The American Spectator

AmSpecBlog

Support For Health Care Bill Drops Even Further Without Gov't Plan

By Philip Klein on 8.19.09 @ 1:29PM

A new Rasmussen poll shows that without the inclusion of a government-run plan, support for health care legislation drops to 34 percent, with 57 percent opposed. Dropping the measure does not win over those already skeptical of the legislation, it errodes support among liberals. It's important to remember that all of those people that are on the left fighting for health care legislation -- the unions, the activists, etc. -- are fighting for the inclusion of a government-run plan. If Obama drops the idea, in other words, he loses the most passionate defenders of health care legislation -- the people making the calls, organizing rallies, and signing petitions -- and the most intense sentiment is among those who oppose his policies. Rasmussen found that without the government plan, just 9 percent of people say they would "strongly favor" legislation, compared with 26 pecent who expressed strong support just a week ago.