Breitbart Poll: Only 23% Trust the Federal Government to Handle Healthcare Issues

A new Breitbart/Judicial Watch poll finds that people do not trust the federal government to handle healthcare issues. Less than one-quarter of adults say they have confidence in federal government to do so, while a plurality are confident in the state to handle healthcare. Twenty-seven percent have confidence in neither to handle the matter.

Do you have more confidence in the federal government or your state government to handle healthcare issues?

44% STATE GOVERNMENT

18% THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

27% NEITHER 

5% BOTH 

5% DO NOT KNOW

49% TOTAL STATE

23% TOTAL FEDERAL

The younger cohort, those under the age of 45, are more likely to say they are confident in de-centralized healthcare, possibly because older adults are more likely to have healthcare coverage through federal programs. Seventy-four percent of adults who are 65 years of age or older report they are covered through a government program.

There are partisan differences as well, with Republicans significantly more likely to be confident in the state (59%) on healthcare matters. Conversely, Democrats are more likely to have confidence in the federal government (33%) although a majority of Democrats still do not prefer the federal government handle healthcare.

African-Americans are the only sub-group to trust the federal government more than than state government on healthcare issues. Thirty-eight percent say so while just 24% trust the state.

 

Distrust in the federal government and a distaste for an intrusive government is not entirely surprising. Our findings are consistent with a recent Gallup poll that reports a record number of people saying the biggest threat to the future of the United States is “Big Government.” A whopping 72% say so, an increase of 8% increase from two years ago. 

 The Breitbart/Judicial Watch Poll was conducted by The Polling Company among 1000 adults, December 13-16 using live callers. The survey had a dual-frame sample of 65% landline, 35% cell phone with a margin of error of +/-3.1 at the 95% confidence level.