It seems somewhat strange, doesn’t it, that the Democrats are doing everything they possibly can to get health-care reform passed into law twisting every arm, laying out every procedural maneuver when, in fact, the policy is not even popular with the American people. In a new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, 48 percent called the health-care legislation a “bad idea,” with only 36 percent believing it’s a “good idea.” Of course, there are other reasons for Democrats to continue striving toward its passage anyway.
For one, many believe it’s the right thing to do regardless of politics, since, you know, it will prevent a lot of people from dying and will actually reshape the health-care system in positive ways. Others hope that once the bill is passed, Obama will have an easier time selling it to the American people, who actually do want some kind of health-care reform (70 percent say that if the current legislation fails, Congress should start anew on health-care reform either immediately or in the next couple of months). And finally, there’s the viewpoint that the group whose opinion matters the most is not “Americans” but “Democrats.” While America as a whole is more against the bill than for it, Democrats are still overwhelmingly supportive, and if your base doesn’t show up to vote, you’re screwed. Whatever happens with health-care reform, every member of Congress has reason to worry: The most interesting finding in the poll, to us, is that half of Americans would kick out every single member of Congress if they could.
