ObamaCare has never, ever been more popular
For the first time since Gallup started asking about general approval or disapproval of the Affordable Care Act in November 2012, the 2010 health-care overhaul is viewed favorably by a majority of Americans, Gallup reported Tuesday. And the 55 percent approval number is all the more dramatic because just five months ago, only 42 percent of Americans approved of ObamaCare, versus 53 percent who disapproved.
The rise in approval comes from Democrats, Republicans, and especially independents, whose approval rose 17 points since President Trump's election, to 57 percent from 40 percent. So what changed in five months? "Trump vehemently attacked the Affordable Care Act during his presidential campaign — and in the days immediately following his election, the public appeared to agree with him," Gallup said. "However, in the five months since, as Republicans' efforts to replace the law with one of their own have failed to get off the ground, enough Americans have changed their minds about the ACA to create a majority favoring it for the first time."
Trump and House Republicans have started meeting again this week to try and reach agreement on their ObamaCare replacement bill, which House leaders pulled from an imminent vote when it became clear it would fail. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey released Tuesday, a 63 percent majority thinks it's a "good thing" that the bill, the American Health Care Act, crashed. Almost half of those people said it's good because the ACHA did not fully repeal ObamaCare, but 75 percent of respondents — including majorities of every group polled — said that given the choice, Trump and the GOP should try to make ObamaCare work rather than make it fail, as Trump has threatened to do.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Kaiser Family Foundation found opinions about ObamaCare split evenly, with 46 percent in favor and opposed, and there's a pretty broad consensus on who is responsible for the Affordable Care Act going forward: A 61 percent majority say Trump and the GOP are responsible for any problems with the law, while 31 percent say former President Barack Obama and his party still own ObamaCare. You can find more results at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
4 ways to give back this holiday season
The Explainer If your budget is feeling squeezed, remember that money is not the only way you can be generous around the holidays
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
4 tips for hosting an ecofriendly Thanksgiving
The Week Recommends Coming together for the holidays typically produces a ton of waste, but with proper preparation, you can have an environmentally friendly gathering.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
ACA opens 2025 enrollment, enters 2024 race
Speed Read Mike Johnson promises big changes to the Affordable Care Act if Trump wins the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
McDonald's sued over E. coli linked to burger
Speed Read The outbreak has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states and left one dead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Seattle Children's Hospital sues Texas over 'sham' demand for transgender medical records
Speed Read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed records of any Texan who received gender-affirming care at the Washington hospital
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Afghanistan has a growing female suicide problem
Speed Read The Taliban has steadily whittled away women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan over the past 2 years, prompting a surge in depression and suicide
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US life expectancy rose in 2022 but not to pre-pandemic levels
Speed Read Life expectancy is slowly crawling back up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published