Oh my: Public now opposes ObamaCare, 45/53

posted at 4:43 pm on November 6, 2009 by Allahpundit
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A tip o’ the hat to CNN for gamely trying to spin one of the most gruesome polls for ObamaCare that we’ve seen this year — so far. Opposition to The One’s plan is now a clear majority, up seven points since September; the number of Americans who want Congress to either make major changes to the bill, start over on the bill, or scrap the entire effort stands at a combined 72 percent; and the number who say Obama isn’t doing enough to work with Republicans now equals the number who say he is.

CNN’s headline? “Public wants Congress to keep working on health care.”

Fifty-nine percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey say lawmakers should continue working on the legislation, a rise of 6 points since August. But only a quarter say those bills should be passed pretty much as is, with a third suggesting that Congress should make major changes. The poll also indicates that one in four say lawmakers should start from scratch and 15 percent want Congress to stop all work on health care reform…

“Six in ten independents say they oppose Obama’s health care proposals,” says Holland. “That’s a nine point increase since October.”

Check out these trend lines. If Blue Dogs were breathing into paper bags on Tuesday night, they’ll need oxygen tanks tomorrow:

Opposition’s actually higher now than it was at the height of townhall mania in August. As for that 72 percent who want — at the very least — major changes made to the bill, what’s interesting about it is the lack of a trend. Compare the numbers now to the same numbers in August and you’ll find that a combined 73 percent were disgusted with the bill then, too. Which means, after two months of hard work and compromise in Congress to hammer out bills in the House and Senate, the number who think only minor changes are now needed has increased by … one percent.

Meanwhile, contain your surprise to find that newly elected Rep. Bill Owens from NY-23 has suddenly decided that he was wrong about the public option during the campaign and that it’s a great idea after all. Exit question: The left keeps assuring us that the big problem with ObamaCare is the lack of a “robust” public option, but how does that square with the CNN poll? Granted, even here, 55 percent say they support it, but we’re a lot closer to having a public option in the final bill now than we were in August — and yet the overall numbers for ObamaCare are that much further into the toilet. What gives?

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