You Need More Reasons to Fear a McCain Presidency, Right?

Think about health care. What's the conservative view on what's wrong with the current system? Well, we selfish, pampered Americans have too much health care, sillies. If only we were responsible for more costs, we would stop having those extravagant regular check ups, pap smears, and preventive health care.

So, McCain's proposal: Increase taxes on employer-provided health insurance! End result: fewer businesses offering the now-more-expensive health coverage, forcing more people into the individual market, where we rugged individuals can direct our own care. But we'd get a tax credit as we shop for that individual plan, so it's all good:

He wants to replace those benefits with an insufficient tax credit--$2500 for individuals and $5000 for families (the average cost per family for health insurance is $12000).

Just as long as you have no preexisting conditions, expensive chronic diseases, or the like, you should be golden. Oh, wait, he's got an ineffective plan for those people too! I'm sure it won't cost too much to get coverage.

And in case you're of the thought that Sarah Palin, Just Like Us as she is, would be attuned to the tribulations of the regular folk in this case, perish the thought:

The centerpiece of Sen. McCain’s plan to “help” those with chronic conditions to get health insurance is the creation of high risk pools in every state.

But, McCain has also said that he would ask the nation’s governors how to create these pools (with about 30 states having one today). Since Alaska is one of the states with a high risk pool, it might be interesting to get a sense of how Governor Palin might advise McCain on the creation of these pools.

Based on the high risk pool in her state, Palin’s advice would clearly be to create a high risk pool that: offers very expensive coverage, puts as much burden on individuals as possible, excludes preexisting conditions, and limits benefits as much as possible.

You know, a close friend of a friend of mine recently died. She had no health insurance and suffered from an array of chronic health conditions, for which she was unable to get consistent treatment. This kind of shit isn't theoretical, except to people who think that lettuce pickers make $50 an hour.

But, how silly of me to be off on a fluffy, weightless tangent. Best I should stick to the issues, like how insulting it is to women to use the phrase "lipstick on a pig." (I always preferred the "perfume on a pig" variation, but I'm weird like that).