The majority of Americans did not approve of Obamacare when Democrats rammed it through Congress and President Obama signed it into law in 2010. The majority of Americans opposed Obamacare when it was implemented. Gallup finds that Obamacare is still unpopular. 51% of Americans oppose it, against just 43% who favor it.
Net approval of the Affordable Care Act now stands at -8 points, reflective of the fact that more Americans disapprove than approve. This is the least negative tilt measured since the -3 recorded in late October 2013.
Fewer than four in 10 adults (37%) say the law will ultimately make the healthcare situation better in the U.S., consistent with past measures. A plurality of Americans (44%) say it will make things worse, and another 16% say it won’t make much of a difference.
Small business owners tend to agree with the 44% of Americans, saying that Obamacare is already making the economy worse. Obamacare provides small businesses an incentive not to hire anyone at all once they reach the 50 employee level, lest they come under Obamacare’s mandates. Obamacare thus puts a cap on small business growth. That’s but one of the drags Obamacare is placing on the weak economy.
Gallup finds that approval and disapproval of Obamacare is sharply divided along racial lines, with white Americans strongly opposing it — 61% — while Hispanics (57%) and Black Americans (76%) approve of it.
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