Poll numbers show public wary of health reform legislation

"A Quinnipiac University poll released today suggests the public continues to be wary of health care legislation as members of Congress work through the August recess to sell President Obama's plan to voters," USA Today's On Politics blog reports (Fritze, 8/5).

According to Bloomberg, the "July 27-Aug. 3 poll found that 52 percent of American voters disapprove of the way Obama is handling the health-care issue and 39 percent approve," which is a switch from the 46 percent who approved and 42 percent who disapproved when the Quinnipiac poll was conducted in June.  

"Almost three-quarters of the respondents said they don't believe Obama's promise that Congress can pass a health-care measure without adding to the budget deficit. And 57 percent say the legislation should be dropped if it adds 'significantly' to the deficit," Bloomberg writes (Jensen, 8/5).