Public Option Faring Better Among the Public than the Republican Party

Photo by Bev Sykes

A couple of polls just released are well worth considering– prefaced perhaps by Senator Baucus’ having just said, according to Kaiser Health News, “that the Senate is unlikely to approve major health care legislation this year that includes a pure form of the controversial government-operated insurance program…” and that “it is highly unlikely Democrats could muster the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster and pass health care legislation that includes a public option.”

‘There are various versions of the public option bandied about … [and] we’re trying to see what makes the most sense,’ Baucus said. ‘The goal is health care reform … that can get 60 votes. … I don’t know if there are 60 votes for the pure kind of” public option proponents are demanding.’

In response to reporter questions about Sen. Thomas Carper’s (D-Del.) plan–which would leave it up to the states to decide whether to establish a public plan or not (an idea said by KHN to have been “embraced” by  Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)), Senator Baucus replied: “That’s new, that’s interesting … We’re trying to figure out what some of the unintended consequences [of it] will be.”

According to a recent Washington Post/ ABC News poll, a rather overwhelming number of Americans find such a state by state approach–when coupled with availability to only those who lack affordable private options– more than interesting. The Washington Post reports that:

If a public plan were run by the states and available only to those who lack affordable private options, support for it jumps to 76 percent. Under those circumstances, even a majority of Republicans, 56 percent, would be in favor of it, about double their level of support without such a limitation.

As for a Public Option on a national level– without the affordability limitation– WaPo reports that

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 what may well be a related note, ABC News reports that the Republican Party is experiencing some difficulties as of late:

Only 20 percent of Americans now identify themselves as Republicans, the fewest in 26 years. Just 19 percent, similarly, trust the Republicans in Congress to make the right decisions for the country’s future; even among Republicans themselves just four in 10 are confident in their own party. For comparison, 49 percent overall express this confidence in Obama, steady since August albeit well below its peak.

The Republican Party’s difficulties are shown in another result as well; in an early assessment of preference for congressional candidates in 2010, the Democrats lead by 51-39 percent.