No real news on healthcare reform

President Obama’s healthcare proposal is a costlier hybrid of the House and Senate bills — without the House bill’s public option and with the addition of a populist proposal for federal regulation of health insurance rates.  When all is said and done, it reflects the same basic approach that culminated in the election of Scott Brown.

There’s very little news here.  There is no basis for bipartisan reform.  Thursday’s healthcare “summit” is purely for public consumption.