Bigger Priorities

So I've had a few people mention that they're surprised I haven't blogged about health care yet. The truth is I've been a bit distracted, and it's pretty hard for me to get too excited about this thing. Most liberals are convinced that this is the first step to a comprehensive reform of the system - that over time we'll get something closer to de facto single payer. That's certainly possible, but I retain my concerns that 1) the subsidies will be inadequate, and almost certainly will be slashed by Republicans, and 2) from now on every thing wrong with health care will be blamed on the D's. And by the way, I'm not in the "Oh, this proves Obama is a genius after all" camp. I thing he snatched a half-loaf from the oven just as it was starting to burn. His political strategy was bungled from the beginning, and I don't see much evidence that he's done anything to halt the trend towards corporatism. And I'm disgusted with the continuing drift of public policy in the anti-choice direction. But we shall see.

Having said that, it's hard for me to care at the moment. In about half an hour I'll be leaving for Spain, where I've wanted to go since I was fifteen. It's hard to express how emotional I am at the prospect. I've dreamed pf walking the streets of Seville and breathing the same air as Ferdinand and Isabella. And now I will.