These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
60% Say Passage of Health Care Reform Will Increase Deficit
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Members of Congress may rely upon the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), but voters are skeptical. The CBO has projected that the health care legislation now being considered by Congress would make the federal budget deficit a bit smaller over the coming decade, but only 17% of voters believe that's true.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of voters believe passage of the health care legislation will have the opposite impact and increase the deficit. Nine percent (9%) say it will have no impact, and 14% are not sure.
Seventy-five percent (75%) also believe it is at least somewhat likely that middle class taxes will have to be hiked to cover the cost of health care reform. Fifty-nine percent (59%) say such a tax increase is Very Likely.
Fears of a middle-class tax hike are highest among those who earn $40,000 to $75,000 a year.
Bleak as these numbers are for advocates of reform, they actually represent an improvement since September . As summer came to an end, 68% said the legislation would increase the deficit, and 80% said it was likely to mean higher taxes for the middle class.
These fiscal concerns are one reason that most voters continue to oppose the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats .
Even among those in the president's party, there is skepticism about the fiscal impact. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Democrats say passage of the plan will increase the deficit. Just 29% think it will reduce the deficit.
Ninety-two percent (92%) of Republicans believe the health care plan will lead to higher deficits, and 98% say passage of the plan is likely to mean higher taxes for the middle class. Most unaffiliated voters share both concerns.
Overall, voters believe that of the four budget priorities listed by Obama early in his presidency, cutting the deficit in half by the end of his first term is the most important. Additionally, 54% favor middle class tax cuts over new health care spending . That may be because voters believe cutting taxes and stopping government spending is likely to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
Currently, 48% of voters expect their own taxes to go up during the Obama administration. That's up significantly since Obama first took office, following a campaign in which he repeatedly promised to cut taxes for 95% of Americans.
As the health care debate has played out in Congress, confidence in the U.S. health care system has grown among the general public. Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters now rate the system as good or excellent , a 20-point increase in the past 18 months.
Public anger toward their leaders is growing as well. Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters are angry at the policies of the federal government .
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To view the original report, please use this link: It's Gotta Cost More!