Pollster Frank Luntz went through the numbers of the Wall Street Journal/NBC poll and found that the problem with Obamacare is that no one believes it will do what President Obama says it will do.

In a memo to the public, Luntz said:

1. “47% think their costs will go up thanks to Barack Obama’s healthcare plan, while only 13% think their costs will go down.”

2. “By an incredible 61% to 14% margin, more people believe scientists will discover life in outer space than believe the current healthcare plan won’t add a penny to the deficit.”

3. “25% of those surveyed said they would actively work to defeat members of Congress who vote for a government insurance plan, while only 8% said they would work to support them.”

4. “Half of all Americans (49%) now oppose the plan, while only 39% support it (and 12% remain undecided).”

5. “More than a third of Americans strongly oppose the legislation (34%). They are primarily, but not exclusively, conservative voters.”

6. “48% of self-identified independents oppose the legislation (30% strongly), compared to only 40% who support it.”

7. “A majority of Americans (55%) agree that ‘When it comes to the healthcare reform debate in Washington, I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore’.”

And this is the biggie: “Seniors, obviously a key constituency, are in firm opposition to the reform plan (57% oppose, 36% support). Back in April, they were evenly divided. More precisely, it is men aged 60+ who are the angriest. Fully 47% of men 55 or older are strongly oppose the plan (61% are at least somewhat opposed).”

My take is simple. Old people vote. When you talk about squeezing $500 billion out of Medicare, this is what they see:

Luntz offers some free advice to congressmen on how to get right with the people.

That’s what we used to call democracy.