Approval Spikes Upward for Health Care Reform Bill

by Deacon Blues

Over the last two days, the GOP and their friends in the media have ginned up the rage and anger over health care reform (HCR). John McCain and other wacko Republicans have nonsensically told us that outside the Beltway everyone is steamed about this, and that the GOP will have no problem hanging this around Democrats' necks and repealing it.

Too bad public opinion proves them all liars. Just like every damn thing the GOP has said on the subject, this too is flat out delusional and not borne out by the facts.

Americans by 9 percentage points have a favorable view of the health care overhaul that President Obama signed into law Tuesday, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, a notable turnaround from surveys before the vote that showed a plurality against it.

By 49%-40% those surveyed say it was "a good thing" rather than a bad one that Congress passed the bill. Half describe their reaction in positive terms, as "enthusiastic" or "pleased," while about four in 10 describe it in negative ways, as "disappointed" or "angry."

This is a 12-point swing from just two weeks ago, when 45% favored HCR and 48% disapproved. Now, nearly half of those polled say the bill should only be a down payment, and that more needs to be done.

The largest single group, 48%, calls the bill "a good first step" that should be followed by more action on health care. An additional 4% also have a favorable view, saying the bill makes the most important changes needed in the nation's health care system.

If public opinion can swing 12 points simply by Obama and the Democratic congress getting something done over continual GOP obstructionism, what does that say about the depth of so-called public anger against the actual bill? Over the last two days, the non-GOP media has continually explained in detail what the bill actually means for Americans, which may be the first time in this whole debate that the public has focused on the facts behind the bill, rather than the pathetic GOP rhetoric. With a greater understanding of what the bill will do, almost half of the public want Congress to go farther, which is consistent with the results of the Scott Brown election in Massachusetts.

Moreover, if public opinion on an issue can swing that much by Democrats ditching bipartisanship and running over the GOP mob, then shouldn't that be the template for the remainder of 2010?