“Perhaps Mr. Obama is so agitated because Mr. McCain’s proposal is highly progressive. The Republican wants to readjust the subsidies that Congress channels into health coverage for business so that lower- and middle-wage workers aren’t shortchanged, as they are now. Currently, people who get insurance through their employers pay no income or payroll taxes on the value of the benefit. … But all that money props up only employer-provided insurance. For reasons of historical accident and lobbying clout, individuals who buy policies get no tax benefits and pay with after-tax dollars. Mr. McCain is proposing to make the tax benefits available to everyone, regardless of how they purchase their insurance.” [editor’s note: And this point needs to be hammered home — even if it is the only thing remotely sane about McClown, he got this one right! - SAT] (10/08/08)