Pan Atlantic poll: Mainers on health care

by: Gerald Weinand

Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 14:20:20 PM EDT

First, when asked:

How would you describe the current health care system in the United States? Do you think it is:

21.9% of Mainers said it was VERY POOR;
30.7% said POOR;
28.4% said FAIR;
15.5% said GOOD;
3.2% rated it EXCELLENT;
and 0.2% had NO OPINION

The overall rating was 2.47 on a scale of 1 to 5; hardly supportive of the status quo.

When asked:

Would you favor or oppose the government offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan - something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get - that would compete with private health insurance plans?

57.4% were in favor;
37.2% opposed such a plan;
and 5.5% didn't know.

And lastly, when asked:

Would you favor or oppose increased regulation on private health insurance companies, such as limiting the amount insurance companies can charge patients for out-of-pocket costs and limiting the ability of insurance companies to deny people coverage?

A whopping 73.6% of Mainers were in favor.

Obviously, people in the Pine Tree State have had enough of the current system of health insurance, and want dramatic reforms.

Will Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins listen to them?

New poll: Q1: NO on 1: 51.8%, Yes 42.9%

by: Gerald Weinand

Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 12:14:51 PM EDT

When asked:

Question 1 - "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?" If today was Election Day, how would you vote on this issue?

40.9% would vote YES
2.0% lean YES
50.6% would vote NO
1.2% lean NO
5.2% are undecided

More voters in the 2nd Congressional District would vote YES (51.8%), while fewer in the 1st Congressional District would vote YES (34.2%). While 64.3% of Republicans would vote YES, only 24.2% of Democrats would, with a surprising 42.6% of Independents saying they would vote YES.

And of Catholics surveyed, 50.0% responded that they would vote YES, while 42.7% would vote NO, with 7.3% undecided.

There is still three weeks to go, and while these numbers are great news, it is important to kep the foot on the gas all the way until 3 November.