On the radio just now, Bush said something to the effect that health savings accounts allow someone who makes the right decisions about smoking or drinking to save money. Which I find infuriating — the implication that catastrophic illness only strikes those who “deserve” it due to their bad lifestyles.
Disease happens, even to the most health conscious among us. A friend of mine just spent a couple of years battling cancer. Out of the blue, no rhyme or reason to it. That’s how this crap shoot we call life works. Health care shouldn’t be about saving money if you’re virtuous enough to avoid illness. Health care should be about, you know, providing health care, particuarly to those unlucky enough to need it in a serious way.
This is kind of basic. Everybody gets sick, everybody know someone who’s been through something catastrophic. If the Democrats are smart, they’ll grab this issue with both hands and not let go.