Opposition to Government Medicine Remains Firm

Pollster Scott Rasmussen has been testing the attitudes of likely voters toward the Democrats’ government medicine plans since June. In general, opposition to those plans hardened through the summer and early fall and has been strong since. Last week there was a slight uptick in support for government medicine, but this week’s survey, just out, suggests that that was only random variation.
In this week’s poll, likely voters oppose the Democrats’ plans (the final version of which is still unknown) by a solid 55-40 percent. The reasons are not hard to find: by better than three to one, 57-17 percent, voters think the Democrats’ schemes will raise costs, not lower them. And 52 percent think they will also reduce the quality of medical care.
With those numbers, it isn’t surprising that opposition to the Dems on this issue is not just broad but deep. 45 percent are “strongly opposed” to the plan, while only 19 percent strongly favor it.
With those numbers, it’s hard to see anything the Democrats could do to bring the public around to their way of thinking about health care. Hence, one supposes, the retirement announcements from Congressional and Senate Democrats.