Rasmussen - Support of Obamacare DROPS After Pelosi Version Released

The House version of Obamacare has been placed on the net and the public reading of its provisions has begun.  So far it seems that American voters hate what they've seen.  Today's Rasmussen poll sees a drop in support for Obamacare from a 45 to 42%. Opposition has grown from 51 to 54%

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the House version of health care reform legislation last week, but most voters are still opposed to the effort. When you break down the numbers liberals and Democrats support the plan but the rest of the country disagrees.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of liberals support the plan, but just 18% of conservatives agree.

As has been the case for months, Democrats favor the plan while Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major party are opposed. The latest numbers show support from 69% of those in the president’s party. The plan is opposed by 80% of Republicans and a plurality (48%) of unaffiliated voters.

.....Fifty-five percent (55%) say passage of the plan would increase the cost of health care, and 52% say it would hurt the quality of care. Just 23% say it would reduce costs while 27% believe it would improve quality.

Polling released last week showed that health care reform remains the top priority for Democratic voters. However, it ranks fourth on a list of four among Republicans and unaffiliated voters. Overall, 38% of voters see deficit reduction as most important among the four priorities listed by the president earlier this year, while 23% cite health care reform as tops.

Rasmussen also sets straight those who say the public likes the public option:

Polling on the health care topic by many firms has created some confusion. In particular, polls on the “public option” show a wide variety of results. A recent poll in The Washington Post found that 57% support a government-run health insurance company to compete with private insurers, but Rasmussen Reports polling shows that support is very soft. In fact, people are strongly opposed to a public option if they think it could lead employers to drop the existing coverage they provide employees. The fact that results are so subject to change based upon minor differences in question wording suggests that voters do not have firm opinions on the public option.

Virtually all polling shows a plurality or majority opposed to the current plan in Congress. The poll in The Washington Post found just 45% support for the congressional plan among all adults. Additionally, support for the current plan has remained stable suggesting that public opinion is firmly established at this time.

Other recent polling shows that 49% would rather see no health care legislation passed this year than see the current bill become law. Two-thirds (66%) say an increase in competition is more likely than increased government regulation to reduce the cost of health care. That’s one reason there is strong support for removing the exemption from anti-trust laws currently enjoyed by insurance companies.

While voters are skeptical of the plan working its way through Congress, 54% say major changes are needed in the health care system. Sixty-one percent (61%) say it’s important for Congress to pass some reform.

As Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, wrote recently in the Wall Street Journal: “The most important fundamental is that 68% of American voters have health insurance coverage they rate good or excellent. … Most of these voters approach the health care reform debate fearing that they have more to lose than to gain.”

Only 31% believe Congress has a good understanding of the proposed health care reform.

 The President's approval continues to stay low. Rasmussen's Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 27% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent 40% Strongly Disapprove giving Obama an Approval Index rating of -13. Obama's overall approval rating remains at an all time low of 46%.