New polls show more skepticism about health care "reform"
by desmoinesdem, Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 03:12:56 PM EST
Following up on Jerome's post from earlier today, Democratic strategists who are counting on a bounce from passing fake health care "reform" won't be comforted by recent poll numbers. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll that was in the field from December 11-14
finds that those believing Obama's health-reform plan is a good idea has sunk to its lowest level.Just 32 percent say it's a good idea, versus 47 percent who say it's a bad idea.
In addition, for the first time in the survey, a plurality prefers the status quo to reform. By a 44 percent to 41 percent margin, respondents say that it would be better to keep the current system than to pass Obama's health plan.
By comparison, in both September's and October's NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls, the American public preferred changing the system to the status quo, 45 percent to 39 percent.
An ABC/Washington Post poll that was in the field from December 10-13 had even more worrying numbers.
Only 44 percent of respondents support "the proposed changes to the health care system being developed by (Congress) and (the Obama administration)," while 51 percent oppose them.
By a 53-33 margin, respondents expect their own health care will cost more if reform passes.
By a 50-37 margin, respondents expect the quality of the care they receive would be better with the status quo than if reform passes.
By a 55-35 margin, respondents believe "The country's health care system overall will cost more" if reform passes than if it does not.
By a 45-22 margin, respondents believe health care reform will weaken Medicare if it passes.
By a 66-11 margin, respondents believe health care reform will increase the budget deficit.
By a 63-33 margin, respondents support "expanding Medicare to cover people between the ages of 55 and 64 who do not have health insurance."
Remember, the NBC/WSJ and ABC/WaPo polls were in the field before Rahm Emanuel told Harry Reid to let Joe Lieberman dictate terms for the bill. It's a safe bet that public support for the current proposal is even lower now that reality is sinking in with more Democrats and liberals, who have up to now largely backed the health care reform effort.
I saw that Keith Olbermann is off the bus now too.
It's past time for beltway Democrats to stop deluding themselves about the benefits of passing something, anything on health care reform.
Tags: Congress, health care reform, Senate (all tags)
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myDD - skin
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