Today Barack Obama unveils his health care plan. This little preview is not reassuring.

He has said that prevention and better management of the chronically ill can save the health care system billions of dollars.

Ah, “prevention”, the oft-cited magic bullet of health care reform. Of course, many Americans can prevent their own health issues, by exercising, eating right, and (ahem, Senator Obama) not smoking. And yet millions of Americans create their own health problems by making bad choices. A major chunk of America’s health problems, and the resulting costs, are a direct consequence of those choices.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton plans “a major policy address” at the Manchester School of Technology. Reportedly, it will deal with income inequality. No word on whether her preferred solution is a tax rate in which she gets to take everything.