No less than Paul Krugman is noticing a growing call for "entitlement reform." But now casual talk about the need to "fix" Social Security is creeping back into the discourse. Folks, Social Security is in pretty good shape; it's not clear that there even is a long-run shortfall, and if there is it's a much less pressing problem than many others. The only reason we hear so much about Social Security is that there are powerful political forces that want to kill it, for ideological reasons.

David Broder's Sunday column was infuriating. He essentially endorses health care plans that are friendly to business. But that's not the worst part. He says he endorses them because they're the only way to reduce costs. Converting to such a system would be controversial. Insurers and some of the players in the health system would probably object. But the growing sense in business that only a mass marketplace of individuals can apply the competitive pressure needed to discipline the forces of medical inflation is moving the country in that direction.

President Bush says he's open to more money for SCHIP than his paltry initial request, according to The Hill.

After Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) agreed to withdraw an amendment to cut the estate tax, Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus (D-MT) promised a committee mark-up of Kyl's amendment next spring.