The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% are in favor of the reform effort proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats while 49% are opposed. Those figures include 25% who Strongly Favor the plans and 41% who are Strongly Opposed. 

Notably, just 16% of unaffiliateds Strongly Favor the legislative effort while 47% Strongly Oppose it. 

At this time, voters are skeptical about the ability of the reform effort to help control the cost of health care. Just 23% believe passage of the reform legislation will lead to lower health care costs. Most voters (53%) say it will lead to higher costs, while 18% expect prices to remain about the same.

By 50% to 23% margin, voters expect that passage of the congressional health care reform bill will cause the quality of care to go down.

Prescient exit quotation from Rich Lowry, writing this morning before the credibility-busting Rasmussen numbers were released: “Obama’s plan is becoming one of the most implausible and thoroughly discredited free lunches in American history.”

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/july_2009/just_23_believe_health_care_costs_will_go_down_if_reform_passes_congress