53% Of U.S. Voters Opposed To Obama's Health Care Plan

As there is no 'Obama health care plan' or package that has been fashioned and made ready for a vote, with at least 3 pieces of legislation being considered in committee and both the Senate and the House of Representatives, what exactly is it that people oppose? 

Karen: Thank you for your comment. Just to set the record straight, I've indicated (on this site) on a few occasions that I'm not happy at all with my private health care coverage. Indeed, I spend about $10 thousand per year on family medical coverage and that doesn't include medical procedures or emergency room visits. According to the polls, however, most Americans that are on private health plans are satisfied with their coverage. Go figure!

The polling data, included in the above story, paints a pretty good picture of why millions of Americans are highly skeptical of any government-sponsored health care plan. It doesn't make any difference as to which political party sponsors the health care plan. If the current proposal was put forth by Republicans, I believe that we'd see the same reaction.

Average Americans are typically blind to what their lawmakers are up to. Indeed, they couldn't care any less about what their lawmakers are up to unless it directly affects them--especially if it affects their pocket books and the matters of direct importance to them such as their relationship with their doctors and whether or not their families have unfettered access to health care.  I know that sounds cynical, however, as an American that's lived in America for 55 years, I believe it to be the truth. And quite frankly, the apathy on the part of average Americans disturbs me greatly as I'm sure it disturbs you. 

The politicians that are attempting to sell the health care reform plan are not very good sales people, to say the least, and what's worse is that they appear to be unfamiliar with their product. We all know that Americans will buy  it on a stick, given the proper marketing techniques. And no one doubts that, given the amount of unnecessary crap that Americans buy. Indeed, Americans are an easy sell! But the politicians are, simply, not used to being questioned one-on-one and consequently put on the defensive by average Americans, because, as I've pointed out, average Americans (due to their apathy) typically don't engage their politicians. 

I've started reading HR 3200 in spite of the fact that I have a life (or at least I thought I did). And right from the get-go of my reading, I couldn't help but conclude that if the bill (in its present form) were to be passed, virtually all Americans would be legally bound to the provisions of the bill. Again: I have no axe to grind in regard to HR 3200. I would love to cut my and my family's health care costs while receiving the same quality of health care.

Karen: "So often, Americans like and dislike things 'just because', with no rhyme or reason to it." HA! You've got that right in my opinion!  As I've mentioned, I'm starting to read the proposed HR 3200 bill in it's entirety. My wife already thinks that I'm nuts and she'll be totally convinced of it in about another two weeks after I've deciphered the proposed legislation.

As to the "breakdown" of specifics, I honestly can't tell you, however I will look into it very carefully and I promise you that. In regard to specifics, the proponents of the bill don't appear to be conversant with the specifics. It appears to me that  American citizens are the only ones that are bringing up specifics and the politicians are the ones that are not specific.

If the proponents of HR3200 really believe in the bill and want to sell Americans that are already covered on private plans, I offer this simple sales solution: Before the proposed bill can be approved, it must be written into the bill (and therefore law) that all members of the U.S. House and Senate, along with all members of  the Executive and Judicial branch, as well as anyone working for the U.S. government cannot have any other form of health care other than  the health care offered under the proposed bill. Nor can they seek any health care outside of the U.S. and therefore "cheat, as it were. If the bill's proponents show the American people that the bill is good enough for them and their families by giving up their present tax-payer funded health care perks then I think that they have a chance of selling the bill to the American people. Americans are always sold by a salesman  that puts his money where his mouth is.

The latest gallop poll I could find was in July 2009 with USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-13-poll-health-care_N.htm

The one outstanding item here is that people want change in health care, but don't want to be responsible for a law that will cover the uninsured, all 48 million. 

http://www.gallup.com/poll/122822/americans-sharply-divided-healthcare-reform.aspx

Here is a poll from August, but I did not see a figure that suggested 53% oppose Obama's health care reform.

a211423: Gallup, unlike Rasmussen, includes voters and non voters in their polls. Rasmussen only includes voters and likely voters. For that reason, Gallup will show anywhere from a 2 to 5% more favorable view of proposed health care legislation.

Rory,

Can we promise each other to take up this conversation in January 2010?

Now its all about "if."

We WILL have health care reform no matter which poll claims to have the crystal ball, then we can have a conversation about how its working and discuss where adjustments might have to be made.   

: )

There's no crystal balls here. It's just polling data and accurate data at that. National health care is a big thing for the Democrat party. If they don't get something passed in the way of health care, no matter how they get it passed,  then they will have egg on their face.

Voters are the key to whoever wins an election. If 50 million people that don't vote are all for national health care and another 50 million that have voted consistently throughout the years  are against it, then no matter what health care legislation is passed, those that passed it are going to have a major re-election problem. Either way, it's a no win situation for the Democrat party because no matter what health care legislation they pass, it will be picked apart, line by line, and used as a wedge against them in the 2010 and 2012 elections. I think that the Democrat party has gone about this issue in the wrong way and the party is just going to continue to piss more and more voters off and alienate those that are sitting on the fence regarding this issue. And what will further compound their problem is that it is virtually always the case in American politics that the party of the president loses seats in the congress during mid-term elections.

Funny how the disapproval rating grows and the approval rating shrinks in line with the timeline of a strong public option being taken off the table.

The people need to speak and let tell the government that universal healthcare is a universal human right and that it is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that one and all are cared for equally under the law of the land.

This is not socialism, it is called democracy.  Who among us does not want healthcare to be available for themselves when they need it?  Those are the only people who could possibly vote not to cover themselves.  It seems obvious that everyone else wants it.