The individual mandate, a Republican idea which shows how far to the right the Dems have gone

[joshcryer]

79. The amicus briefs to the SCOTUS to shoot down the law tell you which side is REALLY right wing.

This is just an authoritarian left wing propaganda talking point, that it was a "Republican idea."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/politics/lobby-groups-blanket-supreme-court-on-obama-health-care-plan.html?pagewanted=all

http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2012/03/briefs-and-amicus-briefs-in-health-care.html

http://www.americanbar.org/publications/preview_home/11-398.html

1. Whether Congress had the power under Article I of the Constitution to enact the minimum coverage provision.
Merit Briefs
Brief for Petitioners Department of Health and Human Services, et al.
Brief for State Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Private Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Reply Brief for Petitioners Department of Health and Human Services, et al.
Amicus Briefs

In Support of Petitioners (in support of the federal law)
Brief for 104 Health Law Professors in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for AARP in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc., in Support of Petitioner
Brief for the American Association of People With Disabilities, The Arc of the United States, Breast Cancer Action, Families USA, Friends of Cancer Research, March of Dimes Foundation, National Breast Cancer Coalition, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, National Health Law Program, National Organization for Rare Diseases, National Senior Citizens Law Center, National Women’s Health Network, The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and Voices for America’s Children in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association Supporting Petitioners Urging Reversal of the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Hospital Association, et al in Support of Petitioner with Respect to the Individual Mandate
Brief for American Nurses Association; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Medical Student Association; Doctors for America; the National Hispanic Medical Association; and the National Physicians Alliance in Support of Petitioners and Reversal on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for California Endowment in Support of Petitioners and in Favor of the Reversal of the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Child Advocacy Organizations in Support of Petitioners on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Constitutional Law and Economics Professors in Support of Petitioners
Brief for Constitutional Law Scholars in Support of Petitioners (Minimum Coverage Provision)
Brief for David R. Riemer and Community Advocates in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for California Public Employees' Retirement System, et al in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Economic Scholars in Support Of Petitioners Urging Reversal on the Minimum Coverage Issue
Brief for the Governor of Washington Christine Gregoire in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Health Care for All, Inc., Health Law Advocates, Inc., et al. in Support of Petitioners and Urging Reversal on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Health Care Policy History Scholars in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Jewish Social Policy Action Network, New England Jewish Labor Committee in Support of Petitioners
Brief for Lambda Legal Defense Fund, et al, in Support of Petitioner Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Law Professors Barry Friedman and Matthew Adler, et al., in Support of Petitioners and Reversal of the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Support of Petitioner Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the National Women's Law Center, et al in Support of Petitioner on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Prescription Policy Choices, Professors of Law, and Professors of Health Policy in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Service Employees International Union and Change to Win Addressing the Minimum Coverage Provision Issue and Supporting Petitioners and Reversal
Brief for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congressional Leaders and Heads of Committees of Relevant Jurisdictions in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Small Business Majority Foundation, INC and the Main Street Alliance in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Issue
Brief for State Legislators from All Fifty States, The District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico Supporting Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the States of Maryland, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont and the District of Columbia in Support of Petitioners Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Young Invincibles in Support of Petitioner Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision

In Support of Respondents (people against the law)
Brief for the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for American Catholic Lawyers Association, Inc., in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Center for Law and Justice, 119 Members of the United States Congress, and More Than 144,000 Supporters of the ACLJ in Support of Respondents and Urging Affirmance on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Civil Rights Union, the Social Security Institute and the 10th Amendment Foundation, inc. in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for American College of Pediatricians, Christian Medical & Dental Associations, American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Catholic Medical Association, Physicians for Life, National Association of Pro Life Nurses, and Medical Students for Life of America in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Legislative Exchange Council in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the American Life League in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Association of American Physicians And Surgeons, inc., and Individual Physicians in Support of Respondents Regarding the Individual Mandate Issue
Brief for Authors Orgins of Authors of the Origins of The Necessary and Proper Clause (Gary Lawson, Robert G. Natelson & Guy Seidman) and the Independence Institute in Support of Respondent on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Caesar Rodney Institute in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Catholic Vote and Steven J. Willis in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Cato Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Pacific Legal Foundation, 14 Other Organizations, and 333 State Legislators Supporting Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Issue
Brief for Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, Judicial Education Project, Reason Foundation, the Individual Rights Foundation, the Heritage Foundation, Ending Spending, inc., and Former Senators George Lemieux and Hank Brown in Support of Respondents Regarding th Minimum Coverage Provision Issue.
Brief for Citizens and Legislators in the Fourteen Health Care Freedom States in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision (associated with ALEC)
Brief for Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, Supporting the Respondents, and Addressing the Minimum Coverage Provision Issue
Brief for Docs4patientcare, Benjamin Rush Society, Pacific Research Institute, Galen Institute, and Angel Raich in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision (supports doctor-patient 'sanctity')
Brief for Economists in Support of Respondents Regarding Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Employer Solutions Staffing Group in Support of Respondent Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Egon Mittelmann, Esq. in Support of Respondents Mary Brown and Kaj Ahlburg on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Former U.S. Department Officials in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Foundation for Moral Law, in Support of Respondents, Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Independent Women’s Forum in Support of Respondents
Brief for the Insitute for Justice in Support of Respondent
Brief for HSA Coalition, Inc. and the Constitution Defense Fund, a Project of Freedomworks Foundation in Support of Respondents Regardin the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for John Boehner Speaker of the House in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Judicial Watch, inc. in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Landmark Legal Foundation in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Liberty Legal Foundation in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Liberty University, Inc., Michele Waddell, and Joann Merrill in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Members of the United States Senate in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision Issue
Brief for the Missouri Attorney General in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Montana Shooting Sports Association in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Mountain States Legal Foundation in Support of Respondents
Brief for Oklahoma in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Partnership for America in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Project Liberty in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Rutherford Institute in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Senator Rand Paul in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Single Payer Action, It's Our Economy, and Fifty Medical Doctors who Support Single Payer in Support of Respondents on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Stephen M. Trattner in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Tax Foundation in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Support of Respondent Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Thomas More Law Center, Jann Demars, John Ceci, Steven Hyder, and Salina Hyder in Support of Respondent Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Commonwealth of Virginia, ex rel. Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall, Virginia Senator Dick Black, Oklahoma Representative Charles Key, the Institute on the Constitution, U.S. Justice Foundation, Gun Owners Foundation, the Lincoln Institute for Research and Education, the United States Constitutional Rights Legal Defense Fund, Inc., Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund, Policy Analysis Center, Downsize DC Foundation, Gun Owners of America, Inc., the Liberty Committee, Public Advocate of the United States, American Life League, Inc., and DownsizeDC.org in Support of Respondent on the Minimum Coverage Provision
Brief for the Washington Legal Foundation and Constitutional Law Scholars in Support of Respondents Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision

Other
Brief for the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati in Support of Neither Party Regarding the Minimum Coverage Provision

Now, out of all of those, a record number of briefs, one, count them, one that I can see actually supports something better than what's on the books. The rest want to shoot it down because they hate that it takes their "freedoms." They're mostly right wing "free market" policy wonks who hate ACA.

What strange bedfellows the OP and the people recing the OP have. Strange bedfellows indeed.