Why all the sound and fury about the individual mandate?
The objections to the individual mandate are loud, frequent, and hyperbolic. What they are not is credible. Much of the criticism of the mandate appears to be coming from people and organizations that previously supported a mandate. That’s why it is so difficult to take them seriously. Here are a couple examples. – Mitt Romney, who could teach a kite a thing or two about moving with the political winds, signed a bill into law saying it was “a personal responsibility principle”; a bill that was pretty similar to the one he now describes as “an unconscionable abuse of power.”. (and yes, Romney did endorse a Federal mandate) Romney also said “Some of my libertarian friends balk at what looks like an individual mandate. But remember, someone has to pay for the health care that must, by law, be provided: Either the individual pays or the taxpayers pay. A free ride on government is not libertarian.” – Sen Orrin Hatch (R UT) cosponsored a bill that required a universal mandate back in 1993. T
