Contributing Editor
There's a significant generation gap when it comes to opinions on health care reform with 42 percent of voters over 50 wanting their representatives to vote against it, 41 percent of those between 30 and 49 also in that camp, while those aged 18 to 29 seem indifferent. In that group, 41 percent have no opinion, 36 percent favor reform and 23 percent are against, according to a
Gallup data collected in August and September.
Support for a reform bill stands at 37 percent for the 30-to-49 group, 40 percent for those 50-to-64 and 32 percent for those over 65.
There's a gender gap, too. Forty-four percent of men oppose a reform package, 33 percent favor one, and 23 percent have no opinion. Forty percent of women favor reform, 33 percent are opposed and 28 percent have no opinion.
By region, the strongest support (42 percent) is in the East, and lowest in the South and West (34 percent and 35 percent respectively).
By race, 45 percent of whites oppose the reform proposal, 31 percent support it and 23 percent have no opinion. Fifty percent of nonwhites support reform compared to 20 percent who oppose it and 29 percent who have no opinion. Among blacks, 65 percent support reform, 9 percent oppose it while 26 percent have no opinion.
Those earning $75,000 or more oppose reform by 50 percent to 37 percent. People in the $30,000 to $75,000 range oppose it by 40 percent to 36 percent. Those making less than $30,000 support passage of a reform bill by 40 percent to 23 percent with a big 36 percent having no opinion.
The margin of error is 2 percentage points.