Lack of labels boosts policies’ popularity with NC voters

It’s no secret that the two major political parties battle over the best ways to address many public policy challenges. When one side stakes out a position, the other often takes an opposing stance.

Sometimes the opposition is philosophical: Think tax rates and government spending levels.

Other times, one team just wants to avoid seeing its opponents win. (I get it. As talented, well-coached, and otherwise admirable as they might be, no Michigan football team or Duke basketball squad is likely to generate praise from this writer.)

A policy idea can lose steam if it acquires a label that sparks opposition from a particular political faction. Without the label, the idea might fare much better.

The May Carolina Journal Poll offers three interesting examples. In each case, a policy proposal earns widespread support when separated from the name assigned to it during Jones Street political debates.

The first deals with education. Pollsters asked 600 likely North Carolina election voters: “Do you support or oppose allowing North Carolina families to receive publicly funded scholarships that help students attend the school that best fits their needs, including public, private, charter, or home schools? The money would first go to families with the lowest income.”

The question does not match up exactly with North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program, which focuses only on private schools. But OSP would be included, as would state education savings accounts.

Note that the question does not mention “opportunity” scholarships. Nor does it feature the word “voucher,” which generates heated opposition in certain sectors.

More than 65% of those surveyed supported scholarships, with just 26% registering opposition. Republicans, whose party introduced OSP and ESA programs in North Carolina, offered the most support. But not by much. At 67%, their margin over Democrats’ 65% support fell well within the poll’s margin of error.

While 62% of white voters supported education scholarships, 77% of black voters endorsed the idea. Given the facts of political party registration, that latter number must include a sizable number of black Democrats.

The other two recent poll questions do not involve clear Republican-versus-Democrat dimensions.

But both address health care policy proposals that have stumbled in the North Carolina General Assembly thanks, at least in part, to names or labels that might obscure the relevant issue.

Pollsters asked: “Would you support or oppose allowing more health care providers to open facilities, add beds, or offer services if they meet safety and licensing standards, without having to prove to the state government that there is a ‘need’ for the service?”

This question addresses North Carolina’s certificate-of-need law. It requires providers to secure state government’s permission before undertaking major medical projects.

State lawmakers have debated CON for years with varying degrees of support for maintaining or abandoning the law’s restrictions. The CJ poll asked about CON without using its name.

Almost 65% of likely voters supported the anti-CON position, with just 20% taking the pro-CON side. Though state Senate Republicans have been vocal opponents of CON in recent years, CON repeal polls significantly better among Democrats (69%) and independents (68%) than among GOP (55%) voters.

As with the education scholarship question, black voters (71%) were more likely than whites (63%) to support reducing the regulatory burden in health care. One suspects that many of those voters have no idea that GOP senators have been vocal advocates of dropping CON rules.

Pollsters also asked: “Would you support or oppose allowing advanced-practice registered nurses, including nurse practitioners, to provide more services up to their level of training without a sponsoring physician, if they meet state training and licensing requirements?”

This question addresses an issue known as “full practice authority” for nurses. It’s part of the SAVE Act, legislation that has failed for years to cross the legislative finish line.

More than 75% of North Carolina voters supported the concept without the question mentioning either the legislation or “full practice authority” jargon. Republicans and Democrats had matching levels of support (78%), with independents falling a bit behind (68%). Support registers well among whites (77%), blacks (73%), women (73%), and men (78%).

Scholarships that expand education choice. Reduced state government barriers for health care providers. More freedom for nurses to put their training to use. Clear majorities of North Carolina voters endorse each of these ideas.

Removing political labels and partisan triggers from the equation helped clarify the public’s support. It’s a good lesson to keep in mind as North Carolina moves forward with policy debates in the weeks and months ahead.

Mitch Kokai is senior political analyst for the John Locke Foundation.