Health Care Repeal Opposed By 61% Of Public: Poll
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As Republicans in the House announce their intentions to repeal the soon-to-be-signed financial regulatory reform bill, a Democratic source sends over the public reaction to the GOP's other major repeal effort.
A Bloomberg News poll released on Wednesday shows that a full 61 percent of respondents don't have interest in repealing the health care legislation that Congress passed earlier this year (47 percent want to see how it works, 14 percent say it should be left alone). Just 37 percent want the bill repealed (as is the wish of the Republican leadership).
The numbers underscore increasing public approval of the health care reform law. It also illustrates the potential dangers the Republican caucus assumes by make the repeal agenda a major plank of its campaign platform.
On Thursday, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that, once in power, he would work to repeal the financial reform legislation that the Senate was set to pass that afternoon. The comments reverberated quickly through news desks as emblematic of a broader push by the GOP to essential unravel the Obama agenda if they take back congressional power.
But as a reflection of how improvised Boehner's strategy truly is: the Huffington Post asked members of House Republican leadership on Wednesday whether they would support a repeal of financial regulatory reform should it become law. Aides laughed at the question, saying they had heard no such talk among their bosses. The same thing held true as late as Thursday morning, up until Boehner was asked the question at a press conference and responded with an affirmative yes (he would repeal).
Democratic campaign committees are already jumping on the remarks, with the DNC blasting out write-ups to reporters and DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) slamming Boehner for being in the pocket of Wall Street. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee beat them all to the punch when it pledged on Wednesday to make calls for finreg repeal a major issue during the 2010 elections
"If Republicans who oppose Wall Street reform are so offended by holding big banks accountable, then they should have to share with voters whether or not they would support repeal of the bill if elected," said DSCC spokesman Eric Schultz. "Any Republican who wants to return to the no-holds-barred, letting the big banks run rampant... jeopardizing Americans' savings and investments will absolutely be held accountable for that position during the campaign."
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First Posted: 07/15/10 05:45 PM ET Updated: 05/25/11 06:05 PM ET