Krugman asks: So does this mean that liberals should have insisted on single-payer or nothing?

[geek tragedy]

44. You are obviously not aware how Democrats think about health care.

In 2007, Clinton, Edwards, Obama all had very similar plans. Obama didn't have an individual mandate, Clinton and Edwards did. Krugman attacked Obama FROM THE LEFT for his failure to include a mandate.

The other stuff in the law--limits on profits of insurance companies, guaranteed issue, community rating, subsidies, expansion of Medicaid, emphasis on preventive health care, minimum standards of quality in insurance programs (i,e, a ban on junk insurance) are all liberal, Democratic ideas. The Massachusetts plan was passed by a very liberal Massachusetts legislature, with several provisions passed over Romney's veto.

Those of us who have been Democrats for our adult lives and voting histories know better than the dishonest talking point that the Heritage Foundation seriously supported a giant expansion of Medicaid, federal regulatory and taxation authority, and profit limits on health insurance companies.

So, you can sit there and pretend to excommunicate Paul Krugman from the world of liberal Democrats on health care, but he has been very consistent on these issues.