More Bad News For McCaskill As ObamaCare Approval Hits An All-Time Low

As liberal Democrat Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) struggles to defend her decision to cast the deciding vote in favor of ObamaCare, this month’s Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll shows that both McCaskill and President Obama have even greater reason to fear Missouri voters at the polls next year: their 2,700 page, $2.5 trillion health care law is less popular than ever.

The poll’s summary and toplines show a bleak picture for McCaskill, Obama, and their fellow Washington Democrats:

• Overall favorability of the law stands at 34%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of very favorable support stands at 12%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of respondents who think they personally will be better off due to the law stands at a mere 18%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of respondents who think the country as a whole will be better off due to the law stands at 28%, an all-time low;
• Approval of the law among Democrats dropped by 13% in the last month to only 52%, an all-time low.

“As approval for ObamaCare hits an all-time low, Missourians will remember that Claire McCaskill cast the deciding vote to ram it into law,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond today.  “When will McCaskill finally acknowledge the reality that her and Obama’s health care debacle is so unpopular because of its onerous mandates, harmful results to Missouri’s patients and doctors, and tremendous cost to Missouri taxpayers?” 

Despite the overwhelming rejection of ObamaCare’s individual mandate by 71 percent of Missouri voters at the polls last year, McCaskill insists that ObamaCare “will do a lot of good” for Missourians, and says she will “keep working to inform Missourians of the benefits of the law.”

But notably, the U.S. Senate Finance and U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committees released a joint report earlier this year, estimating that ObamaCare’s Medicaid spending mandates alone will cost states at least $118 billion through the first decade of full implementation (through 2013).  Specifically, the report reveals that McCaskill’s new mandates will cost Missouri $773 million over five years. 

Background Information: 

McCaskill: “People Have Received A Lot Of Misinformation About The Health Care Reform Law, But The Truth Is That The Law Will Do A Lot Of Good . . . .” “‘When it comes to their health care, Missourians want peace of mind. With these new measures, people will no longer have to worry that they could be dropped from their coverage when they need it most, and now insurance companies can’t tell you what doctor you can see.’ McCaskill said. ‘People have received a lot of misinformation about the health care reform law, but the truth is that the law will do a lot of good through protections like these.’” (Senator Claire McCaskill, “New Patient Protections Mark Anniversary Of Healthcare Reform,” Press Release, 9/23/10)

“Missouri Voters On Tuesday Overwhelmingly Approved A Measure Aimed At Nullifying The New Federal Health Care Law, becoming the first state in the nation where ordinary people made known their dismay over the issue at the ballot box.” (Monica Davey, “Missouri Voters Reject Health Law,” The New York Times, 8/3/10)

“About 71 Percent Of Missouri Voters Backed A Ballot Measure, Proposition C, That Would Prohibit The Government From Requiring People To Have Health Insurance Or From Penalizing Them For Not Having It.” (“Missouri Votes To Block Obama’s Health Insurance Mandate,” Fox News, 8/4/10)

McCaskill “Said The Results Reflect The Fact That Voters Have Been Bombarded With Anti-Government Criticism Of The New Law And Aren’t Fully Aware Of Its Positive Aspects.” “Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, who backed the health care law, said the results reflect the fact that voters have been bombarded with anti-government criticism of the new law and aren’t fully aware of its positive aspects. ‘Big government, bad government, don’t trust ‘em’ is a pretty simple message,’ said McCaskill.” (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and David A. Lieb, “Missouri Vote Puts Health Care Back In Crosshairs,” The Associated Press, 8/5/10)

A McCaskill Spokeswoman Said The Senator Would “Keep Working To Inform Missourians Of The Benefits Of The [Health Care] Law.” “Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill’s reaction to the vote illustrated the muted response by Democrats. ‘Sen. McCaskill understands the distrust that Missourians have of their government. She is going to keep working to inform Missourians of the benefits of the law, and she will work to make changes if they don’t work,’ a spokeswoman for McCaskill said.” (Bill Lambrecht , “Health Vote Revs Up Politics Republicans Seize On Support For Their Stance,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 8/5/10)