Reply #20: On Iraq they're about the same.....On Healthcare my own belief is...

[Armstead]

that both of the are missing the mark, because both are merely "reforms" of a bad system.

However, given that, I believe Obama offers the most realistic starting point.

Mandates are the worst of all approaches. The only way a mandate makes sense is if it is tied to a true, Medicare style universal coverage public system.

But a mandate is also the most politically unpalatable aspect of reform. So if we're not going to get a true Universal syatem, any reforms ought not to include them. That's why Obama's approach -- although not the ideal solution IMO -- is a lot more frealistic than Hillary's.