Today's OpEds: Health summit critiques

Congress' Real Problem? A Lack Of Restraint On Spending The Washington Post
We're told that gridlock, procedural holds, partisanship and extreme ideology are preventing members of Congress from working together. While some of this analysis is true -- Washington is petty, partisan and shortsighted -- few are acknowledging that Congress does enjoy remarkable unity in one critical area: spending beyond our means (Sen. Tom Coburn, 2/26).

Not As Dull As Expected! The New York Times
But there were moments, at the most wonky and specific, when the two sides echoed each other. Glimmers of hope for the next set of reformers (David Brooks, 2/25).

Time For A Nap, Then a Retreat The Washington Times
The president obviously intended the session to be an indoctrinating moment, with himself as the stern instructor and the members of Congress as pupils to sit up straight and speak only when spoken to (Wesley Pruden, 2/26).

Summit Fails To Bridge Partisan Gaps On Health Reform The Washington Post
Early in the conversation, though, it became clear that even if the bipartisan fairy could wave her wand and make all the posturing disappear, the gaps would not be bridged (2/26).

Defining ObamaCare Down The Wall Street Journal
The point of yesterday's session was to give a soothing, moderate political gloss to a government health care takeover that will raise costs, greatly expand the entitlement state, and reduce choice and competition — the opposite of everything Mr. Obama claims (2/26).

After The Summit The New York Times
The main lesson to draw from Thursday's health care forum is that differences between Democrats and Republicans are too profound to be bridged (2/25).

The Way Forward Los Angeles Times
But rather than making a persuasive case for starting over, Republicans showed that their half-steps wouldn't get to the root of the problems they're trying to solve. That alone should persuade Democrats to move forward — through reconciliation, if necessary (2/26).

Obama Should Focus On Democrats, Not Republicans The Christian Science Monitor
Perhaps Obama calculated that Thursday's summit would provide cover to congressional Democrats nervous about their reelection prospects. If so, that is smart, but that consideration will only matter if Obama takes the results of the summit in concert with robust work behind the scenes to win member votes (Mark Greenbaum, 2/25).