New Yorkers All Over The Map On Repealing 'Obamacare'
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- Just about everyone has something positive and negative to say about "Obamacare."
House Republican leaders are looking to repeal the health care law, but find themselves evenly matched by Democrats.
You don't have to go to Washington to hear the debate over whether Congress should repeal the health care bill.
"They should absolutely keep it," Chappaqua resident Marc Valenti told CBS 2's Marcia Kramer. "From the day they passed the legislation, 31 million people I think were added on. And suddenly children with pre-existing conditions were now covered."
"Repeal it immediately. The first rule of medicine is do no harm and the health care bill does enormous harm to both the physicians who really want to practice medicine and patients who deserve quality care," said John Margand of Yonkers. "I think its really a ploy by certain socialists."
"Not all of it, only some parts of it should be repealed. Some parts that can help the poor and less fortunate, yes keep it in. Give them that safety net. But if we're gonna blow up the deficit and blow up our economy we have to find ways to cut it," added Chris Guerrero of East Harlem.
The debate over whether to repeal the so-called "Obamacare" bill comes as a new poll shows people narrowly support overturning the law.
According to a national Quinnipiac University poll, 48 percent of voters want it repealed, 43 percent do not and 8 percent are undecided. Independents in the poll want it repealed 54 percent to 37 percent, with 9 percent undecided.
New York congressmen also have strong feelings. Congressman Anthony Weiner said repeal would be a disaster for New York City residents.
"Over 1 million people will be left without health insurance if this bill is repealed. Family premiums for those who have insurance will go up nearly $2,000," Rep. Weiner said.
New Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm said the bill increases the deficit, kills jobs and has raised the cost of insurance.
"Somewhere between 10 and 13 percent increases in premiums -- what are we doing here? Wasn't the whole purpose to lower premiums to make health care more affordable so that we can put more people and enroll them in health care? We're doing the opposite?" Grimm said.
The vote to repeal the bill is expected to be taken up in Congress sometime Wednesday.
The debate has become so partisan that the Democratic National Committee called a NYC phone bank Tuesday to bombard downstate Republican Congressmen Peter King, Grimm and Nan Hayworth with calls demanding they defend the health care bill.
