Watching tonight’s debates, pay close attention to John McCain’s healthcare plan. In his own words:

• The average cost of healthcare per person is $5,800.
• He will provide $5,000 to each working person to choose their own healthcare plan.
• He will tax any healthcare benefits you receive from your employer.

Right now, companies are able to deduct from their taxes the cost of the healthcare they provide to their employees. This is unlikely to change. So, under McCain’s plan – and, again, this is in his own words – if you receive any benefits from your employer, you will be taxed on them, but John McCain will give you a $5,000 credit you can use to op out of your employer’s plan if you so choose, which means you’d avoid that tax. But, if the average cost of healthcare is $5,800 per person – which does not seem anecdotally true – that means each person who opts not to take their employer’s benefits will be required to pay an additional $800 out of pocket. In either case, we will pay more for our healthcare, period, while the companies we work for will continue to get a deduction for the little they provide. With the $5,000 credit, companies will no longer be required to insure up to 50% of their employees’ coverage and will not have the incentive to do so, which will force more of our workers into that $800 deficit.

This is dumb. McCain said this evening that most people would actually get more money because of his plan, but the math does not add up. I agree that access to healthcare is one of the hottest issues among working people. McCain’s solution is free clinics – seriously, listen to what he has said. Free clinics are a bottom rung, but absolutely necessary, form of healthcare that provides the bare minimum of services to those in the greatest need. John McCain would have all of us drop to this bottom rung if we can’t afford his costly plan. This is a very dangerous and stupid idea and should be proof enough that John McCain is not only out of touch with American issues, he is unfit to lead this nation.