Most Americans think incoming Congressmen who campaigned against federal health care reform should turn down government-provided coverage once they’re in office, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey. That opinion was strongest among Republicans, 58 percent of whom said reform critics should decline the coverage.
The poll was done a week after a Republican freshman from Maryland made headlines by reacting incredulously when told it would take a month for his government insurance to take effect once he was sworn in. Andy Harris, a physician, hammered incumbent Democrat Frank Kratovil on the health care reform issue, despite the fact that Kratovil twice voted against the package.
Meanwhile, Sam Stein of Huffington Post calculates that taxpayers would save $2.4 million if all the Republicans in the House and Senate next year passed on government insurance.