The New Republic

Joe Klein says that Governor Scott Walker only wants a few modest tweaks: READ MORE >>

I think Ezra Klein is correct in Wonkbook (which remains excellent, by the way—anyone wanting to keep up with policy developments should really make it a daily must) about what really mattered in the House this week. It’s how easily the leadership was rolled by the rank and file on spending: READ MORE >>

For those who are really interested in health care and the budget, especially those who buy the idea that ACA savings are probably overstated because they depend on budget discipline from future Congresses, I highly recommend Ezra Klein's post today skewering Paul Ryan's Medicare plan. The gist of it is that Ryan's plan is just as dependent on budget discipline in the future in the face of prospective real cuts as the ACA is. So if you buy that criticism, Ryan's plan won't work either. READ MORE >>

Is there an honest constitutional argument against the individual mandate? Of course there is. The constitution is ambiguous and open to conflicting interpretations. But are the people making constitutional arguments against the mandate being honest? Count me as very skeptical. READ MORE >>

I’m a little skeptical of the belief that Mitt Romney has a health care problem, at least as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president (see, for example, Jamelle Bouie here). READ MORE >>

Ezra Klein interviews the person who came up with the individual mandate: Tell me about your involvement in the development of the individual mandate. READ MORE >>

Both Ezra Klein and Greg Sargent interpret today’s agreement on Senate reform -- in which Harry Reid explicitly and apparently unconditionally pledged not to attempt to change the rules with a simple majority vote -- as the end of the road for reform. The reasoning? READ MORE >>

I think I'm finally beginning to understand GOP thinking about fiscal policy. It's not that they're at war, as Krugman thought, with logic. Or, as Jonathan Chait writes, with arithmetic. Or even with CBO, as Ezra Klein concludes. It's the concept of budgeting that they don't like. READ MORE >>

Republicans are convinced the Affordable Care Act will cost too much because future lawmakers will never let the law's spending cuts take effect. I think the Republicans are wrong, for reasons I detailed on Monday. But even if you don't believe me, there's another reason to think Republicans are too pessimistic about what health care reform will cost. READ MORE >>

Ezra Klein says I'm too hard on Jeb Bush: READ MORE >>