John McCain's Health Plan Strikes Out

John McCain's health care plan looks a little shaky on paper. He proposes to pay for an expansion of health benefits by imposing a new tax on… healthy benefits.

You might expect this to bring some criticism from his opponent in the race for the White House. And sure enough, Barack Obama has been hammering McCain's plan lately, calling it "radical" and "out of touch."

But you may be surprised to learn that the plan has also gotten a chilly reception from traditionally Republican business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable. That's a bad sign.

And strike three comes from Republican Senator Norm Coleman, a McCain ally who is up for reelection this year. Coleman has publicly refused to endorse McCain's plan. That one hits home.

Stay tuned for more defections from the right, including possibly Cindy McCain — who is frequently unaware of her husband's policy positions — and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist — who prefers a health plan that involves drowning the feeble and weak in bathtubs.

Tags: Barack Obama, Cindy McCain, Grover Norquist, Health Care, John McCain, Norm Coleman, Senate