Opposition to Pro-Abortion Health Care Plan Hits New High With Baucus Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 18, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Opposition to the pro-abortion government-run health care plans has hit a new high following the introduction of the Baucus bill that the senator has billed as a compromise. Like HR 3200 and the Kennedy bill, the measure from the Montana Democrat also includes abortion subsidies and mandates.
The Baucus bill also includes financial incentives for physicians to promote rationing of health care.
Given those problems, a new Rasmussen poll finds opposition to the three plans has increased to a record high in its surveys.
The new poll released today finds 56 percent of voters nationwide now oppose the health care reform proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s the highest level of opposition yet measured and includes 44% who are strongly opposed.
Just 43% now favor the proposal, including 24% who strongly favor it.
Pollster Scott Rasmussen says there was a slight bounce toward supporting the pro-abortion health care proposals after Obama’s speech, but the numbers have returned to the levels they have been at for some time — with a clear majority of Americans opposing the plans.
"But the overall picture remains one of stability," he explains. "While the numbers have bounced a bit following nationally televised appearances by the president to promote the plan, opposition has generally stayed above 50% since early July. Support has been in the low to mid 40s."
"The number who strongly oppose the plan has remained above 40% and the strongly favor totals have been in the mid-20s. This suggests public opinion is hardening when it comes to the plan that is currently working its way through Congress," he added.
The results come after another Rasmussen poll found a plurality of Americans don’t want abortion funding in the health care bills.
The survey finds 48% believe any government-subsidized health care plan should be prohibited from covering abortions. Just 13 percent want the health care bills to make it a requirement that abortions are funded.
The Rasmussen survey found no consensus for abortion funding even from Americans who favor the government-run health care plans pending in Congress while those who oppose the plans strongly oppose abortion funding.
Among those who currently support passage of the legislation, 22% want a prohibition banning abortion coverage and 22% want a mandate requiring such coverage. Forty-seven percent of the plan’s supporters prefer the neutral approach, and nine percent are unsure.
Among those who oppose the plan, 72% favor a prohibition against coverage of abortions while five percent favor abortion funding.
Another poll, by Public Opinion Strategies, also showed very little support for abortion funding.
That showed 43 percent of adult voters would be less likely to support a health care reform bill that funds abortions while just 8 percent would be more supportive.
The poll found voter intensity is strong with over one-third (36%) of voters saying they would be much less likely to support the plan.
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