So much for Republican and insurance company spin.
They can cite declining poll numbers for President Obama, but when it comes to bringing about healthcare reform, they couldn't be more out of touch with the American people then they are now.
That seems to be one of the biggest conclusions that can be made about the latest CBS News-New York Times poll.
I wonder if the cowards in the U.S. Senate like Max Baucu$ and Kent Conrad will understand this and stop trying to make deals with those who really want to sabatage health insurance reform efforts.
More below.
Here's part of what the New York Times reported:
Still, Mr. Obama remains the dominant figure in the debate, both because he continues to enjoy relatively high levels of public support even after seeing his approval ratings dip, and because there appears to be a strong desire to get something done: 49 percent said they supported fundamental changes, and 33 percent said the health care system needed to be completely rebuilt.
The poll found 66 percent of respondents were concerned that they might eventually lose their insurance if the government did not create a new health care system, and 80 percent said they were concerned that the percentage of Americans without health care would continue to rise if Congress did not act.
By 55 percent to 26 percent, respondents said Mr. Obama had better ideas about how to change health care than Republicans in Congress did.
There is overwhelming support for a bipartisan agreement on health care, and here again, Mr. Obama appears in the stronger position: 59 percent said that he was making an effort to work with Congressional Republicans, while just 33 percent said Republicans were trying to work with him on the issue.
Bottom line: the American people want the bickering and stalling to end and for real health insurance reform to pass. It's not a message that Republicans and their media lapdogs want to share with the American people, and from these numbers, I understand why.