As Obama's Approval Ratings Drop To Lowest Levels, Health Care Law At Risk

After Senate 60-40 Health Care Vote, Obama's disapproval rating of 46 percent is at its highest level yet during his term of office.

From Tuesday's Rasmussen's Daily Tracking Poll:

For the second straight day, the update shows the highest level of Strong Disapproval yet recorded for this President [Obama]. That negative rating had never topped 42% before yesterday. However, it has risen dramatically since the Senate found 60 votes to move forward with the proposed health care reform legislation. Most voters (55%) oppose the health care legislation and senior citizens are even more likely than younger voters to dislike the plan.

The survey also found that Obama's approval index is at -21, the lowest it has been in his presidency:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 25% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President.

If Obama's and Congress's approval ratings continue to decline, it is easy to see the Senate and House health care coalitions fracturing, the two versions of the health care bills remaining forever in limbo in conference committee and never becoming law.

Even if the conference committee reaches a compromise and agrees to a final health care bill, both the Senate and the House get another chance. They will vote on and need to approve the conference report of the new version of the bill. With low approval ratings, voter backlash and fears of reelection losses, Congress could vote down the conference report and the health care bill will not become law.

Are Democrats really such ideologues that they are willing to lose reelection, empower Republicans and possibly create a third party, to enact an unwanted and unliked social program?

So far, the answer looks like yes, but the post Senate vote poll numbers and voter sentiment are just beginning to come in, and we all know elected officials run for cover and change their policies whenever the going gets tough. A month from now, we will see if the public has second thoughts about disliking health care reform. If the public does not change its mind, we will get to see how committed our elected officials are to their version of health care reform over reelection.