Health Care Reform

It's Time to Decide, and 54% of Voters Oppose the Health Care Plan
Sunday, March 21, 2010

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a House of Representatives vote today on the health care reform plan proposed by the President Obama and congressional Democrats. Yet while in Congress there has been months of posturing and shifting of political tactics, voter attitudes have remained constant: A majority oppose the plan being considered by the legislators.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll, taken Friday and Saturday nights, shows that 41% of likely voters favor the health care plan. Fifty-four percent (54%) are opposed. These figures have barely budged in recent months.

Another finding that has remained constant is that the intensity is stronger among those who oppose the plan. The latest findings include 26% who Strongly Favor the plan and 45% who Strongly Oppose it.

The partisan divide remains constant as well. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Democrats favor the plan, while 87% of Republicans are opposed. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 34% are in favor, and 59% are opposed.

Still, 50% of all voters say they're less likely to vote this November to reelect a member of Congress who votes for the health care plan.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) believe that if the plan passes, the cost of health care will go up. Only 17% believe the plan will achieve the stated goal of reducing the cost of care.

At the same time, most voters (54%) believe that passage of the plan will hurt the quality of care.

The Congressional Budget Office recently said that the proposed legislation would reduce the deficit, but voters are skeptical of the official government projections. Eighty-one percent (81%) believe the health care plan will cost more than projected. That's one reason voters overwhelmingly believe passage of the plan will increase the deficit and is likely to mean higher middle class taxes.

Some parts of the legislation are popular, but voters are reluctant to embrace the high cost of paying for it. Most voters (56%) oppose reducing Medicare spending and also oppose an excise tax on so-called "Cadillac" insurance plans. Fifty-seven percent (57%) also believe that passage of the plan will hurt the U.S. economy.

In fact, 55% of voters would rather see Congress scrap the original plan and start all over again.

While most voters oppose the legislation, 64% say it's at least somewhat likely to pass. The disconnect between sustained public opposition to the health care plan and the belief it may pass may be one reason that just 21% of voters believe the federal government has the consent of the governed. This follows a similar disconnect on the bailouts, the government takeover of General Motors and other initiatives that were approved in the past year despite strong public opposition.

In his new book, In Search of Self-Governance, Scott Rasmussen observes that most Americans "have come to believe that the political system is broken, that most politicians are corrupt, and that neither major political party has the answers." He adds that "the gap between Americans who want to govern themselves and politicians who want to rule over them may be as big today as the gap between the colonies and England during the 18th century."

In Search of Self-Governance is available from Rasmussen Reports and at Amazon.com. The book ends on a hopeful note and reminds readers that "in America, the politicians aren't nearly as important as they think they are."

Skepticism about politicians plays a role in the opposition to the health care legislation as well. Only 20% believe most members of Congress will understand the bill before they vote on it. When it comes to making health care decisions, 51% fear the federal government more than they fear private insurance companies. Thirty-nine percent (39%) fear private insurers more.

Health care reform now ranks fifth in terms of voter concern on a list of 10 issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports.