ABC 30 Blogs

POLL: No Confidence in Covered California

President Barack Obama said, "Fair to say the roll out has been rough so far... I'm not happy."

The President has company in his unhappiness. A new and exclusive Action News Poll conducted by SurveyUSA shows a majority of those people in the Fresno/Visalia area who were asked... are dissatisfied or having a negative feeling about the Affordable Care Act and Covered California.

Covered California is the state's health insurance marketplace for the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act... commonly referred to as "ObamaCare."

The purpose of this state-run marketplace is to help individuals and small businesses get access to affordable health insurance coverage. The results of the Action News Poll suggest the opposite.

First of all, SurveyUSA asked 900 adults if they had even heard of Covered California. Barely half -- 53% -- answered "Yes." 44% replied "No" ... and 3% said "Not Sure."

Next, 478 of those who had heard of Covered California were asked their overall impression of Covered California.

Is it positive? negative? or neutral?

Only 20% replied "positive." 51% said "negative" with 28% "Neutral."

Of note… more people who identified themselves as Republicans or Conservatives had a stronger negative impression of Covered California than those identified as Democrats, Independents, Moderates, or Liberals.

The same 478 were then asked: "Have you or anyone else in your household... tried to sign up for insurance through Covered California?" 11% said 'Yes"... but 88% replied "No." 1% 'Not Sure."

On November 13th, Covered California released it's statistics for the month of October regarding applications and eligibility under the Affordable Care Act.

Covered California reported an estimated 370,000 individuals started the application process, but only 30,830 ended up enrolled in health coverage.

A spokesperson for Covered California told Action News the numbers exceeded their expectations.

Athena Fleming said "We find that everyone really wants affordable healthcare. They want it now and they are enrolling. They're not waiting."

Back to the Action News Poll... and remember, the responses are from people in the Central Valley.

SurveyUSA asked the 52 people who tried to sign up through Covered California if they ran into any problems when they tried to sign up? 65% responded "Yes." 35% said "No."

Of the 34 people who had problems signing up... pollsters asked if they were eventually able to successfully sign up? Only 10% replied "Yes." 76% said "No." 14% answered "Not Sure."

According to Covered California, about one-third of the national enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act came from the Golden State. Spokesperson Fleming claims the Covered California website is separate from the federal website and has experienced far fewer glitches than the national website.

A new Covered California call center located in Northwest Fresno will begin fielding calls from the public on Monday, November 18th.

RELATED LINKS:

Covered California
http://bit.ly/17Wpmp

Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #20889
http://bit.ly/HPsmrQ

Radanovich Explores Run for Governor

After leaving Washington nearly three years ago, former 19th District Congressman George Radanovich may be jumping head first back into politics.

Radanovich Explores Run for Governor

After leaving Washington nearly three years ago, former 19th District Congressman George Radanovich may be jumping head first back into politics.

Radanovich is exploring a possible run for Governor of California. Today (9/26) he sent out an email to friends, supporters, and possible financial backers explaining his reasons for considering a campaign for the top job in the Golden State.

Radanovich wrote, "I am worried about the future of California and our nation and I am prepared to do something about it."

He plans to travel the state and discuss his strategy to "Restore California" and gauge the support he would receive for a candidacy and his plan based on his recent book, "The New World Order is the Old World Order."

In a previous blog, I wrote about the book which details what Radanovich describes as the four institutions of society: family, business, religion and government.

Radanovich believes by focusing on strengthening these four institutions... especially family and the issue of fatherless children... the problems plaguing California can be fixed.

Radanovich initiated a pilot project in Fresno called "Restore Fresno" which relies on private funds to help support local families.

The program is still in its infancy, but if he runs and gets elected, Radanovich wants to take this program statewide.

The Republican wrote to his supporters "Restore California places the private sector ahead of California government and parents ahead of the village. In so doing, the cost of education will drop because more and more California children will enter school from a good foundation of parental support and ready to learn. The cost of fighting crime and housing criminals will decrease because more and more California children will enter society from this same foundation. I believe that we can reduce the need for the California welfare state, shrink bloated state budgets and reduce high taxes by reducing the ranks of the fatherless child in every community in California."

You can read more about Radanovich's idea here: http://bit.ly/16MNEME - http://bit.ly/15WLpcX

Since leaving Congress after sixteen years in office, Radanovich, a widower, has been raising his teenage son, restoring his Mariposa vineyard, writing about politics and policy, and consulting.

If he runs, Radanovich would be the third Republican to seek the Governor's office. Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, is expected to seek another term, but he has yet to declare his intention to run again.

Here is the full email sent by George Radanovich to supporters:

Dear Friends:

I am worried about the future of California and our nation and I am prepared to do something about it.

With over 20 years in public service, including sixteen years as the United States Representative from California's 19th Congressional District, I have concluded that government alone does not have the capacity to solve the immense and enormous challenges we face in California. I believe that the institutions of the private sector, though weakened by eighty years of progressivism, can fuel the rebuilding or our faltering state and nation.

With this in mind, I created the The Four Institutions, Inc., a 501(c) (3) foundation. Among the four institutions that form the basis of any society- family, business, religion and government -the family is the weakest and can only be strengthened and rebuilt by addressing the issue of fatherless children in America.

Since retiring from Congress I have developed a pilot project in Fresno, California called Restore Fresno, which is based on a successful and unique private sector initiative in Chattanooga, Tennessee called First Things First. This program reduced fatherlessness, unwed pregnancy and divorce each by thirty percent in ten years not by passing laws, but by persuasion; not with tax dollars, but with private investment; not by reinventing the wheel, but by providing direction and resources to the private sector (business, the religious community, non-profits, etc.). Restore Fresno seeks these same results.

Once established in Fresno, my goal is to implement this program in every county in California and, eventually, every community in the nation. I believe that by making fatherlessness the most important cultural issue in America and establishing these private sector initiatives in every community in the United States there will be less need for public programs and more support to reduce government.

Armed with information on the cost to government of fatherlessness, unwed pregnancy and divorce, and lost productivity in the economy caused by these social pathologies, I will challenge legislators in Sacramento to reassess the role of government and develop balanced budget proposals based on the success of the statewide version of Restore Fresno, called Restore California.

Restore California places the private sector ahead of California government and parents ahead of the village. In so doing, the cost of education will drop because more and more California children will enter school from a good foundation of parental support and ready to learn. The cost of fighting crime and housing criminals will decrease because more and more California children will enter society from this same foundation. I believe that we can reduce the need for the California welfare state, shrink bloated state budgets and reduce high taxes by reducing the ranks of the fatherless child in every community in California.

A program of rebuilding the private sector and then cutting government represents a radical departure from business as usual in Sacramento. But I believe Californians are ready for change and the time is ripe for a new approach. That is why I am considering entering the race for governor of California. Exploring the privilege to serve as California's governor will give me the opportunity to visit community leaders throughout the state and discuss the details of Restore California.

For more information, I have included links to Restore Fresno and Restore California on my website thefourinstitutions.com. I look forward to meeting with you soon to discuss this initiative.

Sincerely,
George Radanovich

BREAKING: Poll Results – Stay out of Syria

President Obama took his case for a military strike against Syria to the American people tonight.

Many in the greater Fresno area may agree with the President in some manner, but they still oppose military action against the Assad regime.

A new Action News Poll conducted by Survey USA shows 54% of those who watched the President’s address believe the United States should “stay out of it” in regards to Syria.

29% responded “Bomb Syria but not send in ground troops”.

3% said “Bomb Syria and send in ground troops”.

14% responded “Not Sure”.

Republicans and Independents in the poll were two-thirds or more in favor of staying out of Syria while more Democrats favored a bomb-only strategy.

Pollsters also asked “Did you agree with… almost all of what President Obama had to say? Some of what he had to say? Or almost none of what he had to say?”

 

The results:

Almost All 34%

Some 30%

Almost None 35%

Not Sure 1%

Here’s a link for more information and crosstabs on this Action News Poll:

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=cac81928-a22c-4cf1-b4d1-9cc3922dbd28&c=100

Full Speach: President Obama's Address to the Nation on Syria

Poll: Let Congress decide Syria attack

As President Obama considers a military strike against the Syrian government for using chemical weapons on its own people... a new Action News Poll shows a majority of Valley residents believe the President is right in turning to Congress to make the decision about a U.S. reaction.

Moon Parks, Hot Dogs, & Gas

Blame it on the heat.

A sizzling summer seems to have melted the brains of some local, state, and national politicians.

As issues such as pension reform, immigration, national security, and water get bypassed, our lawmakers are busy introducing bills that make most of the American public just shake their collective heads in disbelief.

For example: California Legislators are debating the definition of a hot dog.

Assembly Bill 1252 regards retail food safety and the state's food codes.

Poll: Valley Majority doesn't embrace Gay Marriage

Many gay and lesbian couples are now happily rushing to County Clerk offices across California to tie the knot.

Welty: Politics & Prop 30

You better "work on getting a thick skin."

That's the advice from retiring Fresno State President Dr. John Welty to his successor at the University.

Fundraiser-in-Chief

President Barack Obama returns to California tonight (April 3rd) to headline four fundraisers in the Bay Area.

Hernandez Back in the Hunt for Congress

Just four months after being soundly defeated by David Valadao… Democrat John Hernandez is back on the campaign trail… planning to challenge the Freshman GOP Congressman in 2014.

Hernandez lost to Valadao (in rounded numbers) 58% to 42%.

He won the vote in only one county in the 21^st District…Kern County. Hernandez focused the majority of his campaign efforts there. He didn’t have the funds or resources to mount a major campaign throughout the District.

Hernandez told me… he believes his late entry into the race hurt his fundraising and eventual showing on Election Night.

Valadao had a huge advantage in fundraising and received hundreds of thousands of dollars from an outside PAC to launch TV ads against Hernandez.

Hernandez’s 2012 House Election Committee came out of the General Election with a campaign debt of $40,500.  Hernandez says more than half of that red ink is from money he lent to his own campaign.

Hernandez is holding a fundraiser tonight (March 14^th) in Fresno to help retire that debt and hopefully, start adding to a 2014 campaign war chest.