There’s no way to sugar-coat it, although Dorgan’s certainly trying.  If his town halls are all going to be like this one:

Dorgan will be at the fire hall for only an hour, so there won’t be a lot of time for questions, Pyle said.

…then yes, he is in point of fact ‘worried.’ As well he should be: Ramussen’s new numbers are out, and they are really, really pretty.  At least, from the point of view of folks who are against health care rationing.

Public support for the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats has fallen to a new low as just 42% of U.S. voters now favor the plan. That’s down five points from two weeks ago and down eight points from six weeks ago.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that opposition to the plan has increased to 53%, up nine points since late June.

More significantly, 44% of voters strongly oppose the health care reform effort versus 26% who strongly favor it. Intensity has been stronger among opponents of the plan since the debate began.

You should bear in mind that pro-health care rationing forces have been outspending those against it significantly.  Now, the numbers may be affected by $150 million ad buy that the pharmaceutical industry’s planning to make in favor of legislation (and the implicit deal behind that burns the Activist Left like acid) – but I suspect that it won’t in a fashion that helps Sen. Dorgan, or any other so-called ‘conservative’ Democrat.  Their problem is that they have angry people who can vote in the relevant elections, so an ad campaign that benefits the Democratic leadership won’t necessarily benefit them.

The really funny bit?  The President could shut this down in a day.  All he has to do is get in front of the American people, admit that Congress rushed things, and invite the Republican party leadership to come in and seriously discuss tort reform.  And that tax break for insurance thing that McCain suggested, and that the President lampooned.

Well, of course that’s not going to happen.  That’s why it’s funny.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.