Posted by Doug Bandow on 11/14/09 12:57 PM [Older: Falling Morale in Afghanistan]

Ironically, the Democratic push to nationalize the health care system apparently has caused more Americans to view health care as a private, not government, responsibility.  Reports Gallup:

More Americans now say it is not the federal government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage (50%) than say it is (47%). This is a first since Gallup began tracking this question, and a significant shift from as recently as three years ago, when two-thirds said ensuring healthcare coverage was the government's responsibility.

Gallup has asked this question each November since 2001 as part of the Gallup Poll Social Series, and most recently in its Nov. 5-8 Health and Healthcare survey. There have been some fluctuations from year to year, but this year marks the first time in the history of this trend that less than half of Americans say ensuring healthcare coverage for all is the federal government's responsibility.

How right they are.  The health care system is a mess and needs fixing.  But that means it needs less, not more, government regulation. 

Doug Bandow

Posted 11/14/09 1:40 PM Daamien Ridgefield, CT

It's refreshing that more people are understanding that the Federal Government was not intended nor should have authority over such issues and act as a provider of miscellaneous services not enumerated in the Constitution. That being said, I'd again like to warn Doug and others against mentioning political parties on the front page, only individuals. It gives the perception that we are a political group (increasingly perceived as tied to Republicans) rather than an ideological group. There are sympathetic Democrats amongst our ranks. A more appropriate term would be "the collectivist push to nationalize the health care system".

Posted 11/14/09 1:57 PM Salvatore Giuseppe Fleming Island, FL

I don't think its a coincidence that the first year that there was a push for Government Health Care is the first year the public doesn't want it. In previous years, the question would have seemed like "do you support free health care" to those surveyed. Now, people have seen what health care will cost, monetarily and elsewise, and it has made a difference.

Posted 11/14/09 2:27 PM CTLovesNathanHale Atlanta, GA

And keep in mind all these polls are cooked to favor big government -- the real total would probably be 70% against, even without further education of the public. We need our own, scientific, polling capabilities if we ever want an accurate read of public opinion...

Posted 11/14/09 7:28 PM triliberty516 levittown, NY

The constitution gives the Federal Government very little power. The power not directly authorized by it to the Congress are powers delegated to the States and people. The Federal Government is not supposed to be our National Government. It is supposed to be small and have very few functions. These functions are limited to that which is outlined in the organic manuscript known as the United States Constitution. The manuscript that is supposed to curtail and limit the Federal Governments scope of power. It was not created to say that the Federal Government and Congress have no limitations to the contrary. The Federal Government has no jurisdiction out side the district of Columbia and all Federal Enclaves, Federal Territories, Post Offices, Military Bases, Federal Parks, Federal Lands, Federal Armories, Federal Buildings and Insular areas. The States are not Federal Territories nor have they ever been Federal Territories. You are not a US Citizen or Person unless you are a Corporation or person living/acting/residing in a Federal area like Washington DC. You are a citizen of your state. When there is a Federal Agent in your county he/she has limited jurisdiction to no jurisdiction. States have the right to uphold laws created in that states and to ignore Federal Laws they feel are unconstitutional. This is why the South succeed. When the Federal Government Congress created laws that were destructive to the South they resisted eventually realizing there was a big problem. The problem was the Manufactures in the North owned the Congress and had their bought law makers price fix via tariffs. They bleed the Northers and Southerners through price gouging. So the South said we have no representation in Washington DC we will Succeed which they had every right to do. But the Northerners Manufacturers and the Bankers knew without the recourse rich south they would be less powerful. The ports of the south would engage free trade instead of trade pushing tariffs. Which is not free trade. So if the South was free to trade this way the Northern Manufactures would have to compete with Europe and other Countries. Health Care is not under federal domain. It is not a right. It is a product or commodity. The federal government has no business in it! And the States will prove this they are already exercising their own State powers like Virgina who has already said we don't want to be involved in the Federal Medical Scheme. Teach Liberty!

Posted 11/14/09 8:54 PM BruceKoerber Cedar Rapids, IA

http://apoliticalpoliticalcommentary.blogspot.com/ Saturday, November 14, 2009 Gallup Poll Shows That Majority Rejects Government Health Care. What is the reason the Congress is voting to adopt a fascist and socialist health care plan? To ask the question is to answer it. The corruption of politicians by big money from the big money pharmaceuticals and other elements of the medical industrial complex blinds them and it is very evident that they no longer represent the people who elected them. The intertwining of government in this kind of corruption is a type of fascism. Then there are the ideologues who think that socialism is the best way to make everyone equal, that is, everyone who is not a part of the power elite. These are the ones who run the lives and steal the wealth of the other ones who are the equally oppressed masses resulting from socialism. Socialism is a two class system of the oppressor and the oppressed. So the battlelines are clear: reject these corrupt politicians who are really just a parasitic class trying to gorge themselves. Do not accept their phony legislation and do not re-elect any of them.

Posted 11/15/09 08:24 AM galtgulch Southborough, MA

triliberty516. Not Succeed rather Secede!

Posted 11/15/09 1:49 PM kcihcovka Mansfield, OH

Stop saying "system." If you call it a "system" then arguments that it needs to be "more efficient" or "more centralized" make more sense in context than they do in actuality. It's not a system. It's people providing a service for other people.

Posted 11/15/09 3:12 PM JohnF Lake Mary, FL

"That being said, I'd again like to warn Doug and others against mentioning political parties on the front page, only individuals." My response to that, is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwZXR6FRuIA It's a wasted effort to pretend that the Democratic Party is not behind the latest push to nationalize health care. Are we to be so ideological as to deny reality? If this latest poll is correct, and if the health care bill passes anyway, we will be witnesses to another failure of democracy. This country is quickly becoming a pure democracy, and the flaw in that political system is becoming painfully obvious. And this is what we're trying to "promote," around the world? "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." -Thomas Jefferson How our politicians need to heed these words today.

Posted 11/15/09 11:34 PM Daamien Ridgefield, CT

JohnF, the point that I was trying to make is that we are meant to be opposed to bad ideas and policy, not political parties. The Campaign for Liberty is not meant to be partisan.

Posted 11/16/09 07:23 AM cjtmw Omaha, NE

One point of caution: there is a +/- 3% for a 95% Confidence Interval. Meaning that you can't say for certain that more are against government health care than are for it. It is only strongly suggested. Of course, the numbers are quite a bit closer together then they were a long distance back, which bodes well for our cause.

Posted 11/16/09 4:54 PM Glenn Cumming, GA

Isn't scary that it is not 100% 'no'? I can understand if you work for the federal government and you think part of your looting package should include medical benefits. Does that mean that 1 out of 2 people polled are mooching off the other 1 out of 2 polled?

Posted 11/17/09 2:02 PM elkhtr Cotopaxi, CO

As many of you have rightfully stated. The Constitution does not give Congress the power or right to run, manage, or implement any government run healthcare program. Nor does it give them the power, right, or authority to force American Citizens to purchase any product of any kind. They are to collect taxes to PROVIDE for the COMMON DEFENSE, and provide regulation or deregulation of Interstate Commerce and incentivise the Private Sector in order to PROMOTE (not pay for) the GENERAL WELFARE. Clearly the message to each of your congressmen and senators and even the president should be that they are doing something UNCONSTITUTIONAL. I have written my reps and senators (from Colorado) and am frankly sick and tired of form letter replies. I have now informed them that they are violating their oath to uphold the Constitution. I hope they get the message. I believe that any healthcare program coming out of this government should have its Constitutionality Challenged. We must defend our Liberty!! Glenn