As Obama preps for tonight’s news conference, the public is becoming increasingly hostile to his healthcare plans. A new Rasmussen poll out today shows a majority of Americans are opposed to Obama’s reforms.
The health care reform legislation working its way through Congress has lost support over the past month. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of U.S. voters are at least somewhat in favor of the reform effort while 53% are at least somewhat opposed.
Today’s 44% level of support is down from 46% two weeks ago, and 50% in late June.
Opposition has grown from 45% in late June to 49% two weeks ago and 53% today.
As in earlier surveys, those with strong opinions are more likely to oppose the plan rather than support it. The current numbers: 24% strongly favor and 37% strongly oppose.
If Democrats force the plan through, they risk a backlash from independent voters, 60% of whom oppose the legislation. Additionally, 78% of voters believe the plan will lead to middle class tax hikes.
One statistic that Republicans should keep in mind in the coming weeks is this gem:
Another factor that may be playing a role is underlying public skepticism about the legislative process. Americans, by a two-to-one margin, believe that no matter how bad things are, Congress can always make it worse.
Obama may claim he is fixing healthcare, but he also promised he would fix the economy. He made it worse.