Yes, it’s a shit sandwich compared to the filet mignon we might have had in a perfect world, but it is much better than the status quo. It will give coverage to millions of currently-uninsured people, get a handle on out-of-control Medicare cost growth, stop the most egregious abuses of the insurance companies (by eliminating denial and recision of coverage), and do so in a way that is deficit-neutral.

Yes, a robust public option would have been wonderful. Yes, it would have been nice to achieve universal coverage. Yes, we are going to have to deal with the inherent problems of a fee-for-service model eventually. Yes, the subsidies are not as good as they should have been, especially at the low end. Yes, Joe Lieberman is a two-faced prick who needs to be sent back to Connecticut in the most expeditious manner possible. Yes, the days of the filibuster in the Senate need to be brought to an end. Yes, Harry Reid is a terrible vote-whipper. Yes, the Obama administration misplayed the whole game. None of that changes the fact that this bill will make things better, it is the closest we progressives have gotten to comprehensive health care reform in a generation, and the way the current political winds are blowing, we will not get another chance at this for at least 3 years, probably more. Pass the bill.

A couple very smart people who agree with me, and strongly influenced my opinion on this:
Nate Silver
Paul Krugman