Research Briefing

Senate Dems’ Ignored America’s Opposition And All Voted For Government-Run Health Care, But They’ll Finally Hear The People In November

ALL SIXTY DEMOCRAT SENATORS JUST VOTED FOR REID’S BILL

Every Democrat Senator, With No Republicans, Voted For Cloture. (Motion To Invoke Cloture On The Reid Amendment #3267, Roll Call Vote #385, Agreed To R: 0-40 R; D: 58-0; I: 2-0, 12/21/09)

THEY DIDN’T LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Polling Confirms The Obama-Reid Bill is “A Piece Of Legislation That Large Swaths Of The American People Neither Want Nor Think Will Work.” “The White House -- as we wrote yesterday -- is dead set on passing the health care bill and will stop at nothing politically to get it done. But, new data in the NBC/WSJ poll suggests that simply passing a bill -- whatever is in it -- won't solve Democrats' political problems on health care… What that data tells us is that the White House is pushing to passage a piece of legislation that large swaths of the American people neither want nor think will work.” (Chris Cillizza, “The Political Dangers Of Passing A Health Care Bill,” The Washington Post’s “The Fix” Blog, 12/17/09)

According To A NBC/WSJ Poll, Only 32% Of Americans Think Dems’ Plan Is A Good Idea, And More Prefer The Status Quo To Passing It. “Just 32 percent of the sample said that President Obama's plan is a good idea while 47 percent said is a bad idea. Public opinion on that question had eroded even since October when 38 percent thought passing some sort of health care bill was a good idea while 42 percent said it was a bad one. More people now believe that it would be better to not pass the plan and maintain the status quo (44 percent) than think passing the plan and changing the system is the right course (41 percent). In October, those numbers were reversed with 45 percent agreeing with the idea that passing the Obama plan was the right thing to do while 39 percent preferred to keep the status quo in place.” (Chris Cillizza, “The Political Dangers Of Passing A Health Care Bill,” The Washington Post’s “The Fix” Blog, 12/17/09)

BUT THESE DEMS WILL HEAR FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS SOON

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): 54 Percent Of Nevada Voters Oppose The Obama-Pelosi-Reid Government-Run Health Care Experiment. (“Election 2010: Nevada Senate Race,” Rasmussen Reports, 12/11/09)

• 66 Percent Believe It Will Raise The Deficit. (“Election 2010: Nevada Senate Race,” Rasmussen Reports, 12/11/09)
• 75 Percent Believe It Will Raise Taxes For The Middle Class. (“Election 2010: Nevada Senate Race,” Rasmussen Reports, 12/11/09)

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO): 55 Percent Of Colorado Voters Oppose The Obama-Pelosi-Reid Government-Run Health Care Experiment. (“Election 2010: Colorado Senate Race,” Rasmussen Reports, 12/11/09)

SEN. BLANCHE LINCOLN (D-AR): Nearly Two Of Every Three Arkansans Oppose Obama-Reid-Pelosi Health Care Experiment. “The really bad news for Lincoln is that 56% of Arkansas voters Strongly Oppose the congressional health care plan. Just 18% Strongly Favor it. When those with less intense opinions are included, 32% of Arkansas voters support the proposed health care legislation and 65% oppose it ...” ("Election 2010: Arkansas Senate Race," Rasmussen Reports, 12/3/09)

• Yet Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) Claimed She Would Listen On The Health Care Vote. “I am responsible to the people of Arkansas, and that is where I will take my direction.” (Carl Hulse, “3 Democrats Could Block Health Bill In Senate,” The New York Times, 11/17/09)

SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): 61 Percent Of Nebraskans Are Now More Likely To Vote Against Sen. Nelson Because Of His Vote. “If Senator Ben Nelson votes in favor of this plan, would that make you more likely or less likely to support Senator Nelson when he runs for re-election? … More likely: 27%; Less Likely: 61%” (The Tarrance Group, Nebraska Questionnaire, 12/15/09)

• Director Of Nebraska NFIB Says Dems' Experiment Saddle Small Businesses With “Higher Taxes And Burdensome Mandates.” “Our health care system is broken, but for Nebraska's small, family businesses, health care reforms that saddle them with higher taxes and burdensome mandates would make things worse, not better ... reform legislation will hurt small business - and that, in turn, will hurt all of Nebraska.” (Bob Hallstrom, Op-Ed, "Competition, Level Playing Field Key To Health Care Reform," Lincoln Journal Star, 10/19/09)

SEN. CHRIS DODD (D-CT): 51 Percent Of Connecticut Voters Oppose The Obama-Reid-Pelosi Government-Run Health Care Experiment. ("Election 2010: Connecticut Senate Race," Rasmussen Reports, 12/8/09)

• And 60 Percent Say Dems' Bill Will Increase The Deficit. ("Election 2010: Connecticut Senate Race," Rasmussen Reports, 12/8/09)
• The New Haven Register's Editorial Board: Dems' Bill Does Nothing To Reduce Health Care Costs. “[The] plan gives insurance companies almost everything they want by requiring everyone to have coverage without providing any check to insurers' ever-rising premiums ... Without cost controls that emphasize quality of care over the present fee-for-service system, the cost of insurance will continue to rise, making it unaffordable for more individuals and businesses.” (Editorial, "Real Reform Elusive For Health Care," The New Haven Register, 9/25/09)

SEN. BYRON DORGAN (D-ND): Poll Shows 62 Percent Of North Dakotans Oppose The Obama-Reid Government-Run Health Care Experiment. “Twenty-eight percent of likely North Dakotan voters support the healthcare bill proposed by President Obama compared with 62% who oppose the proposed legislation, including 48% who strongly oppose the bill.” ("North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan Trails In Potential 2010 Senate Match-Up," Zogby International, 11/20/09)