Mr. G made a point of pushing the central idea that he wants to give people more “control” over their health care, and more “choices.” There certainly aren't many choices in today's health insurance system–you are stuck with the plan and benefits offered by your employer, which often dictates which doctors you can see, which facilities you can use and even which drugs you can take. There will be even fewer “choices” and millions more uninsured if Rudy succeeds in making our system completely “free”–in other words, every man and woman for themselves.

Rudy did not offer many specifics, such as the cost of coverage under such a system, or how many uninsured people would be able to afford such coverage. And AP reported he “also acknowledged that it could take years for insurers to drop their prices and make insurance affordable to those who don't have it.” Thanks a lot.

Rather than present a serious alternative to our current patchwork system, Rudy seized the moment to hammer his Democratic counterparts, which really was the point all along.

“We've got to solve our health care problem with American principles, not the principles of socialism,” he said. “I know Democrats will say this is unfair, I know they'll squeal… But I'm a realist. I face reality, which is: if you take more people and have government cover it, it's called socialized medicine.”

While Rudy expressed hope that one day tens of millions of individuals would shop for health insurance the same way they buy auto coverage today, the reality is that the two systems are vastly different. Health insurance is a lot dicier to underwrite–especially on an individual basis. One little health problem and insurers run for the hills.

As broken as the current, employer-based system is, I would rather stay put and try to patch the gaping holes than toss everyone into the “free” market on health insurance and hope for the best. In insurance, there is indeed power in numbers.

Rudy won't lose any Republican primary votes with his plan, but he won't win many in the general election if this is the best he can do on health care reform. In fact, in a close race, the uninsured vote could cost him the White House against a Democrat with a more comprehensive plan to provide health care security.

That is, if he manages to get that far despite his more “liberal” leanings on abortion, gun control and gay rights.

I still cannot imagine today's national Republican party nominating someone with Rudy's progressive views on such hot button issues. (For the record, I voted for Rudy twice to be New York's mayor, as well as twice for Mike Bloomberg–who is a far better mayor, by the way. I wonder how Mike would handle health care reform?)

What do you folks think of Rudy's idea?