Americans Worried Health Reform Will Increase Federal Debt

Marguerite Bowling / August 05, 2009

An overwhelming majority of Americans (72 percent) don’t believe President Barack Obama will keep his promise to overhaul the health care system without adding to the federal deficit, according to a new study released today by the Quinnipiac University.

The survey, which polled 2,409 registered voters nationwide from July 27 to August 3, found 55 percent of Americans are more worried Congress will spend too much money and add to the federal deficit than they are that Congress won’t pass through health care reform system without adding to the deficit.

The poll is another blow to the Obama administration and congressional Democrats, who have been receiving strident public backlash regarding health care legislation in the House and Senate. Pollster David Brown, an assistant director, said the striking finding in the study is the high amount of public concern for the federal deficit, which is estimated to be $1.845 trillion ($15,635 per household) for 2009. (more…)