Political rhetoric and political persuasion - The changing structure of citizens' preferences on health insurance during policy debate

This research examines whether the structure of citizens' preferences on government-supplied health insurance changed during the course of the health care debate of the early 1990s. Specifically, it seeks to determine if the considerations that structure citizens' preferences on health insurance changed in a manner consistent with elite attempts to shape public opinion to their advantage. Additionally, it investigates whether change in the structure of citizens' preferences on health insurance policy were moderated by political awareness. Findings indicate that public opinion on government-supplied health insurance changed dramatically over a relatively short period of time; that the structure of preferences changed in accordance with the prominence of arguments advanced by political elites; and that change in preferences and the structure of preferences occurred most dramatically among the low and, especially, medium politically aware.