National health care either by way of a universal single payer health care plan, or a meaningful public health option open to all Americans who wish to enroll in it, is vitally necessary. 17% of current GDP goes towards health care and it is projected to be 25% in the year 2025. Premiums are unaffordable on an individual basis. Private employers left and right are reducing or eliminating benefits. When people lose their jobs they often lose their health care either at the same time or more gradually as they run out of money to pay the premiums and co-pays and deductibles. (The Department of Labor ought to be keeping statistics which show which lost jobs had health and other employee benefits attached to it, and which new jobs have health and other employee benefits attached to it. You would see a clear pattern.) Because of the Bush recession and the enormous financial bailout that was required to save the economy, it is impossible to go back and commit 17% to 25% of GDP on health care and retain a complex and vibrant and expanding economy. Something has to give Peggy, and it is not going to be Americans giving more and more of their take home pay to the health care insurance giants. What part of this equation don’t you understand Peggy?

Finally, there is nothing new around which to grow the core of our economy since we have done our best to send all manufacturing jobs to whichever country has no organized labor, low pay without benefits, no environmental standards, and no or low corporate income tax rates. We have hit bottom Peggy, and we need a new manufacturing initiative that will lift all boats with its rising tide. It’s called green manufacturing and in Germany they are already greening their economy for the 21st century. It isn’t as though we have a decade to debate this issue. It is upon us and you either seize the day and become the leader of a brand new global industry, or you don’t and you suffer the consequences of failing to lead.

I’m sorry that you are so distraught Peggy. President Obama is playing the hand that President Bush left face up on the card table. He may discard some that Bush would have retained, and he may be lucky or unlucky on the pickups. But he doesn’t have the choice of not playing the hand. He can’t fold Peggy even if you and your fellow Republicans who are, might I remind you, tainted by gross national incompetence over the last 8 years, believe that folding a bad hand and accepting one’s fate without a fight is the apex of leadership.

Thanks for the offer Peggy, but I’ll stick with Obama for the time being. And you have yourself a great day!

hmmmmm, I wonder if this has anything at all to do with why the (R) party has drifted ever rightward into the fever swamps, dragging the devoid-of-principle (D) to the right as well?