Contrary To Right-Wing Claims, Americans Want Health Care Reform

One of the drumbeats by the right is that reforming health care goes against the will of the American people. Besides the fact that a Democratic president and an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress were elected to make this kind of reform, many polls show that Americans do want specific changes.  Yes, it’s true that a new NBC/WSJ poll indicates a turning away from reform, with just 32% saying it’s a good idea, but a series of other polls show otherwise, when Americans are asked about specific changes that could be enacted.

CBS News/New York Times poll: 59 percent favor “the government offering some people who are uninsured the choice of a government administered health insurance plan.”

CNN/Opinion Research poll: 53 percent support “creating a public health insurance option.”

Quinnipiac University poll: 56 percent support “giving people the option of being covered by a government health insurance plan.”

Wash. Post/ABC poll: 63 percent support “expand[ing] Medicare to cover people between the ages of 55 and 64 who do not have health insurance.”

Kaiser Family Foundation: Polling shows “consistent support for expanding Medicare.”

It all depends how the question is phrased. The general: “Do you support the way (name your poison: Obama, Senate, House) is conducting health care reform,” the answer is almost always negative.  However, when it comes down to specific reforms, poll and after poll shows that is what Americans want.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.