Today in Washington D. C. - Dec 9, 2009 - 2 New Polls Show Majority Opposition To Democrat Health Bill
Senate resumed consideration of the Reid substitute amendment to H.R. 3590, the vehicle for Democrats’ health care reform bill. Votes are likely later today on a motion from Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) to send the bill back to the Finance Committee to make sure it keeps the president’s pledge to not raise taxes on anyone making less that $250,000/year and on an amendment from Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) concerning reimportation of drugs from other countries.
Yesterday, 58 Senate Democrats voted to preserve a special deal grandfathering Florida’s Medicare Advantage plan, and denying that to seniors in other states. Also, as reported yesterday, the Senate voted 54-45 to kill an amendment from Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) that would added language similar to what was included in the House bill by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) to prevent taxpayer money from subsidizing health care plans that would cover abortions.
To recap, the Senate Democrats’ health care bill was written in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office behind closed doors for around 5 weeks earlier this fall. The bill has been debated on the Senate floor for only 10 days, and now Democrats are announcing a new back room deal that they want to include in the bill. But Americans don’t want to hear about new deals struck in Senate meeting rooms; they’re sending a clear message that they don’t like the Democrats’ partisan plans and want to scrap the current bill and see Congress start over.
Today’s Washington Post describes some of the details that have come out about the Democrats’ new plans: “Under the deal, the government plan preferred by liberals would be replaced with a program that would create several national insurance policies administered by private companies but negotiated by the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees health policies for federal workers. If private firms were unable to deliver acceptable national policies, a government plan would be created.” So despite news reports that the “public plan” has been dropped from the bill, in fact, this new proposal includes two government plans: one administered by OPM, and another that comes from the “trigger” option. The deal would also expand Medicare, which is already approaching insolvency. According to The Post, “people as young as 55 would be permitted to buy into Medicare”
Clearly, Democrats are scrambling to find any combination of policies that can attract 60 votes. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell indicated he has a dim view of this, saying yesterday, “[L]et me suggest to the Majority, Americans would much rather we get it right than scurry around throwing together untested, last-minute experiments in order to get 60 votes by Christmas.”
In fact, the American people have been remarkably clear in what they’d like to see out of Congress. This morning, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared that the Senate must “answer the American people's call to action,” but he apparently isn’t paying attention to what Americans are calling for. Two new polls today put Americans’ wishes in stark relief.
Quinnipiac finds, “Voters disapprove 52 - 38 percent of the health care reform proposal under consideration in Congress, and they disapprove 56 - 38 percent of President Obama's handling of health care, down from 53 - 41 percent in a November 19 survey . . . .” Further, Quinnipiac finds, “American voters say 63 - 30 percent that extending health insurance to all will raise their cost of health care . . . .” The poll also finds that majorities of Republicans (90%), independents (82%), and Democrats (53%) all believe the Democrats’ health care legislation will violate Obama’s promise that it won’t add to the deficit. Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, was unsparing in the implications of his poll, saying, “It’s a good thing for those pushing the health care overhaul in Congress that the American people don't get a vote.”
Just as interesting is a poll from Democrat-leaning firm PPP. Their poll finds, “Support for Obama on health care has hit another new low with just 39% of voters now expressing approval of his health care plans and 52% opposed. 90% of respondents who said they were opposed to Obama's plan said it was because it involved the government too much in health care with just 6% saying their opposition was because it didn't create enough government involvement.”
Sen. McConnell noted this morning, where Americans have a vote, the results have been unmistakable: “Public opinion is overwhelming. Last month’s gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia were a stinging rebuke to the Democrat approach of more spending, more debt, higher taxes, and endless bureaucracy. And just last night we saw it again in my own state, where a Republican won Kentucky’s 14th District by a landslide. His message was as simple as it was resonant: Don’t let Washington take over our health care. This health care bill is a losing formula all around. That’s the message Americans are sending loud and clear. The signs are everywhere to see. Stop this bill. Start over.”
Tags: Government-Run Health Care, polls, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Yesterday, 58 Senate Democrats voted to preserve a special deal grandfathering Florida’s Medicare Advantage plan, and denying that to seniors in other states. Also, as reported yesterday, the Senate voted 54-45 to kill an amendment from Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) that would added language similar to what was included in the House bill by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) to prevent taxpayer money from subsidizing health care plans that would cover abortions.
To recap, the Senate Democrats’ health care bill was written in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office behind closed doors for around 5 weeks earlier this fall. The bill has been debated on the Senate floor for only 10 days, and now Democrats are announcing a new back room deal that they want to include in the bill. But Americans don’t want to hear about new deals struck in Senate meeting rooms; they’re sending a clear message that they don’t like the Democrats’ partisan plans and want to scrap the current bill and see Congress start over.
Today’s Washington Post describes some of the details that have come out about the Democrats’ new plans: “Under the deal, the government plan preferred by liberals would be replaced with a program that would create several national insurance policies administered by private companies but negotiated by the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees health policies for federal workers. If private firms were unable to deliver acceptable national policies, a government plan would be created.” So despite news reports that the “public plan” has been dropped from the bill, in fact, this new proposal includes two government plans: one administered by OPM, and another that comes from the “trigger” option. The deal would also expand Medicare, which is already approaching insolvency. According to The Post, “people as young as 55 would be permitted to buy into Medicare”
Clearly, Democrats are scrambling to find any combination of policies that can attract 60 votes. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell indicated he has a dim view of this, saying yesterday, “[L]et me suggest to the Majority, Americans would much rather we get it right than scurry around throwing together untested, last-minute experiments in order to get 60 votes by Christmas.”
In fact, the American people have been remarkably clear in what they’d like to see out of Congress. This morning, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared that the Senate must “answer the American people's call to action,” but he apparently isn’t paying attention to what Americans are calling for. Two new polls today put Americans’ wishes in stark relief.
Quinnipiac finds, “Voters disapprove 52 - 38 percent of the health care reform proposal under consideration in Congress, and they disapprove 56 - 38 percent of President Obama's handling of health care, down from 53 - 41 percent in a November 19 survey . . . .” Further, Quinnipiac finds, “American voters say 63 - 30 percent that extending health insurance to all will raise their cost of health care . . . .” The poll also finds that majorities of Republicans (90%), independents (82%), and Democrats (53%) all believe the Democrats’ health care legislation will violate Obama’s promise that it won’t add to the deficit. Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, was unsparing in the implications of his poll, saying, “It’s a good thing for those pushing the health care overhaul in Congress that the American people don't get a vote.”
Just as interesting is a poll from Democrat-leaning firm PPP. Their poll finds, “Support for Obama on health care has hit another new low with just 39% of voters now expressing approval of his health care plans and 52% opposed. 90% of respondents who said they were opposed to Obama's plan said it was because it involved the government too much in health care with just 6% saying their opposition was because it didn't create enough government involvement.”
Sen. McConnell noted this morning, where Americans have a vote, the results have been unmistakable: “Public opinion is overwhelming. Last month’s gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia were a stinging rebuke to the Democrat approach of more spending, more debt, higher taxes, and endless bureaucracy. And just last night we saw it again in my own state, where a Republican won Kentucky’s 14th District by a landslide. His message was as simple as it was resonant: Don’t let Washington take over our health care. This health care bill is a losing formula all around. That’s the message Americans are sending loud and clear. The signs are everywhere to see. Stop this bill. Start over.”
Tags: Government-Run Health Care, polls, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 12:01 PM - Post Link
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