"Rather, the Republican Party is coldly taking whatever position happens to be most strategically convenient, and if that requires pretending to jettison their previous beliefs, then so be it. " I guess its left to me to point out that the only reason that Obama cared about the little people in his previous opposition to the mandate was that it polled well to be opposed to both Clinton and Edwards backing it. It was a nice convenient wedge at the time, complete with mailers sent out to Republicans in Iowa during the caucus.