Attention Sherrod Brown: public not quite with you on health care

Last week I noted Sherrod Brown’s rather arrogant attitude on health care reform. Frustrated with complaints about a lack of bi-partisanship, Brown had this to say about the issue:

They lost we won, but we’re right where the public is. That’s what the elections said, that’s what the polls say now.

In that post I pointed out that things were not so simple when it came to public support for health care reform.

Well, Gallup has a handy graphic that should make it pretty clear that the public is not “right where” Sherrod Brown and the Democrats are on this issue:

So perhaps someone at the townhall meeting today could ask the good senator why he is in such a rush to pass legislation when the public is clearly divided on the issue.

And this is also worth noting:

A previous Gallup review of the healthcare reform issue showed that only about a fourth of Americans believe that members of Congress understand the issues involved in healthcare reform. Additionally, Americans see the economy rather than healthcare reform as the top problem facing the country at this point — although the percentage saying health issues are the top problem facing the country has been rising.

So instead of ramming a bad bill through, or attacking voters for voicing their opinions, maybe Congress should spend more time listening and responding to citizens real concerns.