I'm with you. I see affordable health care as the only way working class americans (like myself) can ever stay self-supporting in the new global economy.

I don't understand the differences in the two plans. Obama says his is optional, but that there will be back-premiums to pay if you get sick.

According to Bloomberg.com penalties for not carrying insurance could be up to "3,000" to entice healthy twenty somethings to pay into the system. Massachusettes "exempted" 60,000 residents from "mandated" insurance requirements after deciding they didn't earn enough to buy private coverage and made too much to qualify for government subsidies." This year in Massachusettes, the penalties increase for not being in the plan(they began by making people loose their state personal tax exemption, worth $219).

I wish that I could understand the specifics of both policies before really making a decision.

Here's the bloomberg article for what it's worth:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aLweLB1D6ehQ&refer=us#

if you find out more about health care from a more credible source I'm interested in reading it. This race has become so silly. Oprah is coming to California (where I live) to stump for Obama. I like Obama, but it makes me feel like the whole country is joining her book club (and she did pick some stinkers).

And I think that it is a sport here to insult Joan Walsh, although those who promise to never come back always do come back. (You know, it's secretly love for you, Joan.) This is an opinion site as much as a place to find information, and the mix is what makes it good fun.

One completely shallow opinion for the day: I thought Hillary looked very pretty at the debate, and I felt a little pull toward her when I saw Chelsea supporting her at every moment. If Bill could only take lessons in how to give pure campaign-affirming energy from his daughter.

Okay, back to my sort-of day job.

I'm not sure what income bracket you're in, but health care issues aren't academic for everyone--and they won't be academic in the general election when the question of paying for them will also be raised.