Schumer: ObamaCare "Off The Table" For Romney As Campaign Issue

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[Fred]

A top Democrat in the Senate took a rare direct shot at GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney on Tuesday, arguing that Romney's past support of health care reform means the issue is "off the table" during the fall elections.

Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, the Democratic Conference vice chairman and former head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, blasted Romney during an outdoor press conference near the Supreme Court. The court is spending this week reviewing the constitutionality of the 2010 health care reform law that is President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement.

Schumer said Romney's support of a similarly structured reform program when he was governor of Massachusetts disqualifies him from attacking Obama over the issue this fall, should Romney become the Republican presidential nominee.

"Romney's trying to disown what he did in Massachusetts, now that the individual mandate is unpopular with conservatives," Schumer said. "No matter what he tries to say now, Mitt Romney is a walking, talking amicus brief in favor of the president's health care law.

[Fred]

Any questions?

[Lionheartusa1]

,,,, and that’s why the Mean Streak Media wants Mittens to win the primary ,,, no secret here .

[SatinDoll]

Are there any differences, any at all, between Romneycare and Obamacare?

If both have mandates, is the main difference the fact one is a state government program and the other Federal?

[C210N]

Are there any differences, any at all, between Romneycare and Obamacare?

Apples and oranges... COMPLETELY different!

One has a mandate and the other.... wait, ummm...

One takes away individual choice, and the other... ummmm...

One is by a 'Rat, and the other is by a Re.... ummmm....

[UB355]

Romney just on with a local radio show in Wisconsin. Our primary is next week. He claims Obama Crud is different from what was done in MA. MA program is based on private health insurance vs Obama’s government single payer based coverage.

[the invisib1e hand]

Blind Squirrel Gets Nut!

[Fred]

Not according to Ms. Betsey Ross, HC advocate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrbdhA4oCcQ

[CrappieLuck]

Has Obama done anything else in three years that could be harmful to his Campaign?

It’s not like Obamacare is his only “achievement”.
I think the media keeps focusing on this (obvious” issue so we don’t go digging through Fast & Furious, Unemployment, Solyndra, Drilling moratoriums, Stimulus, $1 Billion for the Muslim Brotherhood, IRan etc.........

Romney, or anyone else for that matter has PLENTY to smack this President upside the face with. Obamacare is just the fight they’d LIKE to have.

[DonaldC]

I think the big difference is one is a state issue and the other federal. If a state wants to screw itself, that is its right to do as long is does not come looking for federal dollars to keep it going. IMHO, there are few issues that need federal involvement, far fewer than what the feds are involved in today.

[jwalsh07]

Yes, pretty much. However it is constitutional in Massachusetts and unconstitutional federally. In both cases it is bad medicine.

[SatinDoll]

I get the big picture, and it is what I originally thought: there isn’t any major differences.

So, why is the RNC so hot to have a liberal Democrat as our Republican nominee?

[SnakeDoctor]

The most noteworthy part of this is that they want ObamaCare “off the table”. If they were proud of it, or thought it was a winning issue, they’d want it on the table.

Sounds to me like they’re conceding the issue ... admitting that its a vulnerability rather than an accomplishment. Anytime the bad guys say an issue is “off the table” — that pretty much puts it back on the table.

SnakeDoc

[EGPWS]

Are there any differences, any at all, between Romneycare and Obamacare?

Yeah, Romneycare is Republican sanctioned and 0bamacare is Democrat sanctioned.

Other than that they both take away individual freedoms and are a black eye to the US Constitution.

[DannyTN]

Assuming SCOTUS throws out Obamacare and Romney just won't make an issue of it.

So where does that leave Santorum?

Santorum needs to put forth his plan to restore Healthcare to free market principles. And then he can contrast that plan against what Romney did in Mass. And point out that Romney is likely to try to use Federal funds to impose Romneycare like solutions on states.

Source of Santorum plan

2012 Presidential Plan

• Repeal ObamaCare
• Strengthen patient-driven health coverage options such as Health Savings Accounts coupled with high deductible insurance plans (and repeal ObamaCare policies that gut such options)
• Reduce costs through competition, increased transparency, electronic records, and health care literacy – empowering patients and their doctors with information and options
• Allow patients to purchase health insurance across state lines to gain access to the best insurance coverage to fit their individual needs – patients shouldn’t be required to pay for (and subsidize for others) coverage for services they don’t want or need
• Allow those who purchase their own health care coverage to do so with pre-tax dollars, including a refundable tax-credit for the purchase of health coverage (so that employees are not tied to jobs solely for health coverage, but have portability of affordable coverage)
• Enact meaningful medical liability reform – to increase access, and reduce added costs and inefficiencies from defensive medicine for federal programs and incentivize state liability reforms
• Block-grant Medicaid so that states aren’t burdened by unfunded, crippling, one-size-fits-all federal mandates, so that states can implement solutions to address their unique health care needs

[Not A Snowbird]

If the Court invalidates it, then it is off the table.

What will be on the table is what to do as a replacement.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Every time that reptile opens his big mouth I find myself wishing for a well placed bolt of lightning.

Schumer should be confined to NYC with Bloomberg.

[struggle]

I’d start with gas prices and “Russian flexibility”

[rolling_stone]

Yea, if you don’t like Romney care you can move to another state, if you dont like Obamacare you will have to move to another country or get a waiver by way of donations to Obama...

[JediJones]

Obamacare is (was?) not single payer. That’s going be the new-and-progressiver Obamacare 2.0.

[TYVets]

Every time that reptile opens his big mouth I find myself wishing for a well placed bolt of lightning.

You are not alone in your way of thinking.