Former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on ObamaCare's Mandate: Sure It's Unconstitutional, But Is That Really Such a Big Deal?

Former GOP Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist thinks ObamaCare's individual mandate is unconstitutional. But, well, whaddayagonnadoaboutit? Via the Argus Leader:

Frist agrees that the mandate violates the Constitution. But unlike others on both sides of the debate, he thinks parts of the law will inject enough money into health care to make the end result workable even without the mandate.

He said the law benefits from growing public support and that its long phase-in period will allow Congress, passing through several election cycles, to amend it without killing it.

What growing support would that be? According to Pollster.com, the law's favorability numbers have been trending downward for a while:

Of course, Frist is biased. In part because he likes the law, more or less:

He called the reform law 70 percent good and 30 percent bad. He had been out of Congress for three years when the law came up for a vote last year, but he urged Republicans to support it.

Also, it maybe, possibly helps that he works for a firm that makes money lobbying for laws like ObamaCare. As Timothy Carney reported last year:

Frist is a partner in a private investment firm that bets on health care companies -- and on regulation. The firm's Web site reads: "With deep expertise in the healthcare reimbursement and regulatory environments, the Cressey & Company team has invested in almost every for-profit niche of healthcare."

"Almost every for-profit niche of healthcare." Even the unconstitutional ones?