Oh Media - do your job! "Key Findings on Medicare" - TPM

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/key-findings-on-medicare

By JOSH MARSHALL Published DECEMBER 8, 2016, 11:41 PM EDT

"This is from a just released Pew Poll ...

A second major issue likely to be considered by the 115th Congress – possible changes to Medicare – has not resonated widely with the public. Overall, only about half of the public (51%) has heard a lot (12%) or a little (39%) about a proposal to change Medicare to a program that would give future participants a credit toward purchasing private health insurance. About as many either have heard nothing (48%) or don’t know (1%).

Those who have heard about possible changes to Medicare oppose these changes by a wide margin. Among the small share of Americans who have heard a lot about the proposal, two-thirds (67%) oppose it, while just 32% favor it. Opinion is divided among the much larger group who have heard little or nothing about the proposal (41% favor, 40% oppose, 19% don’t know).

This is pretty clear on a number of fronts. First, the press is largely complicit with House Republicans in keeping this story under wraps - until it's passed and thus too late. This is a massive potential policy shift that is being planned by Congressional Republicans. And with unified control of the federal government, there's little to stop them other than fear of public opinion. Second, when people learn much of anything about this, they turn pretty overwhelmingly against it.

This requires more light."

[Dawson Leery]

1. +1

[TwilightZone]

2. 51/49

Or, roughly equivalent to the popular vote. I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

Low-information voters unite!

40% of the people who've heard nothing about it oppose it. Had they been a little better informed, perhaps they wouldn't have voted for Republicans.

Lack of information is a much more serious problem than many want to acknowledge. It doesn't matter what message we have if people actively refuse to learn anything about the parties or their stances on the issues. And/or the media doesn't cover it.