The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Opposition to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul has dropped dramatically in the United States in just a matter of weeks, the latest Associated Press-GfK poll has found. The public is split 40-40 on supporting or opposing the health care legislation, the poll found. An even split is welcome news for Democrats, a sharp improvement from September, when 49 percent of Americans said they opposed the congressional proposals and just 34 percent supported them. Anger about health care boiled over during August. Lawmakers returning home for town hall meetings faced outcries that the government was trying to take over the system, ushering in higher costs, lower quality â even rationing and euthanasia. The United States is the only developed nation that does not have a comprehensive national health care plan, leaving about 50 million people without health insurance. The congressional bills would require all Americans to get health insurance, either through an employer, through a government program or on their own. Tax credits would be offered for many of those who buy their own coverage but failure to comply could result in a fine. "It's very significant that there's an upturn in support for the plans because after August there was a sense that the whole effort was beginning to decline and would not come back in terms of public support," said Robert Blendon, a Harvard University professor who tracks American public opinion on health care. "Even with this," added Blendon, "the country is still divided over whether or not moving ahead is the right thing to do." Independents less alarmed? Behind the shift seems to be a growing determination among Democrats that going forward would be better. Meanwhile, political independents do not appear as alarmed about the congressional proposals as they were just a few weeks ago. Still, opponents remain more passionate in their convictions than do supporters. In a significant change, opposition among older Americans dropped 16 percentage points. Seniors have been concerned that Congress would stick them with the bill by cutting their government-run Medicare program to pay for covering the uninsured. Among the most reliable voters, they were much more wary of the changes than the public as a whole. The gap has narrowed. The poll found that 68 percent of Democrats support the congressional plans, up from 57 percent in early September. Opposition among independents plunged from 51 percent to 36 percent. However, only 29 percent of independents currently support the plans in Congress. Opposition among seniors Among seniors, opposition fell from 59 percent in September to 43 percent now. Almost four in 10, 38 percent, now support it, compared with 31 percent in September. Retiree Sandi Murray, 65, of Hesperia, Michigan, said she does not have any concerns her Medicare coverage will suffer. "I think it will be A-OK," she said. Murray said she thinks it's time to address the problems of nearly 50 million people without coverage. "We need to do something so that everybody has some amount of coverage for some reasonable amount of money," she said. Republicans remain solidly against the congressional health care plans, with four out of five opposed. However, even 13 percent say they support the bills in Congress, a contrast with the mood of party lawmakers, who are all but unanimously opposed. Americans overwhelmingly say it is important that health care legislation have the support of both parties, but Democrats are showing signs of impatience. Fifty-seven percent say Obama and the Democrats should pass a bill this year even if they are unable to win support from Republicans. Blendon credits Obama's speech to Congress in early September and his blitz of media interviews and appearances since then for moving public opinion toward the positive column. What some have criticized as presidential hyperactivity, many Americans took as a sign that the president was taking ownership of the issue, Blendon said. Before his prime-time speech to Congress, 52 percent disapproved of Obama's handling of health care. Now the public is split, with 48 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving. "Getting more directly involved in the outcome is what people expect a president to be doing," said Blendon. There is still deep skepticism that the government can fix the health care system to expand coverage and tamp down rising costs. The AP-GfK poll was conducted Oct. 1-5, based on a nationally representative sample of 1,003 adults age 18 or older, contacted by telephone on land lines and cell phones. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for results based on the entire sample. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Bill Frist, the Governator, and Bob Dole are now supporting it and according to Red State, Reps are lining up to support it with the PO!!!!!! Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile) Wednesday, October 7th at 3:39PM EDT 68 Comments I am told quite reliably that in a meeting today on Capitol Hill, Republican Senators began to rapidly move toward concessions on health care because they are afraid they cannot hold their members. Some Republicans are now thinking of supporting a government program. http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/07/breaking-senate-gop-folding-over-health-care-reform/
Wow, whatever happened to all that teabagger foaming-at-the-mouths and other astroturf, er, "grassroots" outrage at the guvmint takin' ovah our healt' care?
They are huddled around their TVs watching Faux News and worrying about all the liberal, commie, fascist, plots going on to take away all their rights and guns and stuff. Ironically, when they watch Beck they see a lot more of him since most of his advertisers have dropped him like the turd he is. Seneca