Cruel Ironies

The Economist (subscription required) endorses the Bush health plan:

IT IS a cruel irony that George Bush has come up with one of the most sensible proposals of his presidency just as the chances of getting it implemented are close to zero. In his state-of-the-union speech, Mr Bush laid out a plan to limit the vast federal tax subsidies for health insurance. His ideas are bold and mostly good. Too bad that with Democrats in control on Capitol Hill and his approval ratings at dismal lows, the plan is more likely to end up in the dustbin than on the statute books.

At the National Journal, Clive Crook also likes the plan.

The Bush health plan is starting to look a lot like a gasoline tax hike or a gradual increase in the normal retirement age for social security and medicare--a policy that appeals to many policy wonks from the right, left, and middle but is nonetheless unlikely to command a Congressional majority.