In an effort to gauge public opinion on various policy questions, OCPA recently commissioned SoonerPoll to conduct a statewide survey of 509 likely Oklahoma voters. The survey was conducted May 2 through May 12, 2011, using live telephone interviewers. The margin of error is ± 4.3 percent. Given that the survey found that 12 percent of Oklahomans describe themselves as liberal whereas 52 percent describe themselves as conservative (33 percent are moderate), the following results will not come as much of a surprise. In Oklahoma, it’s usually the case that good policy is good politics.
Will the health care plan passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama be good for the country or bad for the country?
- Good for the country 22%
- Bad for the country 65%
- Don’t know / Refused 13%
A proposal has been made to repeal the health care law and stop it from going into effect. Do you favor or oppose a proposal to repeal the health care law?
- Strongly support 55%
- Somewhat support 8%
- Combined support 63%
- Neutral / No opinion 7%
- Somewhat oppose 5%
- Strongly oppose 22%
- Combined oppose 27%
- Don’t know / Refused 4%
The health care law requires states to establish a health insurance exchange—essentially an online marketplace for health benefits and insurance products. Under the new health care law, Oklahoma has been awarded a $54 million federal grant to establish a health insurance exchange. But Oklahoma leaders have announced they will not accept the federal grant. They say it comes with unacceptable strings attached. Which view comes closest to your own?
- Oklahoma should accept the federal money 23%
- Oklahoma should reject the federal money 62%
- Don’t know / Refused 15%
Medicaid is a joint federal-state health program mostly for lower-income people. A proposal has been made to levy a $50 fee on some Medicaid enrollees that engage in unhealthy behavior—specifically, cigarette smokers. Would you support or oppose this proposal?
- Support 53%
- Oppose 38%
- Neutral/no opinion 7%
- Don’t know / Refused 2%
Oftentimes, under Oklahoma’s current welfare system, a young woman can receive more financial benefits by remaining single than by marrying the father of her children. Other times, a woman who is already married can receive more financial benefits by separating from or divorcing her husband. Some people say it is unwise to discourage marriage in this way, and that this policy should be changed. But other people say marital status shouldn’t matter, and that the policy doesn’t need to be changed. Which view comes closer to your own?
- The policy should be changed 70%
- The policy doesn’t need to be changed 21%
- Don’t know / Refused 9%
According to the Tax Foundation, the average Oklahoman worked from January 1 until April 2, 2011, to earn enough money to pay this year’s tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels. That’s a total tax burden of roughly 25 percent. Do you think this tax burden is too low, too high, or just about right?
- Too low 3%
- Too high 54%
- Just about right 33%
- Don’t know / Refused 10%
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