If it was unpopular to be saying she would bring the troops home do you think Clinton should complain and claim she is being smeared if an opponent pointed out that she said she would? I certainly hope not. It is just as valid to point out the truth and reality of what Clinton’s health plan entails. Voters do have the right to disagree with you, and yes, they even have the right to be selfish and to vote based on that selfishness.

as for the couple saving for a house, well too fucking bad. it’s as selfish as childless people not wanting to pay taxes that go to fund schools. no one want to invest in the common good, but that’s what’s needed. and you know what? they are stupid and short-sighted too, because they will lose that home anyway if one of them gets ill and they don’t have coverage.

if you buy the unity talk, you have to also realize there’s no free lunch either.

There are clear policy differences in the two plans. I do not see either candidates ads pointing out these differences as being in any way problematic. “Afford” is one of those relative terms that does not hold the same meaning for everyone. Obama’s ads appear truthful, though he biases the meaning of relative terms in his favor. Clinton’s ads appear truthful as well and she biases the same terms in her favor. People’s reactions will depend on her own take on these relative terms. This is fair and normal campaigning.

Mandatory means mandatory. While I disagree with them, I do know a young, healthy self employed couple who chose to not have any health insurance so that they can save faster to buy a house. Hillary’s plan will take that choice away from them, but in their eyes they cannot afford it because it will delay achievement of one of their primary life goals. Their choice may involve risk and may be very short sighted, but they are adamant that they should have the right to make that choice for themselves, not have it forced on them by the government. They are generally not at all interested in politics and do not even always vote. They plan to this time if Clinton’s on the ballot because this issue has made them both extremely anti Hillary.

I do not agree with this couple, but they certainly have the right to know all of the facts that inform their voting choices. Of course it is not wrong for anyone (Obama, McCain or a Republican 527 in the fall if she gets that far) to point out what the definition of “mandatory” is and how it will effect all people who do not now have insurance including those who don’t have it by choice.