Health Care Poll Sends Strong Message To Senators

The Huffington Post writes about a new poll showing that voters across the board are not pleased by the idea of health insurance mandates without a public option or a Medicare expansion.

Conducted by Research 2000 for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democracy for America (DFA), the survey finds only 33 percent of likely voters favor a health care bill that does not include a public health insurance option and does not expand Medicare, but does require all Americans to get health insurance. Slightly more Democrats -- 37 percent -- favor the idea, while only 30 percent of Republicans and 31 percent of independents do.

Meanwhile, if the public option and Medicare buy-in are added, 58 percent of people support the idea. The number of Republican supporters drops to 22 percent, but independent support rises to 57 percent and Democratic support to a whopping 88 percent.

"This poll shows voters in full-blown revolt against the Senate bill," said PCCC co-founder Stephanie Taylor. "Only one-third of voters support mandates without a public option, while nearly two-thirds want the public option and Medicare expansion. This will be a disaster of epic proportions for Democrats in 2010 if it's not fixed -- fast."

Another recent poll commissioned by the PCCC and DFA found that one third of Democrats are less likely to vote in 2010 if the health care bill does not contain a public option.


Wake up Senate. It's time you represent America. It's becoming increasingly obvious that Senators opposing health care reform which includes a public option and Medicare expansion are doing so only because of lobbyist pressure and financial support.