Yet another poll, this one from CNN, demonstrates that the American public rejects the Republican budget plan to end Medicare so that the rich can get another tax break.
According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, a majority also don't think the GOP has cooperated enough with President Barack Obama and, for the first time since they won back control of the House last November, the number of Americans who say that Republican control of the chamber is good for the country has dropped below the 50 percent mark.
The poll indicates that 58 percent of the public opposes the Republican plan on Medicare, with 35 percent saying they support the proposal. The survey's Wednesday release comes as the president met with House Republicans to discuss, among other things, Medicare reform....
"Half of those we questioned say that the country would be worse off under the GOP Medicare proposals and 56 percent think that GOP plan would be bad for the elderly," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Opposition is highest among senior citizens, at 74 percent, suggesting that seniors are most worried about changes to Medicare even if those changes are presented as ones that would not affect existing Medicare recipients."
"A majority of all demographic groups don't favor the GOP Medicare proposals," Holland adds. "That includes conservatives—54 percent of them don't like the plan. As a result, rank-and-file Republicans are split right down the middle, with 48 percent favoring the GOP plan and 50 percent opposed."
Which is kind of fun, since Republicans voted, again, today to do away with Medicare. In a rule vote for passing Homeland Security appropriations, 231 Republicans voted to "deem and pass" the Republican budget and end Medicare. They'll be taking that vote again, and again, and again with every appropriations bill, because the Republican budget will be reflected in all the appropriations bills.
Rep. Ed Markey had some fun with the bill and recent news, explaining how the "Republican Rapture" brings "billionaires and Big Oil to the economic stratosphere" while leaving "grandma and students behind."
Seems like this bill is political purgatory for the GOP, but on a more serious note, there's a message in this polling and that from
Anzalone Liszt Research, which was also released today. It also reinforces
this message for Dems: "The public's support for Medicare in roughly its current form seems unshakable, and Dems have clearly succeeded in framing this fight as one between Medicare's saviors and its would-be destroyers. This will only supply more grist to
Democrats who are arguing that it would be insane for Dems to agree to Medicare benefits cuts, and that so doing could squander a situation in which Dems seem to be in total control of the debate."
