GOP for Individual Mandate Before They Were Against It

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Awesome segment by Rachel Maddow last nignt —

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Maddow documents that way back when Republicans were battling the evil “Hillarycare” instead of the evil “Obamacare,” Republicans pushed an individual mandate to purchase health insurance as a solution for soaring health care costs. And this includes some of the same Republicans who today declare that the individual mandate is the end of liberty as we know it. If you are short of time you can skip to the 5 minute mark, right before the juicy bits start.

Update: Several news stories say that the justice’s questioning today suggests the conservatives on the Court are going to end the mandate. Steve Kornacki says ain’t necessarily so. Ezra Klein is less optimistic.

6 thoughts on “GOP for Individual Mandate Before They Were Against It”

  1. Modern Conservatism, has devolved into:
    1. “We are AGAINST anything Liberals and Democrats are for!”
    2. And, “We are FOR anything Liberals and Democrats are against!”
    “All of this is subject to change daily – or, whenever needed…”

    And 2 of the 9 SC Judges, Alito and Thomas, have made-up their minds – to do as much damage to Obama and the Democrats as possible.
    Roberts it the ultimate Corporatist, so he may be more subtle.
    And the usually Conservative ‘Ol’ Reliable’, Scalia, might be a bit of a wild-card on this issue – based on prior opinions – however, this is no guarantee of present, or future, decisions.
    Kennedy, unsurprisingly, will probably be the swing vote.

    Whatever the decision, if you want to find out the reason(s) for it – “follow the money.”

  2. Gulog, I believe you may be right in that this could hinge on a money issue for a majority of the Court. If so, then I think the decision will swing in favor of retaining the mandate. Reason being, insurance companies will take a major hit if the mandate is disallowed and the rest of what is, in actuality, insurance reform is kept in place, because companies would still be required to insure everyone who applies for insurance, regardless of potential cost v. statistically assured profit.

    The only other thing that gives me hope with regard to the outcome of this case is that the SCOTUS knows they stepped in a pile of steaming manure with their Citizens United decision. Question is –and I think it is a huge, monumental question–is the Court going to determine the case on the basis of valid legal precedence or are they simply going to proclaim, “We are more important than the Legislature and the President. Our decision is final, and there is not a damned thing anyone can do about it.”

    That is something that keeps me awake at night.

  5. My thinking this morning:
    If a R President and Congress passed this, the SC’s “Gang of Five” would have rubber-stamped this.

    But, since it was the Democrats, I think they’ll parse this thing enough to that some of it is legal, and some not – like maybe the mandate – which is the control mechanism regarding cost control.
    They want to leave enough wiggle room in it for R’s to continue to be able to use ACA against Obama and the Democrats in this year’s elections, and 2014, and maybe 2016 – and beyond.

    And, as Charles Pierce wrote the other day, now that a religion element has been, rather brilliantly, added to this most secular of laws, we will never hear the end of it.
    Because Jesus, I guess, would not have wanted preexisting conditions covered, or people under 26, who can’t afford their own health care policies to be covered under their parents plan. ‘Cause in their minds, Christ was just as big a dick as they are.
    So – NO health care for you!
    Why?
    Because Religious Freedom and LIBERTY! So shut up, THAT’S why!!!

    The Conservatives will work like hell to make any decision reached on ACA into ‘Roe v. Wade II,’ so they can continue to use it as a wedge issue to milk the religious rubes for support and votes – and for fun and profit!

    And that, now, is truly, The American Way!

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