Today in Washington D. C. - Sept 17, 2009 - Gallup Poll: Majority Still Disapproves of Obamacare

Update: America, You Asked For It! reports that "House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted 345-75 to pass the Defund ACORN Act: “Today’s overwhelming bipartisan vote to stop all federal funding of ACORN is a victory for American taxpayers. Of course, it is only the beginning. We need to keep up the fight to end taxpayer funding for this troubled organization. . . ."
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The Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 3288, the fiscal 2010 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. It will then proceed to a series of votes on 4 amendments to the bill and a motion to recommit offered by Republican Whip Jon Kyl, which would rescind unspent stimulus funds for next year. Among the amendments expected to receive votes is one from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to prohibit funding in the bill for the John Murtha airport in Johnstown, PA.

Yesterday the Senate rejected several Republican amendments to the bill. Among the amendments rejected: Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) to prohibit funding for stimulus project road signs and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) to prohibit earmarks of funds in the bill from going to museums. Also rejected was a motion from Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) to recommit the bill and have it reported back with $12.7 billion less in spending. However, they approved an amendment from Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) to allow the secured transport of legal firearms on Amtrak trains.

Senate will begin consideration of H.R. 2996, the fiscal 2010 Interior-Environment appropriations bill. The White House billed last week’s speech as a make-or-break moment and a move to regain momentum in the health care debate. A sampling of headlines from that week is instructive: The Hill: “Obama prepares to try to reclaim lost ground in health debate — again”; VOA: “Obama Hopes to Regain Health Care Momentum With Speech to Congress”;  Los Angeles Times: “Obama set to make final healthcare push”; Guardian: “Obama to deliver make-or-break healthcare speech to Congress.”

A new Gallup poll today finds that despite a near-constant P.R. blitz by the administration, disapproval of the President’s handling of health care remains significantly higher than approval, and as Gallup puts it, “may have become fairly entrenched.” 52% of Americans disapprove of Obama’s handling of health care, compared with 49% in August and 50% in July. His approval has stayed nearly flat, from 44% in July to 43% in August and September. The higher disapproval numbers on health care have not improved since the drop in July despite dozens of speeches, weekly addresses, town halls, innumerable interviews, a prime time press conference and his speech to the joint session of Congress.

So it seems the debate on health care is back to where it was prior to Obama’s supposedly game-changing speech. A majority of Americans disapprove of the president’s handling on health care, Democrats in Congress are touting bills that only bring both parties together in disliking major provisions in them, and the American people are left wondering where the common-sense reforms they could support are.

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