The requirement that nearly everyone obtain health insurance or pay a fine has long been Americans’ least favorite part of the health reform law.
A new Kaiser poll finds that half of all Americans (51%) think the Court should rule the mandate unconstitutional and about the same number (53%) expect the justices to do so. Those who favor the law say two-to-one (50% to 26%) that the Court should uphold the mandate, and those who oppose the law say twelve-to-one (83% to 7%) that it should strike the mandate down.
Americans have not yet tuned in to the high court case, with more than six in ten saying they are not following it closely. And many are confused – 42 percent either think the Court has overturned the law or do not know whether it has.
Sixty-two percent say other parts of the law still will be implemented if the Court rules the mandate unconstitutional, compared to 28 percent who say such a ruling will scuttle the whole effort.