And another goddamn thing

You can tell where a politician's loyalties lie by looking at who he or she lies to -- unless the base is enough to win an election (or the politician thinks it is) rhetoric is directed outside the natural constituency, while policy is directed at the natural constituency. What troubles me most about Obama's plan is not that it doesn't go the full way on universal health insurance, a uniform national system, or mandatory community rating, its that he said it was universal. From Barackobama.com:

Democrat Barack Obama is offering a sweeping plan that would provide every citizen a means to have health coverage and calls on government, businesses and consumers to share the costs of the program.
Obama said his plan could save the average consumer $2,500 a year and bring health care to all.

"The time has come for universal, affordable health care in America," Obama said in remarks prepared for delivery Tuesday in Iowa City.

He bills it as more favorable to the left than it really is. That tells me his loyalty is to the center.