According to the congressional forecasters, Democrats have succeeded in turning water into wine, proposing health care legislation that will simultaneously expand the welfare state with new entitlements while also reducing budget deficits. This is big news, at least from a political perspective, since proponents hope so-called deficit hawks will have an excuse to support bigger government.

Moderate Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats should not be deluded by rosy-scenario estimates. Government-run health care will be a budget buster. First, new subsidies and handouts will cost more than predicted. Second, tax increases won't generate as much money as projected. Third, promises to control other spending - particularly Medicare - are laughably insincere. And fourth, bigger government...