Poll: Most Americans Want All or Part of Health Law Overturned
Correction: This story initially misstated the level of support for overturning the health law in the CBS News/New York Times poll. It is a plurality of 41 percent.
A new poll released on Thursday found that 41 percent of Americans want the Supreme Court to overturn the entire health care law passed in 2010, while another 27 percent want the court to throw out the part of the law that requires most people to buy coverage.
The poll, conducted by the New York Times and CBS News, reveals that more respondents disapprove of the law than approve, 48 percent to 34 percent. That marks only a one-percentage-point uptick in those who disapprove of the law since the last poll was conducted, in mid-April, but a five-percentage-point drop in those who approve.
The percentage of people saying they want the court to throw out the entire law rose four points, from 37 percent to 41 percent, since the last CBS News/New York Times poll was conducted. About a quarter in the new poll -- 24 percent -- said they want the whole law upheld.
The court heard arguments on the law in March and a ruling is expected this month.
The public is skeptical, however, of the independence of the Supreme Court, with over half of respondents saying they believe the justices will decide the case based on their personal or political views. Still, a majority of both parties approve of the job the Supreme Court is doing, with Democrats slightly more in favor of the Court's job.
Another poll released on Thursday by Fox News aligns with the findings of the CBS/NYT poll on health care. Fox found that a majority of respondents, 52 percent, believe the Obama administration mostly failed at improving health care. However, that same poll gives Obama a slight lead over GOP challenger Mitt Romney with handling health care, with 43 percent of respondents saying they trust Obama and 40 percent saying they trust Romney.
The CBS/NYT poll also found that over three-fourths of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing, with only 15 percent approving.
CBS and the New York Times also asked respondents about the Arizona immigration law, SB 1070, which is currently under review by the Supreme Court as well. The law has been criticized by immigration activists as being too strict and far-reaching, but a majority of Americans said they believe the law is "about right," with 33 percent saying it goes too far and 11 percent saying it doesn't go far enough.
A majority of respondents believe both the federal and state governments should have a say in immigration laws, and a plurality of those polled, 41 percent, say illegal immigrants now in the U.S. should be able to stay and apply for citizenship. More respondents – 31 percent – said illegal immigrants in the U.S. should leave the country than the 21 percent who believe immigrants should stay as guest workers.
The CBS/NYT poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points and was conducted among 976 adults nationwide from May 31-June 3. The Fox News poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points as well and was conducted via live telephone interviews from June 3-5 among 907 registered voters.
Correction: This story initially misstated the level of support for overturning the health law in the CBS News/New York Times poll. It is a plurality of 41 percent.
