Polls find deep divisions on health care reform, support for taxing rich

The Washington Post: "As the Senate prepares to take up legislation aimed at overhauling the nation's health-care system, President Obama and the Democrats are still struggling to win the battle for public opinion. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Americans deeply divided over the proposals under consideration and majorities predicting higher costs ahead. But Republican opponents have done little better in rallying the public opposition to kill the reform effort. ... 48 percent say they support the proposed changes; 49 percent are opposed. ... The new poll provides ammunition for both advocates and opponents of reform. For opponents, a clear area of public concern centers on cost -- 52 percent say an altered system would probably make their own care more expensive, and 56 percent see the overall cost of health care in the country going up as a result ... But reform proponents have other findings to bolster their case. Two-thirds of those surveyed support one of the basic tenets of the reform plan, a new requirement that all employers with payrolls of $500,000 or more provide health insurance coverage for their employees or face fines. As in previous polls, a majority supports a government-sponsored heath insurance plan to compete with private insurers, although the percentage supporting the general idea has slipped slightly over the past month to 53 percent"  (Balz and Cohen, 11/17).

ABC News: "Other measures underscore the difficulties facing the GOP. ...  Democrats in this poll outnumber the Republicans by 10 points as the party that 'better represents your own personal values' and by 15 points as being 'more concerned with the needs of people like you.'" ABC notes that "Obama leads the Republicans in Congress in trust to handle health care by 13 points, 50 percent to 37 percent" (Langer, 11/17).