Candidates and Platforms

I find the way candidates are forced to talk and lay out the details of their programs in the manter they currently do.

Example, both Barack, Hillary, and Edwards have a universal health care plan on their websites. Each of these plans is similar in it's intent - greatly increasing the access to healthcare for all Americans. Where they differ is in the area of a mandate - meaning the federal government can require you to have healthcare coverage, much the same way your state requires you to carry auto insurance. Both Edwards and Clinton are mandating the plan, making sure everyone is covered. Barack favors dramatically reducing costs, therefore truly making it affordable to all. Each program will also leave Medicaid intact, giving coverage to those who can't afford any premiums.

So at the end of the day, for the democrats, they all agree on universal coverage, or at a minimum changing they system. What people don't seem to realize, or ask themselves, is when is the last time a president has been able to pass the exact plan they propose during a campaign? What are the chances of that?

Sure a starting point is important for measuring our candidates - but lets not forget about the difference between a real argument and a false one.

Also, don't forget that Rudi Guliani wants to decrease taxes by around 1,000,000,000,000 while increasing spending on the military. Nice one!