Romney Prefers to Lose Primary Rather than Renounce Romneycare ("I’m standing by what I did")

National Review ^ | 2011-11-29 | Katrina Trinko

[DoughtyOne]

Exactly. Now, if we can only get Newt to stand behind the idiotic things he did, we’ll get somewhere.

[Dick Holmes]

Everyone hates him for not standing on principle. At least he’s doing so this time.

His handlers told him there's no way he can run away from the signature achievement of his political career. It'd be like Newt saying the Contract With America was a mistake.

[11th Commandment]

You make great points. I think the issue with the mandate is that the federal government, medical associations and lawyers have turned US heath care into a 65% socialized system. With the federal mandate, they are forcing the remaining 35% into the socialized system. If we had a free market health care system with the ideas you posted, I think a mandate at the state level would be a much better sell and make sense.

[trebb]

Everyone hates him for not standing on principle. At least he’s doing so this time.

Either that or he really likes it. The only other possibility is that he's afraid to take ownership of such a huge "mistake".

[Caipirabob]

Romney Prefers to Lose Primary Rather than Renounce Romneycare

Well, we seem to agree on at least one point.

[Venturer]

Mitt Romney refused to criticize his Massachusetts health-care program tonight, saying he would prefer to lose the primary rather than renounce it.
............................................................

I give Mitt my Louissianna answer.

Hey Mitt: That’s ok by me if it’s ok Bayou.

I don’t mind your losing.

[Grunthor]

He finally picks a principle that he won’t flip-flop on and it’s his love of socialist medicine.

THIS is supposed to be one of the most intelligent of our “leaders” in the G.O.P. ???

[LostInBayport]

Mitt says RomneyCare was/is good for Massachusetts. Are there any Bay State FReepers who believe that?

Every time he says that I want to hurl something at my television. RomneyCare, as many predicted, has made things worse...for the taxpayers, at least. Our premiums are rising and the coverage is shrinking. However, the ranks of MassCare (where the taxpayers pay the bill for those who are deemed by the state as unable to pay for their own health insurance) is swelling.

So now I am FORCED (that's the thing I hate the most) to pay a high monthly premium for scant coverage (I pay for all prescriptions, all doctor visits; not covered on my admittedly basic plan).

Basically, I have "catastrophic" coverage, but I pay far more than I would ever have had to in a free market (Massachusetts doesn't allow catastrophic policies).

Oh, and if the state deems you can afford the insurance and don't buy it, they will fine you and sic a law firm on you to collect (and STILL demand you buy the coverage in addition to the fine).

I wouldn't be surprised if Mitt lost Massachusetts in the primary.

[jessduntno]

Interesting thought: Remove the foot and give Romney a mouth transplant to his rectum. That way he could talk from both ends.”

And both sides...

[Chgogal]

Too bad he chose to stand on “principle” we cannot and will not support.

Poor socialist Romney! It sucks to be a RINO when he should be a registered democrat.

[KansasGirl]

Why can’t he say, we tried ObamaRomneycare in MA. It was a huge failure. It is foolish to now foist it on the rest of the nation.

[Servant of the Cross]

Mitt, on this we agree. Go down with your ship. Please.

[Oceander]

Romney shows his true colors (as if they’d really ever been hidden) - a liberal crypto-fascist, just like most democrats and, in particular, the idiot currently besmirching the office of President.

[South40]

Thank You for the insight. I expected as much. And this is what Romney defends still?

I would love to see him lose his home state. Let's hope you and your fellow Bay Staters can make that happen. :-)

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

We wouldn’t know for a year and a half.

Six months to see the general physician and one year on the waiting list to see the specialist.

[Ole Okie]

Well isn’t that special!

[Rome2000]

“I’m standing by what I did in Massachusetts,” Romney said on Fox News Channel’s Special Report with Bret Baier. “I’m not trying to dust it aside. I’m absolutely firm that it was the right thing for our state. I’ll defend that and I understand it has political implications. And if it keeps me from winning a primary, so be it. But that happens to be the truth.”

Yeah, what did the poor old Massachusetts residents do to deserve the mandate enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue?

What happens if I do not meet the mandate?

If you don’t have health insurance by Dec. 31, 2007, you will lose your personal income tax exemption for 2007. That exemption gives you a Massachusetts tax savings of approximately $219.

In 2008, the cost of the penalty goes up. The fine will equal half of the cost of the lowest-priced Health Connector-certified plan for each month that you don’t have coverage

Waivers will be available for those who cannot afford a plan that meets the rules. Check back for updates.

How is the mandate enforced?

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue will enforce the individual mandate through the tax process.

Used to feel sorry for mass residents, then realized they continue to send the likes of Barney Frank, and Jon Kerry to DC, (would still be sending Ted Kennedy if he wasn't burning in Hell), and don't have much sympathy.

The DEGENERATE COWARD AND CON MAN FLIP SLICK WILLARD RINO ROMNEY needs to find a new hobby, running for the GOP nomination is a waste of time and money.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

This is really bad policy as far as politics go.

He would probably be way ahead of where he is in the polls if, during the DNC push to federalize medicine with their ‘health-care bill’ he had come out staunchly opposed to ‘Obamadoesn’tcare’ and used the failure of government-run medicine in his state as a perfect example.

If he had, I know I’d have a lot more respect for this RINO.

[Navy Patriot]

Cool, Romney offers me a deal I can accept.

I won't vote for him and he'll lose the primaries and the nomination.

I be fine with that.

[jessduntno]

“We wouldn’t know for a year and a half.”

Well, he is a VIP...that would account for the fast track, right?