Your cheatin' heart

Some thoughts about the Democratic Primary: I went as an Obama delegate to the Precinct 9 delegation at Putegnat Elementary School in Brownsville. About three quarters of the folks who signed up were for Hillary, including my wife, Kathy. Two Hillary delegates told me they came for her because they wanted health insurance; I began to wonder if I were on the wrong side if she could and would really deliver on this promise.

In truth, I think the Hillary supporters will be betrayed on this issue (among others), but I am also afraid we Barack supporters will be betrayed as well. Both candidate's plans do promise to ban the insurance companies from using "pre-existing conditions" to keep people from getting insurance.

However, both plans seem to be like the Texas Auto Insurance mandate. Everyone has to get it, but the insurance companies won't pay on claims unless they are sued, so very few get any benefits. Medical health insurance companies will get universal payment of premiums, but there is small likelihood of universal benefits being paid.

Obama supported a single-payer plan five years ago and (I think) this is the only way the people in my precinct will get insurance. Unfortunately, Barack has now backed away from a single payer plan. Both candidates now have a plan that will guarantee everyone will get largely useless health insurance to go with their largely useless automobile liability insurance.

Anyway, we'll go our merry way on to the conventions, but in the end, I suspect there will be coal in the Christmas stocking.

I'll dutifully continue to support Barack through the convention, but I want him to know, I have a hunch that four years down the line, most people in Precinct 9 will still be without medical care, no matter who wins. I hope I'm wrong. I think he is the least likely to disappoint, but of course, the only sensible thing here is to aim low.