Any politics junkie will probably be glued to the TV watching today's primaries' results in New Hamsphire. It looks almost certain that John McCaine will seal it for the Republicans and Barack Obama for the Democrats. The latter's ascent strikes me as truly bizarre. He has few concrete policies, and, if anything, has supported a whole range of right-wing causes. Unlike most other Democrats he voted in favor of Dick Cheney's energy legislation. More importantly, Hillary Clinton, the much derided and disliked other leading contender for the Democrats' top spot, has consistently campaigned for a Europe style health care system while Barack Obama's policies (vague as they are) seem to be to the right of Mitt Romney, another Republican candidate. There is an easy explanation then for the rightwing US media (campaign outfits like Fox News) overt support for Obama. They see their chance to do away with the Clinton dynasty for good. It's all neatly hidden under the cloak of 'Change', a darker skin color, and an ever smiling candidate. For some reason the political Left seems to believe that Obama is a particularly progressive candidate. Well, brace yourself for a nasty awakening... there is no evidence that he is. As the old Romans said: let the buyer beware. With Obama the US Democrats seem to be prepared to buy a product they are unable to have a proper look at. This democracy remains a scary place...
In a clear sign that sexism is alive and kicking in that country, Hillary Clinton is busily forced to show that she is emotional and not 'cold'. Surely only a woman would ever have to defend herself against such a charge. Who has ever seen such a charge levelled against any male presidential candidate in that country? Bizarre... bizarre!
The bad news that is Barack Obama for American health care comes fresh on the heels of a brand new study, reported today by Reuters news agency.
'France, Japan and Australia rated best and the United States worst in new rankings focusing on preventable deaths due to treatable conditions in 19 leading industrialized nations, researchers said on Tuesday. If the U.S. health care system performed as well as those of those top three countries, there would be 101,000 fewer deaths in the United States per year, according to researchers writing in the journal Health Affairs.'
Surely there is a reason for why public health care works better than private health care! Obama, the much tauted agent for 'change' is not planning to change the private nature of US health care! Well, at least he's black, but then, so is Clarence Thomas... nuff said.
