December 19th, 2008
Obama skepticism was 10th most read post of 2008
My July post questioning the numbers in the Obama health care plan was the 10th most popular blog post of 2008 at ZDNet Healthcare.
My point at the time was that his financing mechanism, a 50% tax credit, was just as unrealistic as rival John McCain’s proposal for a personal tax credit.
Health care costs more than that.
The story resulted in 78 talkbacks, many from political opponents of the eventual President-elect.
One called Obama a “sleazy used car salesman.” Another noted “socialized programs do not work,” pointing toward Canada, which I wound up giving much more coverage to later on in the year. (Thank you, ElCondor11.)
Since that post, of course, Mr. Obama has been elected, and named former Senator Tom Daschle to head his health care reform effort.
What will emerge will be far more complex and nuanced than what was offered during the campaign. Whether it will pass, whether meaningful change will come, is still an open question as I write this.
One more thing. That smart suit he’s wearing on the GQ cover above? Off the rack.
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist since 1978, and has covered technology since 1982. He launched the Interactive Age Daily, the first daily coverage of the Internet to launch with a magazine, in September 1994. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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