I've written about the health care issue before but I think it is an issue that is very important to a lot of Americans and one that should weigh heavily in your candidate decision.
Why I like McCain's health care position better than his opponent's is because under McCain's plan I will be able to keep my insurance as is, just as many Americans will choose to do. McCain's plan is good for those families that are currently uninsured. As Yuval Levin points out, "most of the uninsured are not poor - or else they would qualify for Medicaid." McCain's proposal of a tax credit would put those families without insurance $5000 closer to being able to afford it. The net tax burden on middle class families declines under McCain's plan and insurance options improve. For example, if you want to opt out of your current employer subsidized health care then you would be taking home that much more money - money that is currently deducted as your part of the cost of coverage. Put that added income with the tax credit you get from McCain, then you have more options to shop your own health care markets. The McCain plan does not force you out of employer coverage but it gives you an option.
Mr. Obama's plan gives your employer incentives to eliminate health care coverage for its employees. His plan would force all but the very smallest businesses to either provide insurance coverage or pay a tax to the government. Obama's requirements for employer health care benefits have not yet been specified but in the debate he said basically that folks would have, under his plan, health care coverage "such as Mr. McCain and myself enjoy" under their employment as Senators. This coverage exceeds what most employers currently pay. So employers would then be paying for more for covering YOU. They might then decide to drop the plan altogether and just pay the tax.
Mr. Obama would fund a government run insurance program on the taxes paid by those employers who drop coverage. Government run health care. People FORCED into government run health care.
So what I like about McCain today is his health care plan. I'll get to keep my coverage as it is; my employer won't have to make any changes either. If I didn't like my health care plan, I would have options to shop around and find a new one, which I could probably afford with my $5000 tax credit and the income I'd be keeping out of my paycheck from dropping my employer health care.
Obama lets me keep my insurance with my employer. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, me too, but the point is, maybe we are fortunate enough to be employed by businesses that can afford the increased costs to come. Not all will be able to do that. Small businesses will not. That's just a fact.
ReplyDeletedo you honestly like EITHER party's plan for bailing out the economy? i don't.
ReplyDeleteI like McCain's better; Obama's is going to kill us and you can't find an economist that says otherwise. You don't raise taxes in a time like this and I don't care what he SAYS - his plan says he is. Look CLOSELY at what a "small business" is. Does he mean gross? Net? Income? What happens when he takes the profits of oil companies? And gives it to the poor? Sigh. It's all depressing. I'm ready for it to be over.
ReplyDeletelook closely at the PERCENTAGE of small business' effected in a negative way
ReplyDeleteand McCain is the one that wanted to BUY BACK all the mortgages on TOP of the bailout - more economists are saying McCain's is horrid - no one likes either plan
and agreed - its all depressing and i want it over
McCain's deal is already figured into the buyout; it's not an additional expenditure. I'm not defending it at all; I hate the buyout.
ReplyDeleteThe small business deal is much much more extensive than Obama lets on - he's being vague in his explanation of it - on purpose.
Pat...
ReplyDeleteI just have to say that I missed ya. I also want to say that your 'why i like mccain' entries are interesting...I have actually learned a little...
but..I have to say that you appear a bit quick to defend this health plan issue. Do you know how many people this health plan will put in a new tax bracket? this 5k tax assistance actually makes someone, in the IRS eyes, look like they make more money. Now, they will be paying taxes on that money. For example..someone making 35k a year will now look like they are making 40k. This will put them up to more taxes, as though they made that money. Its really not a great way to say "hey, heres some relief"...not when you just end up paying it back on each paycheck.
Also, the obama plan lets us keep what we have now. No one is forced to have the senator coverage that obama and mccain have. Unless your job doesnt offer insurance, then you are able to sign on (or if you hate your current insurance).
I just went through a battle with my health. Because of my 2000 deductable with my insurance, I was unable to go get done what was needed. This almost cost me my job. With obama, he would make sure that these additional expenses that us poor folk cant afford are lowered. Its redundant to have insurance if you can never use it, right?
I dont like McCains health care plan. I dont think its a plan at all. He is still going to stick with what we currently have, expect the poor to get government insurance (which doesnt work...my mother had a heart attack and almost died. she couldnt afford insurance, wasnt offered it through her employer, only made about 12k a year so couldnt get medicaid, and we were in denton county which doesnt have a county hospital like parkland. she owes about 400k in medical bills now), expect those of us that have insurance to be happy with what we have (bleh) and then expect those who cant afford more taxes to pay more because of the tax credit.
I can see some things about mccain I like, but this isnt one!
have a great hump day!
luculent
web-justice
McCain's $2500/$5000 deal isn't reported as income - it's a tax credit.
ReplyDelete