Big Majorities Believe Senate Health Bill Would Increase the Deficit and Taxes

Americans oppose the Senate health care package by 61 percent to 36 percent, with most believing the proposal would not help them or anyone else and more than three-quarters saying it would end up increasing the deficit and their taxes, according to a CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted Dec. 2-3.

The poll was conducted before Democrats reached compromise language on the public option provision of the bill. But it's not clear how much that matters in this poll result.That's because the public favored the public option by a modest 53 percent to 46 percent margin and its concerns seemed to be more driven by cost.

Seventy-nine percent believe that if the Senate bill becomes law the budget deficit would increase -- despite President Obama's promise to the contrary -- and 85 percent expect their taxes would go up.

Only 22 percent think the proposals in the Senate bill would help them and their families. Forty-six percent say it would help other families but not their own, and 29 percent say they wouldn't help anyone.