Peter Fuad has posted as comment #5 to this Paul Krugman post a very clever idea to improve and reframe the Democratic proposals for universal health care. In addition to improving the workability of "mandates," it co-opts the Republican language of "vouchers." Fuad points out that what is at stake is not a socialized medical delivery system but a socialized medical payment system.
For Krugman's comment on why Obama is unwittingly undermining the Dem dream of universal healthcare, go here. So far this has stirred up 95 comments (which I did not have the time/energy to read).