REPUBLICANS HAD ALREADY WON WHEN THE UR ADOPTED THE HERITAGE PLAN:

What Reagan got wrong, however, was the definition of socialism. Under socialism, the government controls every major sector of the economy. Under capitalism, most activity happens in private markets, and the government steps in to handle areas where the market struggles to earn a profit - be it defending the country, policing the streets, educating children or providing medical care to the sick and the elderly.

The best sign that government-guaranteed health insurance doesn't equal socialism is that Reagan, a president committed to defeating socialism, changed his position on Medicare once it became law. As president, he not only didn't try to repeal it; he vowed to protect it. Two decades later, another Republican president - George W. Bush - expanded it, just as Reagan predicted it would expand in 1961.

The reaction to last week's Supreme Court decision was a sign that Obamacare has entered the very beginnings of its Medicare phase. The law will still come under attack, especially rhetorically. But it's here to stay. We know that because some of its most virulent opponents just decided that a victory for Obamacare was actually a victory for them.

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