"Socialist" McCain "Spreads The Wealth"

It's simply amazing to me that not one of our enterprising journalists have bothered to bring this up.

For all the ranting and raving about Senator Obama having "socialist" plans, and wanting to "spread the wealth," not one person has raised the fact that this is exactly what Senator McCain has proposed with his health care plan.

You know, the cockamamie idea that a $5000 tax rebate sent to insurance companies, per family, to provide insurance. Leaving aside the fact that this plan won't help people get coverage, and may risk their employer-based insurance, this plan is "spreading the wealth."

Let's use an actual Joe the Plumber as an example. Let's say that after deductions and all of that, a regular Joe and his stay-at-home wife pay $4000 in Federal taxes. Yet, his family is getting $5000 from the government for health insurance. He's getting more than he put in! Where's that extra $1000 coming from?

Bill the Doctor. Jimmy the broker. Maria the grocery store owner. Those people who are putting more into the Federal government than they'd get back.

I'd like, just once, for someone to ask a McCain representative - yes or no - is this spreading the wealth, by McCain's definition? Don't let them wiggle out of it by going into Obama's health care plan - that's not the issue. The issue is, if "spreading the wealth" is so bad, if it is the basis of socialism, then why the heck is John McCain proposing it, as a cornerstone of his entire campaign?!

Of course, I won't hold my breath. But, the fact is, even if McCain's plan is an ineffective plan to "spread the wealth," it's still a plan to "spread the wealth."

UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal has broached this issue, here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122454768040352279.html?mod=googlenews_wsj