“GOP state leaders fumble by ceding control of health exchanges to federal officials, critics say,” is the headline on a recent story by N. C. Aizenman in the Washington Post. This is a very odd way to frame the story, unless Aizenman takes these critics’ view and wants to promote it (an interpretation given credence by her ending the story with a quote from one of those critics). It is always possible to find “critics” who think either party is making a mistake. But it is not especially interesting to learn that people who disagree with a policy think it’s a mistake. “Some Republicans disagree with party’s exchange stance” would be better. . . but again, what’s the newsworthiness? Some Republicans think the advocates of state-based exchanges are deluding themselves, too. So: “Republicans disagree about exchanges, but most reject them.” The problem with that headline is that it’s not true to the story, which really is all about those critics. The critics of the critics are allowed to make their case in two sentences. I’ve got it. “Reporter thinks Republicans wrong on exchanges.” This could be a model for many Post headlines to come.