It takes remarkable hubris—not to mention a pronounced anti-democratic streak—to shove through Congress a bill that is wildly unpopular with the American people, and apparently getting more so every day. How unpopular? According to a CNN poll, a solid majority now opposes Obama-style health care reform. From the poll:
26. From everything you have heard or read so far, do you favor or oppose Barack Obama’s plan to reform health care? Favor 40%. Oppose, 54%
And get this, when you get into greater detail, more than 70% do not wish the bill passed anything close to its current form.
27. As you may know, several health care bills have been passed by committees in the U.S. House and Senate and they can be brought before Congress for debate and a final vote at any time. Which of the following do you think Congress should do:
Continue working on those bills this fall and make relatively minor changes before passing final legislation 26%
Continue working on those bills this fall but pass final legislation only if major changes are made 33%
Start work on entirely new bills that would not be ready until some time next year 24%
Stop working on any bills that would change the country’s health care system 15%
No opinion 1%
That’s a whopping 72% against passage in its current form without major changes, wanting to start over, or not doing it at all. Only 26% can said to be happy with what is being done. A remarkable loss of the political debate—which for some representatives seems irrelevant to the passage of the bill—by President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Leader Harry Reid.
