So, you thought you heard everything. Ross Douthat has declared that we should expect “American life expectancy will either leap upward, vindicating the bill’s supporters, or it won’t” (in respect to the contention that healthcare reform will save lives.)  What? Life expectancies in populations change slowly over time, even with great change. So, I can guarantee that this will not happen in the short term, maybe in 10 years, we’ll see some small incremental gains. So, Douthat measures success by the demographically impossible. If that weren’t enough, he also blathers on about ballooning deficits because of this bill.  Really, is that why deficits will balloon. Or, has a decade of republican tax cuts and underfunded wars been the culprit? Oh, and what about that economic mess left by unregulated capitalism? Surely that mess was not just the republicans fault (but it is their platform). Such crocodile tears over deficits are now all the rage among once freespending (and undertaxing) republicans who wanted to have their cake and eat it too.

One wonders why the NYTimes would pay for such drivel. Oh, I see it at the bottom: he’s the token conservative. Should’ve guessed. Apparently, the NYTimes thinks it needs some political “balance.” At least they could have paid for some thoughtful critique–one less partisan and more contemplative.  Op-Ed Columnist – Show Time for Health Care – NYTimes.com.