WASHINGTON – US voters are seeing signs of a brighter economy and are crediting President Barack Obama for the upturn, but by a narrow margin want Congress to repeal his health care overhaul, a poll showed on Tuesday.
The Quinnipiac University poll showed that 54 percent of respondents said they believed the US economy is beginning to recover, with 43 percent disagreeing. Nonetheless, the survey showed a 53 to 40 percent majority disapproved of Obama’s economic management.
“Voters aren’t exactly jumping for joy about the economy, but they think it has turned the corner,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Last July, only 44 percent thought the recovery had begun and slightly more voters give President Obama’s policies credit for righting the ship. Overall, the numbers aren’t a ringing endorsement of Obamanomics, but they are a step in the right direction for him.” Brown added that the poll showed “something of a disconnect between how people view the overall economy and their own finances when it comes to Obama’s policies,” and added: “Whether in the end that means they give him a thumbs up or down in November 2012 is an interesting question.”
A full 73 percent said the economy remained in recession — despite official figures showing growth — but that number is down from 79 percent in a July 22 survey. Respondents said by a 46 to 28 percent margin that Obama’s policies will help rather than hurt the economy. In what could be a significant challenge to the president, the survey showed voters wanted the repeal of the vast health care overall by a margin of 48 to 43 percent. Among independent voters, a majority of 54 to 37 percent wanted it off the books, with Republicans wanting repeal holding a massive 83 to 12 percent majority. Democrats support the health care reform by 76 to 16 percent.
“The Republicans pushing repeal of the health care law have more American people on their side. They may not have the votes in the Senate, but they have many on Main Street,” said Brown.
