
What very few of them seem to realize is that it is the REBUPLICAN plan they have.
What very few of them seem to realize is that it is the REBUPLICAN plan they have.
72
Yes we do!
2
You spelled "Democrats" wrong in your comment. You should have spelled it "Republicans." It was, after all. Republicans who renamed it Obamacare to begin with.
6
This is yer just another example of how Republican success depends on ignorance and misinformation.
116
And they've got themselves the right woman to ensure their success.
2
Americans have to listen to "normal" news (NYT) & stop with the garbage (Hannity, Infowars etc.) which are the real fake news sources.
34
If only we could strip Congress of its luxurious health care benefits, perhaps there would be less GOP enthusiasm for misinforming the public for eight years about the realities of the Affordable Care Act and its protections. It would in any case be nice to consign them to the tender mercies of the private insurance hell inti which they are willing to dump their ignorant constituents.
89
Good idea to stop referring to ACA as Obamacare. While you are at it, NYT, can you change your frequent mentions of "healthy people" to "currently healthy people?" The majority of currently healthy people will become unhealthy at some uncertain time - and should not wait until then to get insurance.
143
SINGLE PAYER. The longer we wait the more it will cost. The sooner we get it, the more lives can be spared.
107
Medicare is single payer, and Trump wants to destroy it.
34
Most of whom also believe that Mr Obama was not born in the United States.
60
This reflects what we already know. Many Americans don't care about their health.
I've always known what is and isn't covered in any health policy I've ever had. I read the contract.
Few of my co-workers through the decades have. Curiosity doesn't prevail.
I've always known what is and isn't covered in any health policy I've ever had. I read the contract.
Few of my co-workers through the decades have. Curiosity doesn't prevail.
17
The democrats and Obama made a terrible mistake by letting the right pin the ACA with the Obamacare label...that name reeks of paternalism and helped create an us against them environment that lingers still. Words matter!
Affordable Care Act not only sounds good it truly represented the program.
Lets hope the democrats learn something from this and stop once and for all giving sway to Republican machine that understands the power of propaganda..The news media bares some responsibility here as well but Obama gave in way to easily here.
Affordable Care Act not only sounds good it truly represented the program.
Lets hope the democrats learn something from this and stop once and for all giving sway to Republican machine that understands the power of propaganda..The news media bares some responsibility here as well but Obama gave in way to easily here.
20
President Obama had to choose his battles.
6
Please keep this up. Educating people is difficult and resisted at every turn, but it needs to be done. Studies like this are great, because it's not just an article explaining the difference, it's explaining that a lot of people don't know the difference. News about this resonates with people.
Notice, that a common "gain their trust" tactic used by anchors on Fox News is the "I didn't know what this was, but...". This, while usually a total lie, makes them human and someone people trust. Showing people that everyone is confused is a good start on getting them to trust the sources.
Notice, that a common "gain their trust" tactic used by anchors on Fox News is the "I didn't know what this was, but...". This, while usually a total lie, makes them human and someone people trust. Showing people that everyone is confused is a good start on getting them to trust the sources.
17
I remember some years ago when Kentucky started their own health insurance exchange and called it something like Kentucky Care and people who were signing up were being interviewed. They were very excited to get coverage under "Kentucky Care" and thought it was the greatest. But these same people had a negative opinion about Obama Care....even though they were virtually the same program.....
There were so many exaggerations and out right lies about Obama Care (remember the "death squads" where Dr. were able to bill for talking about Advanced Directives with their patients?) by so many of the GOPers and opponents to ACA that no wonder so many people were confused. And the right wing talk shows along with Fox Noise do nothing but shout out exaggerations and outright lies to those who get their news only from these sources. I predict that many who voted for Trump will lose their health care benefits they get from ACA, but were opposed to Obamacare.
There were so many exaggerations and out right lies about Obama Care (remember the "death squads" where Dr. were able to bill for talking about Advanced Directives with their patients?) by so many of the GOPers and opponents to ACA that no wonder so many people were confused. And the right wing talk shows along with Fox Noise do nothing but shout out exaggerations and outright lies to those who get their news only from these sources. I predict that many who voted for Trump will lose their health care benefits they get from ACA, but were opposed to Obamacare.
31
Perhaps you will recall President Obama's head of HHS, Dr. Donald Berwick, who began the discussion about rationing of health care: " In an interview with a biotechnology journal in 2009, he said, “The decision is not whether or not we will ration care — the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/health/policy/dr-donald-m-berwick-resi...
In a remote situation, rationing makes sense: It's possible to say treatment for cancer should be stopped and the person allowed to die when it seems there's no hope left.
But not if the sick person is your daughter.
Sir Donald, who was the head of Britain's National Health Service, presided over rules that said if you use tobacco, you cannot have bypass surgery. The patient was told go home, stop smoking, return in 30 days. Yes, people died. In one case, the smoker went home, 30 days later he took a shower, put on clean clothing, returned, and told the people he had quit smoking. Great, they said......and they drew blood to check for nicotine. He was positive. He was told again - go home, etc. He didn't make it back in 30 days - he died of a heart attack. Rationing. That's how it works.
I'm a nurse and took care of many heart patients. Fix their hearts, then talk to them about smoking cessation. That's how we roll in my hospital!
In a remote situation, rationing makes sense: It's possible to say treatment for cancer should be stopped and the person allowed to die when it seems there's no hope left.
But not if the sick person is your daughter.
Sir Donald, who was the head of Britain's National Health Service, presided over rules that said if you use tobacco, you cannot have bypass surgery. The patient was told go home, stop smoking, return in 30 days. Yes, people died. In one case, the smoker went home, 30 days later he took a shower, put on clean clothing, returned, and told the people he had quit smoking. Great, they said......and they drew blood to check for nicotine. He was positive. He was told again - go home, etc. He didn't make it back in 30 days - he died of a heart attack. Rationing. That's how it works.
I'm a nurse and took care of many heart patients. Fix their hearts, then talk to them about smoking cessation. That's how we roll in my hospital!
4
This is why a good education and helpful fact-sheets from the Democratic Party are so important. The entire Republican platform rests on dis-information, which is necessary when you want people to vote against their own interests, so they aren't about to help with either.
Here is a Democrat fact sheet on the ACA, which doesn't include the word "Obamacare".
https://www.democrats.org/issues/health-care
https://www.democrats.org/issues/health-care
Here is a Democrat fact sheet on the ACA, which doesn't include the word "Obamacare".
https://www.democrats.org/issues/health-care
https://www.democrats.org/issues/health-care
20
There is a joke that goes something like "Imagine the average American. Tremble in fear that half of them are dumber than that." This data, sadly, is consistent with that insight. It goes a long way toward explaining how we came to have Agent Orange in the White House.
32
Maybe people get the Secretary of Education they deserve.
20
Translation: the GOP strategically demonized the ACA by calling it Obamacare thus convincing their base to vote against their own interests.
37
Trump won his seat because of the Tea Party labelling of Obamacare. The percentage of voters who put him over the top hated the legislation because of the label. They had no interest (or intelligence) in understanding the ACA.
15
This isn't confusion it's outright stupidity.
30
It's also disinterest. I was pretty surprised to discover that some of my well educated acquaintances didn't know this either. When discussing the subject, they would volunteer that they were in favor of Obamacare but didn't know anything about the ACA. When I bit my tongue, counted to ten, and a few other maneuvers to keep the steam from coming out my ears, I explained that they were they same thing, they pled ignorance because it didn't apply to them....which is true. But ye gods.
8
Seriously??
I give up.
I give up.
24
I guess Americans will get the government and the healthcare they deserve.
19
Not to mention education.
5
Its actually cool. They have indoctrinated themselves to such a high level, that they will be destroyed by their own ignorance...
13
I'm beginning to think that America's problems are not fixable. Between the woefully ignorant and the willfully ignorant, this might be too hard a slog.
38
Why am I not surprised?
From a nationwide survey of conducted in November of 2008 by Harris Interactive:
75% believe in miracles
73% in heaven
71% in angels
68% that the soul survives death of the body
62% in hell
59% in the literal devil
I know of nothing that would have changed or challenged these beliefs since this poll was conducted...
From a nationwide survey of conducted in November of 2008 by Harris Interactive:
75% believe in miracles
73% in heaven
71% in angels
68% that the soul survives death of the body
62% in hell
59% in the literal devil
I know of nothing that would have changed or challenged these beliefs since this poll was conducted...
29
Yeah. And I hate it when people describe the development of fetuses and the birth of babies as being a miraculous process. It's pure science, folks. No miracles involved. Almost anyone can have a part in it.
5
You can blame ex-President Obama for this ignorance. He never put forth the effort to support his own signature legislation.
3
What??
4
Why is this surprising. More than one third of Americans can't name the three branches of government, don't know the name of their senator or congressman and don't know the name of the party controlling Congress. That's from past Pew Research Center Studies.
Why on earth would we expect them to know that the Affordable Care Act and Obamacare are the same thing?
Why on earth would we expect them to know that the Affordable Care Act and Obamacare are the same thing?
24
Well, aren't they in for a surprise? #youwerewarned
21
Calls to mind the activist buffoons at "town hall meetings" a few years ago, castigating the notion of "federally funded healthcare" -- totally unaware that their Medicare coverage, which they regularly used and relied upon, was "federally funded healthcare."
Sadly, our weakened school system in this nation has bred millions of ignoramuses. In that way, our education system in the U.S. is not unlike canine breeders who have developed dogs with long noses and little brains, so that the dogs can win beauty contests. A key difference, of course, is that the ignoramuses are not likely to win any contests.
Sadly, our weakened school system in this nation has bred millions of ignoramuses. In that way, our education system in the U.S. is not unlike canine breeders who have developed dogs with long noses and little brains, so that the dogs can win beauty contests. A key difference, of course, is that the ignoramuses are not likely to win any contests.
19
I'm glad this has been quantified, but it's really easy to point fingers at the people who don't know. Being engaged in the age of the internet is really difficult: how do you pick the sources to look at? We can roll eyes and say people are disengaged and therefore ignorant, but I think that's disingenuous. Recall that the term "Obamacare" was invented as a way to disparage the initiative, and for those wanting to get rid of the ACA, this wordsmithing has done exactly what it was meant to do. Same thing with the pivots we see the Republicans floating around right now: "Insurance for everybody" (Trump) "Insurance accessible to everyone" (Price), a "patient-centered, market-based solution" (Kellyanne Conway). I teach at a university and most students don't understand how their own healthcare system works, and it's incredibly hard to find out how it works. Deliberately. If we don't know, we can't ask questions.
15
Honestly, the health laws in this country are so complicated that I am not surprised people cannot tell what is what. How about a poll asking if Americans know the difference between Medicare, Medicaid, and whatever it is that their state calls its Medicaid program? Probably a fair number would not know!
Medicare for all from birth to death could tamp down the confusion and bureaucracy. This doesn't even have to hinder the private market. People could choose between Original Medicare and an Advantage Plan as they do now. From there, people could choose a supplemental plan or not.
Medicare for all from birth to death could tamp down the confusion and bureaucracy. This doesn't even have to hinder the private market. People could choose between Original Medicare and an Advantage Plan as they do now. From there, people could choose a supplemental plan or not.
27
The ignorance of the American public is persistent and often driven by the sources they turn to for their "news". The ACA is just on example. As to what will happen if it is repealed, two things will be the determinants. What is the replacement (we have seen nothing for 6 years) and who will lose coverage. I suspect a considerable number will lose coverage. Don't fall for the Republican politicians who are already claiming if you like your coverage, you can keep it.
30
'This finding illustrates the extent of public confusion'? I would say it illustrates the extent the public lacks curiosity and/or embraces intellectual laziness. I am a nurse educator at a major university and just spent 30 minutes with a patient who has black lung. Republicans (friends of coal), voted down a measure in Congress to continue health benefits to miners. Now the Trump supporters voted to allow waste to go into the rivers, which will lead to illness, which will require treatment, which will require insurance--which they will not have...because they are Trump supporters.
Stop. Listen. Read. Think.
Stop. Listen. Read. Think.
350
I think that a lot of people think of Obamacare and ACA as of two different things largely because ACA gave out a lot of Obamacare benefits (like staying on the parents plans until the age of 26) almost immediately, while rolling out the most noticeable part - exchanges - with great fanfare two years later in a somewhat unrelated manner.
It is important to remember that for a lot of people saying "I support ACA but not Obamacare" is a clumsy way of saying "I still want some coverage provisions like staying on parents' plan until 26, but I don't think that health insurance exchanges work". Lack of eloquence doesn't prevent people from voting - and it shouldn't.
Even more importantly, Dems - if they want to keep Obamacare going - need to figure out what exactly these "pro-ACA, anti-Obamacare" people think. Do they think that exchanges fail because the deductables are too high? Because subsidy structure is unfair? Because the premiums are too high? It's hard to fix Obamacare - which is something that even most Dems agree on - without knowing what the voters think is wrong with it.
It is important to remember that for a lot of people saying "I support ACA but not Obamacare" is a clumsy way of saying "I still want some coverage provisions like staying on parents' plan until 26, but I don't think that health insurance exchanges work". Lack of eloquence doesn't prevent people from voting - and it shouldn't.
Even more importantly, Dems - if they want to keep Obamacare going - need to figure out what exactly these "pro-ACA, anti-Obamacare" people think. Do they think that exchanges fail because the deductables are too high? Because subsidy structure is unfair? Because the premiums are too high? It's hard to fix Obamacare - which is something that even most Dems agree on - without knowing what the voters think is wrong with it.
12
I heard an interview on NPR with a woman who wants Obama care thrown out because her premiums are too high....but she loves all the benefits she gets. She expects Trump/GOP to give her the exact same benefits she is getting but at a much lower cost. And I think there are a lot like her who think the same thing.....if the GOP does not deliver this under TrumpCare there are going to be a lot of angry people.....
40
You give this particular "public" too much credit. I would be willing to bet those who say they don't like Obamacare will do anything to repudiate Obama, while they support Affordable Care because that sounds like something everyone ought to have...but not something these people would expect from Obama. Another variant of ignorant incipient racism and ignorance.
31
Installing someone like Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education is one part of the mechanism to ensure that millions of Americans lack critical thinking skills that might enable them to understand and make sense of basic public policy.
343
This is can't be true. If it is, it's a very sad state of affairs. Hawaii is exempt from ACA but I take advantage of the portion that says I can keep my children on my health care plan until they are 26. I carry two family plans and while they complement each other It also makes it so that there is nearly zero co-pay at the clinic. Yeah, it costs but the alternative is poor health and death. People don't read. People don't analyze. People don't make decisions based on analysis. Read a book, read a couple of newspapers, come on, change the channel, add a new bookmark in your browser. What happened to our educational system? Life is more than reading the bulletin board at work, endorsing your paycheck and looking for entertainment.
33
"Hawaii is exempt from ACA"--what in the world could that possibly mean?
7
We are exempt from paying the penalty. We have had health insurance as part of employment for as long as I can remember. The exchanges did not work well here because there is already a large portion of the population covered by Health insurance and most of the coverage is more comprehensive than what was required by the ACA.
4
Your statement is incorrect. "The state of Hawai‘i fully implemented the Affordable Care Act and expended Medicaid eligibility to more individuals. In addition, the ACA provided support for a new electronic eligibility system that let’s people apply and enroll for Medicaid online and manage their own accounts. Starting in January 2016, DHS will maintain the call center and outreach and enrollment services for Hawai‘i’s state-based insurance marketplace." From the Hawaii Department of Human Services page.
3
"In the survey, 35 percent of respondents said either that they thought Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act were two different policies (17 percent) or didn’t know if they were the same or different (18 percent). This confusion was more pronounced among people 18 to 29 and those who earn less than $50,000 — two groups that could be significantly affected by repeal."
If blame is to be assigned or even suggested for this incredible statistic, shouldn't it be on the media AND the percentage of individuals who apparently don't read and/or follow the news? EVERY time someone would mention or discuss "Obamacare" to me, I would instantly correct them by saying, "you mean the Affordable Care Act". Even thought President Obama introduced this bill, the proper and correct name should NEVER have been revised or altered or substituted. It's a confusing bill in its own right without politicians or the media adding to that confusion by calling it a different name. Bit frankly, the problem lies in the fact that so many young people just don't read or follow the news. And I find that frightening. That generation will be this country's future leaders. When will they start paying attention and realize that things are being taken from them on an almost daily basis?
I found this article insightful as well as equally alarming. Thanks for writing it NYT. Hopefully a percentage "18 to 29 and those who earn less than $50,000" group will have read it too, assuming they can read.
25
When you remember that half the population is of below average intelligence, outcomes such as these are less surprising. And with a brain-dead heiress in charge of national education policy, I'm sure they'll become so much more informed in the future.
Seriously, though, most people choose to be willfully ignorant of things about which they don't want to think, know, or be held responsible.
Some months back I was in a conversation with my cousin, and when I used the term "Obamacare," she immediately corrected me to the ACA. I am an RN and an expert in hospital payment systems. I get to say Obamacare if I want.
Seriously, though, most people choose to be willfully ignorant of things about which they don't want to think, know, or be held responsible.
Some months back I was in a conversation with my cousin, and when I used the term "Obamacare," she immediately corrected me to the ACA. I am an RN and an expert in hospital payment systems. I get to say Obamacare if I want.
31
Renee - I always think of RNs like yourself as "front line heroes". And you are absolutely correct - since you know that ACA and Obamacare are one in the same, you DO get to call it whatever you want.
8
I'm not sure how the term Obamacare came into being as a shorthand for the Affordable Care Act, but it's possible it may have been first used by Republicans in a derisive way.
9
I am amazed the confusion is that low....
The good people in the conservative states under ACA (especially Ky), after finally getting something that vaguely resembles affordable health care in this country instead of the previous de facto criminal plan of be rich, don't get sick and/or have a bad event, will march to the polls to repeal what they see as the devil incarnate ACA.
Very similar to the dry staters around prohibition marching to the polls stone drunk to keep prohibition.
The good people in the conservative states under ACA (especially Ky), after finally getting something that vaguely resembles affordable health care in this country instead of the previous de facto criminal plan of be rich, don't get sick and/or have a bad event, will march to the polls to repeal what they see as the devil incarnate ACA.
Very similar to the dry staters around prohibition marching to the polls stone drunk to keep prohibition.
33
It's a feature, not a bug, of republicans. Keep them stupid and all riled-up. After all, Jesus wants to keep the women and the gays in their place. And, who needs medical care when the T. V. Evangelist can cures what ails you???
7
Only when a drastic illness strikes a family people change. All their bull about opposing healthcare is blown out of the window and they come crying for help. When disaster strikes they find the tin can. Some people never learn.
71
It would help if reputable publications like yours stopped calling the program Obamacare in headlines and ledes.
111
I bet the people who don't know the difference aren't regularly reading the New York Times, or for that matter, anything else.
12
This is why we can't have nice things...
50
Of course people think the plans are different...Republicans wanted that all along. I have long advocated for not referring to the health care law as Obama Care simply because of the negative connotations associated with the President's name.
Make way for Trump Care!
Make way for Trump Care!
19
Trump doesn't care.
11
Ask people like my son who had to charge $13,000 on his credit card after an afternoon emergency room visit if the US health care system is broken. GOP politicians have their heads buried in the sand around the state of health care and the ridiculous challenge by many citizens to get coverage at a reasonable price. This system is DECADES in the making; it will NOT be turned around in a few years. Americans and our political leaders need to be REALISTIC and PATIENT in turning around our broken health care system. The ACA may not have been perfect but it is (was?) a solid start that will need ongoing tuning.
104
Can't we just stop calling it Obamacare and start calling it Affordacare or some other derivative thereof? We don't refer to Medicare and Medicaid as "The Big Johnsons", do we?
It's time to stop this nonsensical game of political football. People are literally suffering and dying because of the bravado and gamesmanship of our elected officials. Enough is enough!
It's time to stop this nonsensical game of political football. People are literally suffering and dying because of the bravado and gamesmanship of our elected officials. Enough is enough!
92
Isn't it strange, how Medicare and Medicaid were enacted in our society only a few years ago, and yet people have already forgotten all of that history?
8
Mrs H - Actually they were enacted over 50 years ago, so it was before most Americans were born.
But yes, people still should know something about them.
But yes, people still should know something about them.
5
There have been a spate of articles recently about how the left should learn from the Tea Party about how to oppose the Trump administration.
In light of the results of this poll, and reminded of one of the Tea Party's most infamous rallying cries - "Keep your government hands off my Medicare!"--let's hope they don't "learn" from the Tea Party that it's necessary to be painfully, deeply ignorant about reality and how the world really works in order to have a successful populist movement.
In light of the results of this poll, and reminded of one of the Tea Party's most infamous rallying cries - "Keep your government hands off my Medicare!"--let's hope they don't "learn" from the Tea Party that it's necessary to be painfully, deeply ignorant about reality and how the world really works in order to have a successful populist movement.
25
The poll states that it used a sample of 1890 people. I cant imagine that that small sample size is representative of 300 million people in the US and then can claim an error percentage of 2%. Thats less than 40 people per state. There have obviously been a lot of polling errors given the overwhelming agreement that hillary would win so how seriously should we take this poll?
2
There are a ton of studies that say this is MORE than enough people to properly represent a population, as long as certain rules are adhered to in performing the sample. In fact, sometimes just 1,000 people is considered sufficient. This has been known for many decades and is well published in peer-reviewed mathematical and political journals.
54
Not sure if you understand what a sample size is or the principals of sampling. Please visit http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm for a beginner's guide. We (the United State of America) have been leaders on doing a lot of things right. We teach other countries about freedom of speech, religion, etc. yet during the last year, I have watched and read (just as in this question) so many of our institutions destroyed by shear ignorance. I would love if prior to reviewing this article, that you would have educated yourself on sampling, population size, and how "legitimate" and "learned" people use decades of training and expertise to come up with these polls. It's time to go out and find the knowledge ourselves in places and institutions that have always had provided the truth.
49
A sample size of 1890 is more than sufficient for a national poll. It might seem counterintuitive but once your target population gets into the tens of thousands, its actual size becomes irrelevant. In other words, a sample size of 1000 participants is just as good for a population of 20,000 people as it is for a population 20 million. Increasing your sample size will improve the accuracy of your results, but beyond a certain size (say a couple thousand for a target population of 300 million) you start to get strong diminishing returns.
That said, a poll can easily fail if it's selection process was biased. This is by far the largest source of error - not the sample size.
That said, a poll can easily fail if it's selection process was biased. This is by far the largest source of error - not the sample size.
42
I will never understand why Hillary Clinton didn't run commercials about what would happen if the ACA /Obamacare got repealed. Then more people would have understood they were the same thing. They also would have heard about how the ACA made insurers spend (i believe it is 85%) on actual care, not that insurers keep boosting rates to pay for bloated administration.
How about the lifetime limit caps? It would have been good to remind the American public, that the reason they disappeared was because of the ACA. I recently read about a woman who hated Obamacare because it meant her son had to be off her policy at age 26. She didn't understand he would have been off it years earlier without the ACA.
One big problem with the ACA/Obamacare is that the average American doesn't understand how they are benefiting from it. Many who don't receive subsidies believe all they are doing is paying for other people. They don't understand how much of it helps all Americans including themselves.
How about the lifetime limit caps? It would have been good to remind the American public, that the reason they disappeared was because of the ACA. I recently read about a woman who hated Obamacare because it meant her son had to be off her policy at age 26. She didn't understand he would have been off it years earlier without the ACA.
One big problem with the ACA/Obamacare is that the average American doesn't understand how they are benefiting from it. Many who don't receive subsidies believe all they are doing is paying for other people. They don't understand how much of it helps all Americans including themselves.
189
Yes. As always, the Democrats allowed themselves to be steamrolled by the right wing noise machine.
12
As Einstein said, "There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the first one." The A.C.A. is a work in progress that needs improvement. Eliminate the "unpopular" portions of the law and the whole thing falls apart.
35
I believe the confusion is due to an orchestrated effort by the Republicans to denounce the ACA by always referring to the policy as "Obamacare". Yet, as people go through the process of enrolling in the ACA, they never see the name "Obamacare". Thus, the names take on meanings of their own. Yet, rather than redirecting the public back to the real issues and real name of the policy, supporters, including ex-president Obama, were misguided in attempting to take ownership of the name and further promoted the campaign to denigrate the policy and mislead the public.
82
Is there any other nation on earth with such a large number of dimwitted, uninformed citizens?
418
Clearly no.
7
Most other advanced nations do a better job of educating their citizens, and all do a better job of providing healthcare.
129
Re affordable, common sense health care....no...
11
Trump and the GOP will see to it that most Americans don't understand the law or that the ACA and Obamacare are one and the same. The confusion over Medicare and Social Security is similar. We pay into these programs so we can have them when we retire. The more money that goes into them the more there is to ensure a better retirement and medical care for seniors. It's why all income should be taxed for Social Security, not just the first 115K (or whatever the limit is now). All those entitlements people hate are not for the poor or illegal immigrants. Quite a few benefit us or our parents or people who cannot work. Anyway, the most entitled bunch of people I've ever seen are the politicians who rave about how unentitled the rest of us are. We pay their salaries. We elect them. We pay for their perks while they are in office. We let them make policy for the country even when those policies hurt us in pocketbook or personally or both. That paycheck they get is because they are working in the government sector. Those days off that they get, that we don't, are for the same reason. They get more help than we do.
So, if any entitlements or subsidies should be eliminated it's the ones that our elected officials receive and take for granted. Let's see how they do living on unemployment, without access to decent health care, in a poor neighborhood with poor schools, where there's a contaminated source of drinking water, or when they have to fight for medical care.
So, if any entitlements or subsidies should be eliminated it's the ones that our elected officials receive and take for granted. Let's see how they do living on unemployment, without access to decent health care, in a poor neighborhood with poor schools, where there's a contaminated source of drinking water, or when they have to fight for medical care.
145
I agree with your comments. Very well stated.
Continuing with your comments on elected officials and entitlements/benefits, I'd like to add that Eric Trump, as an adult child of a president and while not an elected official, receives benefits such as Secret Service protection. Please reference a Washington Post article dated February 3rd - taxpayers paid $97,830 for his business trip to Uruguay in early January. If the GOP is so concerned about taxpayer waste, then perhaps the Trump family should reimburse the government for these charges on business and/or pleasure trip Mr. Trump's adult children take while he's in the WH.
Continuing with your comments on elected officials and entitlements/benefits, I'd like to add that Eric Trump, as an adult child of a president and while not an elected official, receives benefits such as Secret Service protection. Please reference a Washington Post article dated February 3rd - taxpayers paid $97,830 for his business trip to Uruguay in early January. If the GOP is so concerned about taxpayer waste, then perhaps the Trump family should reimburse the government for these charges on business and/or pleasure trip Mr. Trump's adult children take while he's in the WH.
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We're getting off the main topic here, but one more public sector perq that has to be abolished is the ability for an official to absent him or herself from the job he's been elected to do, yet remain on full salary and benefits while running for higher office. Could you imagine trying that in the private sector?
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