# Gallup: Public opinion on health-care reform almost unchanged from beginning of August **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 10, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566 "2009-09-10T16:05:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 5
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566/5 "2009-09-10T17:30:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > See [here.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/122822/Americans-Sharply-Divided-Healthcare-Reform.aspx) So what exactly did all those town-hall demonstrations, etc., accomplish? Were they a waste of time? Not as far as I can tell - > [@](#): > > Independents lean against healthcare reform, 44% vs. 29%, although their opposition does not rise to the level of a majority (28% of independents offer no opinion). Obama wasn’t going to get the Republicans, and Democrats aren’t going to change their minds either. As ever, the middle is the way to go, and Obama isn’t going there. ISTM that Obama has nailed his colors to the mast here. If he can’t get this thru Congress even with a substantial majority in both houses, what hope is there for the rest of his agenda? Or if he does ram it thru, and it turns out to be as unpopular as it seems to be, then the fallout from the [68%](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204313604574330442429438938.html) of Americans who rate their health care as good or excellent and who discover that they will have to pay more (which only 28% are willing to do) and get less. Then Obama can either raise taxes, and run the risk of choking off a recovery, or run the deficit even higher than he already has. Regards, Shodan --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gallup-public-opinion-on-health-care-reform-almost-unchanged-from-beginning-of-august/509566)._