Republicans deceptively edit SCOTUS audio

The Republican National Committee tampered with audio of SCOTUS proceedings in making an attack ad on President Obama:

In the RNC’s transcript of its ad, it quotes Verrilli as follows: “For more than 80 percent of Americans, the ah insurance system does provide effective access [pause]. Excuse me. Ah [cough] it ah be-be because the ah the ah the [pause]. Excuse me.”

In the actual proceedings, Verrilli finished his thought. “For more than 80 percent of Americans, the, ah, insurance system does provide effective access,” Verrilli says, pausing briefly and saying, “Excuse me. But for more than 40 million who do not have access to health insurance, either through their employer or through government programs such as Medicare or Medicaid, the system does not work.”

This shows not only total disrespect to our highest court, but also to the voters who deserve to be informed, rather than deceived. But the greater insult is Republicans are wasting our money and the government’s time bitterly fighting against an idea they promoted themselves for almost the last 20 years. The health insurance mandate “was the brainchild of conservative economists and embraced by some of the nation’s most prominent Republicans for nearly two decades.”

Back as far the 1980s, when they were desperate to sabotage “liberal calls for government-sponsored universal health coverage,” Republicans insisted an insurance mandate was necessary to protect the responsible insurance buyers from “free riders” who would only buy insurance when they needed medical care, but would drop the policies when they didn’t.

The Heritage Foundation was a big supporter as were these “51 Republicans For Mandating Coverage” who demanded individual mandates as lately as 2009. See the list and watch the video of their public statements on the mandate at the link.

When Republicans supported the individual insurance mandate, they were all about “personal responsibility.” And they were right. If we’re going to reform the health insurance system to prevent insurance corporations from denying coverage, then we need the mandate because there are just too many people out there who would game the system. It wouldn’t be fair to the people who don’t cheat to have to pick up their tab.

There’s only one reason that Republicans were for the mandate then and are against it now. It’s because they think the Democratic party would benefit from a successful health reform program. And apparently, the GOP doesn’t care if a reformed system would also benefit the citizens who need care and indeed, the long term economic health of America. In other words, no matter how many false, doctored attack ads they bombard us with, they can’t hide the ugly truth. Republicans are putting their personal political advantage ahead of the best interests of the American people and America itself.