Voters Want Democrats to Toss Obamacare Bills and Start All Over

The President called for both parties to join with him for a summit to fix the health care bill at the end of February. The House leadership responded with a letter to Rahm Emanuel saying they welcome the opportunity but: 

Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward on health care in a bipartisan way, does that mean he will agree to start over so that we can develop a bill that is truly worthy of the support and confidence of the American people? Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said today that the President is “absolutely not” resetting the legislative process for health care. If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate.

The latest Rasmussen Poll backs up the GOP approach to President Obama's  "New Improved, Bi-Partisan, We Really Mean It This Time, Gala Health Summit." 61% of U.S. voters say Congress should scrap that plan and start all over again only, 28% who think it is better to start with health care plan that has been working its way through the House and/or Senate.

Democrats are the only ones who feel the existing plans should be the basis of the upcoming negotiations, but even with Democrats its a small majority. Fifty-three percent  of Democrats say Congress should build on the existing health care plan,republicans (84%)  and independents (66%) overwhelmingly disagree and think Congress should toss the existing Obamacare bills and start all over.

Only 35% of voters think Congress should try to pass health care reform before the upcoming midterm elections. Fifty-four percent (54%) say Congress should wait until voters select new congressional representatives in November. In other words, wait till the Democrats lose seats so congress can come up with a fair, balanced bill.

As one would expect, two-thirds of Democrats think Congress should pass health care reform before the November elections, but 80% of Republicans and 59% of independents feel its better to wait.

It’s interesting to note that in a separate survey earlier this week 63% of voters said, generally speaking, it would be better for the country if most incumbents in Congress were defeated this November. Just 27% now believe their current congressman is the best person for the job.

One major reason for this anti-incumbency attitude is voter's disagreement with health care plan's that the Democrats are trying to shove down their throats. Thirty-nine percent  approve of that plan, while 58% disapprove. Those who disagree with the bill, do so very strongly. Those overall numbers include 48% who strongly disapprove of Obamacare, and only 19% who strongly approve of the plan.

However, 41% still say it is at least somewhat likely that the plan proposed by the president and congressional Democrats will become law this year, although only six percent (6%) say it’s very likely. Fifty percent (50%) disagree, including 38% who say passage this year is not very likely and 12% who think it’s not at all likely.

..Just 19% of voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that Democrats and Republicans will agree on a bipartisan health care plan this year. Eighty percent (80%) think it’s unlikely. Included in those figures are four percent (4%) who say a bipartisan plan is very likely and 32% who say it’s not at all likely.


Only 37% say it is even somewhat likely that Congress will agree on a smaller, bipartisan health care plan this year.

Those prospects became less likely yesterday. It was reported by Congress Daily, Nancy Pelosi’s top health care aide Wendell Primus  told a conference that top Democrats have already decided on the strategy to pass the Senate's pro-abortion, government-run, health care plans. In fact he says Obama's latest bi-partisan gesture is all a trick

American voters,overwhelmingly want to remind Congress, "Its the Economy Stupid." Sixty-one percent say Congress should drop health care entirely and concentrate on the economy and create jobs.

As Obamacare moves closer to a final vote, Democratic legislators will have to determine if they are willing to fall on their political swords for Obamacare. For many maintaining support is political suicide as we saw with the Scott Brown victory and polls that show at least for now at least, voter unhappiness with Obamacare seems to be hurting the reelection chances of incumbent Democratic senators in several states including Arkansas, California, Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.