# Poll: 57% of Americans now support public-option health care **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 20, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531 "2009-10-20T22:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/1 "2009-10-20T22:08:38Z")
[_Washington Post:_](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101902451.html) > [@](#): > > A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health-care plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and wins clear majority support from the public. > > Americans remain sharply divided about the overall packages moving closer to votes in Congress and President Obama’s leadership on the issue, reflecting the partisan battle that has raged for months over the administration’s top legislative priority. But sizable majorities back two key and controversial provisions: both the so-called public option and a new mandate that would require all Americans to carry health insurance. > > \ > > On the issue that has been perhaps the most pronounced flash point in the national debate, 57 percent of all Americans now favor a public insurance option, while 40 percent oppose it. Support has risen since mid-August, when a bare majority, 52 percent, said they favored it. (In a June Post-ABC poll, support was 62 percent.) So – how, if at all, will that make a difference in what Congress comes up with? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/2 "2009-10-20T22:12:51Z")
I read 56 percent of Republicans are for the public option. The politicians will not fool the people if they offer a plan without it. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/3 "2009-10-20T23:04:39Z")
I really fear the worst of both worlds, being required to purchase insurance but not having a public option. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/4 "2009-10-20T23:12:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So – how, if at all, will that make a difference in what Congress comes up with? Very little. How the industry is paying them to vote matters more than what the public wants; this affair helps demonstrate how democracy is nearly dead in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/5 "2009-10-20T23:12:42Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I really fear the worst of both worlds, being required to purchase insurance but not having a public option. Yikes - that does not sound good to me. Given that in many places there is limited competition, it sounds like more bonuses might be on the way for top executives! ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/6 "2009-10-20T23:49:04Z")
You beat me to it, **Der Trihs.** What we think has nothing to do with what’s going on in Congress. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/7 "2009-10-20T23:59:19Z")
Write your legislators. They are in the business of being re-elected. If they fail on an item people are serious about ,they risk their seat. Make it plain you will not vote for them again and you may be surprised. It is a battle that can be won. ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/8 "2009-10-21T00:02:17Z")
Nothng. With a push-over for a President, you won’t get the public option. He will compromise the bill to ineffectiveness. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/9 "2009-10-21T00:13:10Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Yikes - that does not sound good to me. Given that in many places there is limited competition, it sounds like more bonuses might be on the way for top executives! Yeah, no shit. It doesn’t keep me up at night but it does disturb my wa. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/10 "2009-10-21T03:20:03Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Write your legislators. They are in the business of being re-elected. If they fail on an item people are serious about ,they risk their seat. Make it plain you will not vote for them again and you may be surprised. It is a battle that can be won. You can be sure that I will be writing to Eleanore Holmes Norton making it clear how I expect her to vote on this vital matter. What? ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/11 "2009-10-21T07:22:20Z")
Polls only matter if they agree with the speaker’s agenda. Otherwise they are easily cast aside. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/12 "2009-10-21T14:27:34Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Polls only matter if they agree with the speaker’s agenda. Otherwise they are easily cast aside. Not by politicians or political parties that spend a fortune running them. They treat them with great respect and often modify their policies in accordance. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/13 "2009-10-21T14:51:28Z")
From your cite - > [@](#): > > Overall, 45 percent of Americans favor the broad outlines of the proposals now moving in Congress, while 48 percent are opposed, about the same division that existed in August, at the height of angry town hall meetings over health-care reform. Seven in 10 Democrats back the plan, while almost nine in 10 Republicans oppose it. Independents divide 52 percent against, 42 percent in favor of the legislation. But all this is meaningless, because - > [@](#): > > But if there is clear majority support for the public option and the mandate, there is broad opposition to one of the major mechanisms proposed to pay for the bill. The Senate Finance Committee suggested taxing the most costly private insurance plans to help offset the costs of extending coverage to millions more people. Sixty-one percent oppose the idea, while 35 percent favor it. As always, it’s a great idea, as long as we don’t have to pay for it. Since we **always** have to pay for it… Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/14 "2009-10-21T15:05:53Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Write your legislators. They are in the business of being re-elected. If they fail on an item people are serious about ,they risk their seat. Make it plain you will not vote for them again and you may be surprised. It is a battle that can be won. Meh…they want to get elected but if they play nice with their corporate sponsors they likely have lucrative positions on some Board if they get booted. They can also make a fortune lobbying if they have significant connections. Add to that a rather generous “severance” (the more proper term escapes me for some reason but hopefully you get the idea) upon leaving Congress. Frankly I am amazed they work as hard as they do to stay in and more do not cash out. I guess being in that position of power is quite alluring to them but they are hardly in dire straits if they lose their job and their future is better served by bending over for their corporate sponsors. Tough luck for you and me. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/15 "2009-10-21T15:18:57Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > it’s a great idea, as long as we don’t have to pay for it. Since we **always** have to pay for it… Not true, we can make the **Republicans** pay for it! ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/16 "2009-10-21T15:29:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So – how, if at all, will that make a difference in what Congress comes up with? Not much, unless the demographics of the people who support it change. The biggest hurdle in Congress right now is the Blue Dog Democrats. Unless the increased support is part of \*\*their \*\*constituency, it doesn’t really matter. They’ll still be opposed to it. Increasing the number of Charles Schumer’s constituents that support the PO isn’t going to help it get passed. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/17 "2009-10-21T18:03:39Z")
Not only do I support the public option, but I’d be completely happy spending all night [banging it](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvaJYYeXf70). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/18 "2009-10-21T19:35:25Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > From your cite -But all this is meaningless, because -As always, it’s a great idea, as long as we don’t have to pay for it. Since we **always** have to pay for it… > > Regards, > Shodan You do realize that the extra revenue is to subsidize the uninsured and under-insured, and has nothing to do with the public option which is supposed to be revenue neutral. As for supporting what is in Congress, I’d love to see the question asked, since there is a gigantic gimish of bills floating around now. I don’t think there is anyone in the universe who would support all of them, so the level of support stated is probably higher than what can be justified. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/19 "2009-10-21T20:42:04Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > From your cite -But all this is meaningless, because -As always, it’s a great idea, as long as we don’t have to pay for it. Since we **always** have to pay for it… Then we might as well pay for it the cheapest, most effective way. Which would be some form of UHC. Or are you under the impression that health problems magically vanish if the government doesn’t pay? ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531/20 "2009-10-21T20:44:42Z")
From afar, the healthcare issue looks like a mighty battle between oligarchy and what’s left of democracy in the US. If the public win this one then there may yet be hope. Interesting how it was easier to manufacture consent - sorry about that - for foreign policy (wars) born of corporate interests than it has been to resist this domestic initiative. Looks a vital battle to win. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-57-of-americans-now-support-public-option-health-care/514531.md?page=2)