Poll: NC opposes taxes for health care

You are of course referring to the same government that has been bailing out failed private enterprises that are considered to be cornerstones of our economy. Seems like the government is not such a failure after all.

Health insurance is not health care. It is a back stop against financial ruin by unplanned medical events.

Cell phone are no longer luxuries, often cheaper than land lines and often essential to getting and keeping a job while balancing elements of life like other jobs, child care and perhaps medical treatment.

When you pay health insurance you are paying for someone else's health care, at least until you need health care yourself. You are also paying for insurance company profits which depend partly on not paying health care costs. At some point in illness or injury health care costs exceed premiums and someone else's premiums are paying the tab. Private insurance costs (including copays, deductibles and denials) also compensate for poor investments by insurance companies and, along with your tax money, for costs associated with the treatment of uninsured people.

You can keep your private insurance and you will benefit from a public option, as will our economy.

If you would like to pay for someone else's health insurance, please feel free to do so, just don't force me to do it. It's called freedom.

Sounds like some people want to deny the actual results of the poll. People that work are not interested in paying for health insurance for those that do not work. It is that simple. I wonder how many that don't have insurance have money for cell phones, cigarettes, and beer. Now that would be an interesting poll.

Quoting from above:

"North Carolina voters have a certain amount of skepticism about proposed changes in the nation’s health care system, according a new poll.

The survey suggests opposition to any plan that results in higher taxes for universal health care and skepticism about government-run programs."

Who would not have a certain amount of skepticism about government-run health care? We have breaking news each day about government-run programs being investigated for mismanagement, waste and fraud. Who would not admit that the government has a difficult time running anything?

Most national health care systems have two systems. The private system for those who can afford it and the national health care for those who cannot. Which one do you think does the better job?

Health care costs AREN'T FREAKING AFFORDABLE so how can we "keep" them that way?

That's why we need dramatic reform. Did the Civitas poll ask if people are ok with taxing jsut rich people?

Why are Conservatives so obsessed with lowering my income taxes by a couple hundred dollars, but don't seem to care if in the same period my health insurance costs go up by thousands of dollars?

So according to this poll North Carolinians are either selfish or stupid? I don't believe either to be the case. I think the survey questions were written to get the results they wanted. I wonder what the results would be if the poll were give to the 23 percent of the citizens of this state without insurance, Hmmm?

Okay, a couple of things to keep in mind when looking at these numbers:

1) "Likely" voters, which this (and most polls) target, are also more likely to already have health insurance. This poll indicates that 77% of respondents said everybody in the home was covered, and an additional 15% said "some" household members were covered. 8% said noone had coverage. The national average (voter or not) for those who are uninsured is between 17%-20%. Meaning, the opinions of those who do not (currently) have health insurance is underrepresented in a poll of likely voters. I understand the poll is an indication of the "political" will of the people, and likely voters are also likely to affect the political outcome, but it's not necessarily a "will of the people" thing.

2) With that in mind, asking people to pick either "universal coverage for all" or "keeping cost affordable" is ignoring the fact that universal coverage is geared towards making health care affordable for the tens of millions in our country who don't (currently) have it. For those folks, the two choices on the poll are one and the same, but you can't pick both.

And by the way, this little spread quoted in the piece:

Only 36 percent said they would be willing to pay higher taxes to provide insurance for everyone, while 56 percent said they would not, according to the poll.

leaves out the 9% "Not Sure", which adds up to 101%. I might be quibbling, but, you know, 100 is the limit. Unless you're lying to your boss about how much effort you're going to put into a project. ;)

Maybe the N&O doesn't subscribe to Mayo Monthly like you do Tastes of The South with Paula Dean, Paul Terrell.

Mmmmm, bacon flavored mayonnaise, now with extra Mom's basement!

Even the Mayo Clinic said Obama's healthcare government run program is not going to work. I did not see that in the N&O.

North Carolina voters have a certain amount of skepticism about proposed changes in the nation’s health care system, according a new poll.

Does Civitas and Pope not even proof-read what they tell you to print anymore McClatchy?