Just a small matter of life and death

One of the main reasons I support John Edwards:

"We have a dysfunctional health-care system," Edwards said during a campaign stop at the Council Bluffs Senior Center.

Health care is central to Edwards' campaign, and he told the assembled group that 42 million Americans have no health care coverage. He said premiums have risen 90 percent over the past six years and that the government has an obligation to make sure everyone has affordable health care.

"It's based on the concept of all of us taking some responsibility so that we can make universal health care available," Edwards said.

Edwards' plan includes:

Businesses would be required to cover their employees.

Businesses that don't would have to pay into a fund.

Health-care markets would allow people choose either public or private insurance.

Chronic and long-term care would be covered 100 percent.

Preventative care would be covered.

Premiums would be subsidized.

"We're going to bring down the cost of health care in America dramatically," Edwards said.

Edwards said his plan would cost $90 billion to $120 billion a year. He said he would be willing to raise taxes to pay for it but thinks much of the money can come from somewhere else first.

"I pay for it by rolling back George Bush's tax cuts for the richest people in America. That's how I pay for it," Edwards said.

Edwards went from Council Bluffs to Sioux City and planned more town hall meetings across Iowa on Sunday.

Earlier this week, Edwards picked up the backing of more than 100 Democratic activists in Iowa who had been supporting the presidential bid of former Gov. Tom Vilsack. The list includes state Rep. Kurt Swaim of Bloomfield and United Steelworkers Union leader John Campbell.

Why? Because my life depends on it. Is that enough?