Scott Gottlieb (New York Post): “The plan creates a single national health-insurance policy. Consumers’ only real option is to trade higher co-pays for lower premiums. But we’ll all get the same package of benefits established by a series of new agencies and an ‘insurance czar’ seated in Washington.”

Paul Krugman (New York Times): “There are three main groups of critics” of the Senate health bill: “the crazy right,” “the Bah Humbug … fiscal scolds,” and the uncompromising “progressives.” [Those on the right are either insane or morally defective, while those on the left are merely mistaken.]

George Will (Washington Post): “Reid had two advantages — the spending, taxing and borrowing powers of the federal leviathan, and an almost gorgeous absence of scruples or principles. Principles are general rules, such as: Nebraska should not be exempt from burdens imposed on the other 49 states.