The Video Of The Campaign So Far

I have already posted the campaign video of the day. What follows is the most important campaign clip so far.



This was posted on YouTube by TPM. Putting the video in context, Steve Skvara is a disabled steel worker. Because he is disabled he has medicare coverage. His wife, who is under 62, and probably spends a lot of time taking care of her husband, doesn't yet qualify for medicare. This video puts a human face on the choices politicians make and why we need to elect politicians with real courage.

Yesterday in a comments thread over at Political Animal theAmericanist bitched at me for not being sufficiently loyal to Hillary Clinton. Stories like Steve's inform my unease about Hillary Clinton. Based on our experiences with her back in the early 1990s, I don't think you can depend on her to actually push universal health care, which is my top domestic issue. She learned her lesson years ago during Bill's administration. If she is true to Clinton form she will talk a good game, but will never deliver. If she were to deliver the issue would be taken off the table for the 2012 election cycle, and more importantly, the Federal lobbyists bundling insurance company and big Pharma donations would be pissed. That might mean fewer campaign contributions for Team Clinton. She couldn't have that.

If you are lucky she might have a secretary write you a nice little personalized note, signed by a machine pen, as a token of her appreciation for helping her with some failed effort to pass universal coverage. I have one of those notes on Bill's White House stationary, signed by Bill's machine. It is suitable for framing and hanging on my wall. Of course, Steve's wife still doesn't have health care.