Senator Claire McCaskill (D) at a town hall in Concordia, Missouri on August 10, 2010:

Senator Claire McCaskill (D): town hall in Concordia, Missouri – media availability

….Question: You like the individual mandate?

Senator McCaskill: Uh, I mean, the mandate obviously is the most unpopular part, but, um, when you ask people if they want to do away with preexisting conditions they say, well of course, that’s so unfair. Well, who’s gonna buy insurance before they’re sick. You can’t do away with preexisting conditions unless you set up an environment where everyone has insurance. The nice thing about this is it’s not gonna be government run, it’s not gonna be government policies. People are gonna be able to shop, make choices. And if they can’t afford it we’re gonna help ’em by making it more affordable with some help from the government. So I think it’s, is it a perfect solution? No. But it’s the best solution I think that anybody’s come up with to an untenable spiral of healthcare costs in this country….

In today’s Kansas City Star:

McCaskill looks for alternatives to health care mandate

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star

Sen. Claire McCaskill’s once rock-solid support for a key component of President Barack Obama’s national health care reform law appears to be wavering.

While saying she still backs the individual mandate portion of the law – the controversial section requiring that virtually every individual carry health insurance or pay a penalty – the Missouri Democrat said Thursday that she is searching for alternatives.

“I think there are different things we could look at to see if they would work, and I’m open to that,” she said….

The Star story quotes a Sarah Steelman (r) Twitter post. Sure enough:

Senator McCaskill voted for Obamacare now looking at alternatives to health care mandate.Try following the Constitution and honoring freedom 1:18 PM Jan 5th  via web

Methinks republicans protest too much. Here’s the punchline:

Summary Of A 1993 Republican Health Reform Plan

Feb 23, 2010

In November, 1993, Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., introduced what was considered to be one of the main Republican health overhaul proposals: “A bill to provide comprehensive reform of the health care system of the United States.”

Titled the “Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act of 1993,” it had 21 co-sponsors, including two Democrats (Sens. Boren and Kerrey). The bill, which was not debated or voted upon, was an alternative to President Bill Clinton’s plan.  It bears similarity to the Democratic bill passed by the Senate Dec. 24, 2009, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act…

….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….

[emphasis added]

Uh, that’s an individual mandate. The sponsors:

…COSPONSORS(20), ALPHABETICAL…:

Sen Bennett, Robert F. [UT] – 11/22/1993

Sen Bond, Christopher S. [MO] – 11/22/1993

Sen Boren, David L. [OK] – 5/17/1994

Sen Cohen, William S. [ME] – 11/22/1993

Sen Danforth, John C. [MO] – 11/22/1993

Sen Dole, Robert J. [KS] – 11/22/1993

Sen Domenici, Pete V. [NM] – 11/22/1993

Sen Durenberger, Dave [MN] – 11/22/1993

Sen Faircloth, Lauch [NC] – 11/22/1993

Sen Gorton, Slade [WA] – 11/22/1993

Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA] – 11/22/1993

Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] – 11/22/1993

Sen Hatfield, Mark O. [OR] – 11/22/1993

Sen Kassebaum, Nancy Landon [KS] – 11/22/1993

Sen Kerrey, J. Robert [NE] – 5/17/1994

Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN] – 11/22/1993

Sen Simpson, Alan K. [WY] – 11/22/1993

Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] – 11/22/1993

Sen Stevens, Ted [AK] – 11/22/1993

Sen Warner, John [VA] – 11/22/1993…

[emphasis added]

How ironic, eh? Of course, the stenographer neglects to mention any republican hypocrisy.

MBersin  Michael Bersin

@sarah_steelman Uh, in 1993 Bond, Dole, Grassley, Hatch, etc. sponsored HCR bill with individual mandate. Were they dishonoring freedom?23 seconds ago