Dems call for quick passage of health plan, but voters resist
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
December 1, 2009
The Senate began debate on an $848 billion bill to overhaul health care in America, with Democrats declaring the nation cannot wait for reform even as poll numbers signal strong opposition to the plan.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the chamber would work through every weekend this month to get the bill completed, a task that will involve debating hundreds of amendments that will likely bring significant changes to the legislation before it is ready for a final vote.
"There is not an issue more important than finishing this legislation," Reid said. "This crisis, and yes, it is a real crisis, is simply too hazardous to our country and our constituents' health."
But poll numbers show the public has a much more negative view of the proposal, forcing Democrats to race to finish the bill before the end of the year, when lawmakers will return home for the holidays to get an earful from constituents.
Two new polls released Monday show Democrats are not winning over the public.
A USA Today/Gallup survey taken before Thanksgiving found 49 percent of those responding would tell their member of Congress to vote against the health care bill, while 44 percent said they would recommend a vote in favor it.
"Despite the considerable efforts of Congress and the president to pass health insurance reform, the public remains reluctant to endorse that goal," Gallup reported Monday.
The steepest drop in support has been among independent voters. The poll found that just 37 percent supported the health care legislation, down from 48 percent in September.
A Rasmussen Reports poll found 41 percent of voters in favor of the bill and 53 percent opposed to passage, with the favorable rating dropping 10 points since President Obama outlined his health care reform plan in a Sept. 9 speech to Congress. In the days following the speech, 51 percent said they favored the bill and 46 percent opposed it.
Republicans opened the debate with anecdotes from constituents who implored lawmakers to block the bill.
"Americans are fed up with big-government solutions that drive up taxes and debt and which only seem to create more problems, more abuse and more fraud," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "In the face of this, our friends on the other side of the aisle appear determined to plow ahead with their plans. They don't seem to care that Americans are telling them to stop and start over and fix the problem, which is health care costs."
The bill is funded through tax increases and $465 billion in cuts to Medicare.
Democrats argued the cuts to Medicare would keep the program solvent, but Republicans said it would hurt senior citizens.
"Seniors know you can't make these kinds of cuts without jeopardizing the kind of care they receive," said Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced he would introduce the first GOP amendment Monday calling for the Senate to strip the Medicare cuts from the bill.
