Affordable health care is a major issue in this presidential race and the difference between Barack Obama and John McCain's programs is very pronounced.  So educate yourself and everyone you know about their choices. 

Economist Dean Baker has great summary of the big differences between Obama's health care plan and McBush's plan which he calls Barack Care versus John Care.

This is what he writes at Truthout: "John-Care is a plan to get rid of the employer-based insurance that most of us rely on presently. Senator McCain would eliminate the tax deductibility of employer-provided insurance, in effect requiring employers who offer insurance to take money out of workers' paychecks for their tax liability on their health insurance.

"Needless to say, this will make dealing with insurers even less attractive to businesses. Most employers will soon get out of the health insurance business and leave it to workers to buy their own plan. Toward this end, John-Care would give every worker a $2,500 tax credit, or $5,000 for a family.

"This will not be sufficient to cover the cost of insurance for many families, especially those with serious health problems. Insurance companies don't like to insure people in bad health. While John-Care does provide a modest pool (at $7 billion to $10 billion) to help people with health problems to get insurance, this is a tiny fraction of what would be needed. Essentially, the McCain plan would undermine the current employer-provided system, and leave millions of people with health problems unable to buy insurance.

"By contrast, Barack-Care would build on the current system. It would create a publicly run Medicare-type plan that any employer or individual can buy into. This would provide an additional option for people unhappy with their current insurance. However, those who are pleased with their current insurance would be able to stay with their plan under Barack-Care.

"Barack-Care would also reform the private market, prohibiting insurers from charging more to people with health conditions, a rule that is already in place in several states. This would mean workers need not fear being unable to get insurance if they develop a serious illness and lose their job.

"Barack-Care would also have subsidies for low- and moderate-income families to ensure they can afford to buy insurance. These subsidies would be financed by a fee assessed on employers who don't provide insurance. The basic story is that every employer (with a small business exemption) will have to contribute towards their workers' health care. They can either buy insurance directly, or they can contribute to a general fund to pay for insurance.

"So, those are the basic outlines of the two candidates' health care plans. Senator Obama would build on the system that is already in place and offer people an additional option - buying into a Medicare-type public plan. By contrast, Senator McCain wants to get rid of the current system of employer-provided insurance and force everyone to buy insurance as individuals."

Thank you, Dean.

Make sure you and your family, friends, and neighbors know about this big difference between Obama's health care plan and McBush's health care plan before you vote in November.