Goose and Gander

The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments against the health care law that was passed by the Obama administration. The right wing labeled it Obamacare from the get go and every candidate running for President in the GOP primary has vowed to repeal the law the first day they win the presidency. The main crux in the law for the "conservatives" is the individual mandate.

Back in the early 90's President Bill Clinton was taking on the issue of health care. One of the big issues the Republicans didn't like about Clinton's health care ideas was the fact he wanted employers to pay for their employees health care. They objected to this idea and actually came up with their own plan.

Bill Clinton introduced the Consumer Choice Health Security Act (SB 1743) on November 20, 1993. Here is the main portion of the bill:
"Subtitle C: Employer Provisions - Requires employers to: (1) withhold health insurance premiums from employee wages and remit such premiums to the employee's chosen insurer; and (2) notify employees of their right to claim an advance refundable tax credit for such premiums."

Three days later the Republicans countered and introduced a bill by Senator John Chafee and Senator Chuck Grassley. It was called Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act (SB 1770). Here is the main portion of the bill:
"Subtitle F: Universal Coverage - Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005. Provides an exception for any individual who is opposed for religious reasons to health plan coverage, including those who rely on healing using spiritual means through prayer alone."

Here are what some of the Republican congressman had to say about the individual mandate, a better alternative to the Democratic plan of having employers pay the premium, back in the early 90's.

"I and the majority of Republicans...strongly believe the route to go with is an individual mandate." ~ Bill sponsor, Senator John Chafee (R)

"Well, we have an individual mandate in our plan. We have an individual mandate as opposed to the employer mandate." ~ Senator Bob Dole (R)

"Well, there's a big difference. What we do, the plan that I'm looking at and really going to be pushing, we do have an individual mandate. We do say everybody in America has to provide insurance for themselves." ~ Senator Don Nickles (R)

At the Atlantic Information Services Inc. Conference a reporter asked: "You have an individual mandate where all persons would have the responsibility to coverage? Is that correct?"
"That's correct." ~ Senator Kit Bond (R)

"I believe there is a bipartisan consensus to have individual mandates." ~ Co-sponsor of the Republican bill, Senator Rick Grassley (R)

This behavior, beyond being hypocritical, is down right dangerous. We have peoples lives at stake and these guys, and the people that chant their rhetoric without one ounce of thought, play games. They understand their constituents are so ignorant and only filled with hate and fear that they can lie to them and completely do a one hundred and eighty degree spin on their position and no one will know any better.

At what point is it no longer a game? When someone you know dies? At what point do we demand reason and logic and honesty and integrity when addressing our nation's problems? If we allow these politicians to act this way, to get away with lying and changing their stance simply because the "other" guy is in charge, then we are to blame, not them.