Americans Still Oppose Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill as Democrats Press for Vote
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 15, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — As Democrats press for final votes this week on the pro-abortion health care bill, a new Rasmussen poll confirms what national surveys have said for months — a majority of Americans oppose it. Meanwhile, surveys in the districts of pro-life and moderate Democrats also show opposition to the plan.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds just 43% favor the pro-abortion health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats while 53% oppose it.
Americans who hold the most passionate views one way or the other are also strongly opposed to the plan — as Rasmussen found 23% who strongly favor the plan and 46% who strongly oppose it.
"The numbers are virtually unchanged from last week and are consistent with findings in regularly tracking going back to just after Thanksgiving," the reputable polling firm said.
Democrats continue to overwhelmingly support the plan, while Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party strongly oppose it. Most voters (55%) would rather see Congress scrap the original plan and start all over again.
Rasmussen also indicates the opposition has had an effect on the 2010 midterm Congressional elections.
"The health care plan is even more unpopular in Missouri than it is nationally. That helps explain why Democratic Senate candidate Robin Carnahan who’s in a close race with Republican Roy Blunt wasn’t on hand this past week when the president came to the state to sell the plan," the polling firm noted.
Looking at the local impact, a Polling Company survey of key congressional districts shows voters are clearly opposed to the pro-abortion health care bill.
"The survey consisted of 1,200 registered voters in 35 districts represented by members who could determine the outcome of the health-care debate," pollster Kellyanne Conway wrote in the Wall St. Journal today.
"Sixty percent want Congress to start from scratch on a bipartisan health-care reform proposal or stop working on it this year. Majorities say the legislation will make them and their loved ones (53%), the economy (54%) and the U.S. health-care system (55%) worse off—quite the trifecta," she writes.
"Seven in 10 would vote against a House member who votes for the Senate health-care bill," Conway continues about the poll. "That includes 45% of self-identified Democrats, 72% of independents and 88% of Republicans."
"Should members from these districts and those like them be concerned? Yes. Walking the Democratic line now means walking the plank. Sixty percent of the voters surveyed will vote for a candidate who opposes the current legislation and wants to start over," the pollster said.
"But the survey does provide a little good news for wavering Democrats. A congressman can buy himself a little grace if he had previously voted for health-care reform but now votes against it," Conway concluded.
"More dramatically, 58% of voters say they will be more supportive of their congressman’s re-election if he votes against the bill a second time. However, for those members who voted against it in November and vote yes this time, 61% of voters say they will be less likely to support their re-election," she wrote in the Journal.
The polling data follows polls from the Susan B. Anthony List showing voters in districts of pro-life Democrats strongly oppose the bill and abortion funding.
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