Democrats want to extend COVID-era Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. Republicans are pitching a plan to fund health savings accounts (HSA). Neither plan passed the Senate Thursday — both were voted down. Brad McElhinny filed a full report from a West Virginia point of view.

Now the pundits are out in full force — liberal and conservative — lecturing us on why their side is right and the other is wrong. Why their plan will work and the other will fail. Hogwash all around.

Here’s a third perspective: neither plan has real merit. Unpopular opinion? Probably. But popularity and responsibility often travel opposite paths.

The subsidy extension carries a price tag north of $300 billion over ten years. Ouch.

The HSA proposal — $1,000 for adults 18 to 49 and $1,500 for those 50 to 65 earnin

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