Full of $hit! Romney Struggles To Distance RomneyCare From ObamaCare: Ours Was ‘Bipartisan’
by Ben Armbruster
Think Progress.org
Throughout the health care debate, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has had to do a delicate political dance. The legislation that Congress ultimately passed and that President Obama signed into law closely mirrors the health care reform measure Massachusetts passed when Mitt Romney was governor in 2006. Thus, Romney has had to embrace his plan while at the same time, attacking Obama’s in an effort to appease the GOP and the conservative base, who adamantly oppose it.
However, the similarities between the bills Romney and Obama signed into law coupled with the current staunch GOP opposition are proving to be difficult gaps to bridge for the former governor.
Particularly troubling for Romney is the mandate to buy insurance in both reform measures. Republicans believe the individual mandate in the bill Obama signed is unconstitutional and stands as the raison d’etre for their efforts to repeal the bill. But Romney said in 2008, “I like mandates. The mandates work.” Now, it’s unclear where Romney stands on the federal mandate, and he won’t say whether it is constitutional, even though it is core principle of the health care reform bill he signed. (more)