I have read through his wacky health care plan. He claims that it will help keep down health care costs through "competition" but it doesn't encourage competition among doctors and hospitals to reduce costs. Rather, it supposedly will increase "competition" among insurance companies. In fact, it will make it even easier for insurance companies to "cherry-pick" potential consumers and make individuals more dependent on big insurance companies. If anything, if McCain's plan were instituted, we would probably have more uninsured in this country rather than fewer and the people who were covered would be worse off. It is a terrible plan because it is grounded in the exact same "deregulation" philosophy that underpins standard Republican economic programs.

In fact, I don't think that John McCain is really interested in doing anything about healthcare. His wacky plan has as much chance of passing as Bush Social Security privitization did.

Unfortunately, the news media doesn't seem to want to run far with this story. They seem to give more play to hyperbole from McCain's running mate.

Check out CJR's excellent series. There are links to in each section to earlier sections.

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So she and her husband had good union jobs. with health care. yet her party despises unions. and can't get its arms around some sort of real health care reform. Hmmm. Hockey mom maybe; popular governor, perhaps; spewing popular bull-hockey, certainly.

no one will have healthcare + no one will be able to access n health care = reduced health care costs

McCain's "health plan" is like his G.I. Bill Plan . . . . "dump yer poor wife, marry your rich Mistress ". . . end of story. 'Course being a LIFETIME beneficiary of an ADMIRAL'S Family, he has had the Finest Medical CARE FREE ALL his life up to getting his own VA and Senate FREE Health Care . . . . so with a $6 MILLION a YEAR INCOME, Senate, VA, and SS payments he really feels "Joe Six Pack's" pain . . . .

again ACTION speak louder than WORDS . . . . like VOTING DOWN VA Health Care budget increases 1999-2007, and having a 20% rating from the Disabled Veterans of America . . . (the REMF "Legion" leadership loves him).

"wacky" is putting McCain's plan mildly . . .

A couple more things about unions. if you live in a house that you own and is not owned by the company you work for, thank a union. If you can go to a grocery store that is not owned by the company you work for, and pay in real American currency, not company script, thank a union. If you have vacation time, thank a union. If your 13 yr old is not allowed to work in a factory, thank a union. If you have sick leave, thank a union. If you have health insurance on your job, thank a union. If you are covered for on the job injuries by workers comp, thank a union. If you can go to any doctor you choose and not one designated by your company, thank a union. If you have safety procedures in your company, if your company must meet certain standards for your safety, thank a union. If you have remedies for unlawful dismissal, unfair labor practices, or other workplace issues, thank a union. If none of these apply to you, join a union.

We will never have good health care in this country until we do away with for profit insurance companies and for profit hospitals.