Plain speaking

The oddest thing about the health care debate, at least in my view, is that Republicans basically did not engage on the actual substance of the bill.  Lots of stuff about death panels, and lots of stuff about procedure, lots of stuff about backroom deals (most of which will be gone after reconciliation) but shockingly little about the individual mandate — or, as Tim Noah points out, about the actual taxes that really are being raised for this.  The only real substantive complaint they highlighted was Medicare, where they argued against their own position. 

That's from Jonathan Bernstein.  David Frum is also right on the mark.