Howard Dean: I may interview him

This weekend Howard Dean is coming to Chicago to speak at the Bridging the Health Care Gap demonstration in Lincoln Park.

Collective Interest is on the list of media outlets that may get an interview if Dean feels up to it and there aren't bigger media outlets that want the same time slot.

So, I may get a chance to interview Howard Dean this weekend. (Unfortunately Sebastian has conflicts on Friday and Saturday.)

What can I ask relevant to this book? Here's a couple thoughts:

* Changes to the health care system have the potential to affect many powerful political constituencies. One of the constituencies that makes big money from the health care system are trial lawyers, a key constituency for financing Democratic political candidates. If the government is paying for health care--which is probably necessary for universal health care--the government will want to reduce spending without compromising delivery of health care. Won't a universal health care system lead to significant reduction in medical malpractice judgments? And since medical malpractice suits are a cash cow for trial lawyers, isn't it unrealistic to expect the Democratic Party to implement universal health care?

* In U.S. News and World Report James Carville predicted the rise of a third-party movement for the 2008 presidential election. On what issues are the Democrats and Republicans vulnerable to a third-party challenge?