New Poll on Reconciliation
We wanted to answer the basic question of whether “reconciliation” is inherently disfavored or considered corrupt by voters, as Republicans claim. After describing what reconciliation is, we ask, “If the Senate passes a health care reform bill that you consider to be beneficial to your family, would you object to the Senate’s use of ‘reconciliation’ rules to pass that bill with a majority vote, or not?”
In state after state, people were perfectly fine with reconciliation for a GOOD bill.
- NV – Reid: 55% favor reconciliation to 36% oppose (Independents 64% favor to 23% oppose
- IL – Durbin: 67% to 26% (Independents 81% to 17%)
- IA – Harkin: 66% to 29% (Independents 83% to 14%)
- MO – McCaskill: 58% to 35% (Independents 73% to 20%)
We also asked folks, “If Senate Democrats use ‘reconciliation’ to pass the final elements of health care reform with a simple majority, should [SENATOR] fight to include a public health insurance option in the bill?” In state after state, more voters said yes than no:
- NV – Reid: 52% yes to 41% no. (Independents 58% yes to 33% no)
- IL – Durbin: 42% to 7% (Independents 44% to 6%)
- IA – Harkin: 39% yes to 12% (Independents 40% to 12%)
- MO – McCaskill: 37% yes to 15% (Independents 38% to 12%)
You can contact Durbin’s office here
And if there’s any doubt what voters want in the underlying bill, there is our polling that made waves earlier this week that showed in all these states people overwhelmingly want a public option — and would rather have a bill with a public option and zero Republican votes than a bipartisan bill. See Wash Post Plumline:
* In Nevada, only 34% support the Senate bill, while 56% support the public option.
* In Illinois, only 37% support the Senate bill, while 68% support the public option.
* In Missouri, only 33% support the Senate bill, while 57% support the public option.
* In Iowa, only 35% support the Senate bill, while 62% support the public option.