Polls

Lots of discussion that the majority of the public is opposed to the health care reform bills that have passed and are likely to result from the merger of the House and Senate bill. CBS News poll from this week that shows it is not monolithic opposition, and indeed, there are more persons that don't think the bills go far enough than think they go too far.

They polled three areas, asking about reform bills.

Covering Americans: go too far 32%; Not far enough 35%; About right 22%
Controlling costs: go too far 24%; not far enough 39%; about right 21%
Regulating health insurance: go too far 27%; not far enough 43%; about right 18%.

Politically, it can be bad to be caught in 'no mans lands' right in the middle with folks on all sides upset. However, for folks who wish reform had gone further, say Medicare for everyone, consider the facts. The Democratic party won the most convincing presidential election since Reagan. Had a 60 vote Senate (sort of, 58 + 2) for the first time since the 1970s and have a huge margin in the House. There are about 40-45 members of the House who are publicly for Medicare for everyone. That is about 170 votes short, in the more liberal House of Congress!

In the end, most of those folks will be supportive if a bill passes, and they should also know that something this big and complex addressing something this big and complex will be tweaked and improved. In fact, once it passes, perhaps the Republicans will be more like to become involved in ways that will be beneficial.