On Mon, 24 Aug 2009, ABC's Poobah of Polling, Gary Langer was quoted saying:
> While we found 62 percent in favor of a public option in June, that dived
> to 37 percent if it would put many private insurers out of business
> because they couldn't compete, as critics charge.
Damn. So it's not only Grassley (who's paid to think this) but two-thirds of the populace?
> Still, Kaiser's 59 percent is more than our 52 percent ? and other polls
> have ranged much more widely. How so?
>
> There are a few possible reasons, many relating to the movable nature of
> attitudes on reform. One, Kaiser's poll was completed Aug. 11; ours, a
> week later. Another, it describes a public option as "similar to
> Medicare," and support for a public option in its data is 19 points higher
> among seniors (52 percent) than it is in ours (33 percent).
If only something medicare-like were on offer! Suggests single payer -- which is what medicare-like means -- really is more popular than any public option (which are nothing like medicare in any way).
Michael