Your morning jolt: Romney notes ‘a number of similarities’ between his health care plan and Obama’s
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spoke Tuesday to a packed chapel at Emory University. John Bazemore/AP
Former and future Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney addressed a packed chapel at Emory University on Tuesday evening.
Introduced by Gov. Sonny Perdue, who was not on his train in ‘08, Romney was the portrait of a man working at a post-candidacy pace – in slacks and a sport shirt.
Officially, this was one stop in a book tour – Romney was in Iowa on Monday. And in a 40 minute speech, the former Massachusetts governor declined to address the largest question dangling over him.
Which is, given the similarities between the health care system that he designed for his state, and the national system that President Barack Obama has embarked on, how will that shape a ‘12 bid for the White House.
But the topic was raised at once in a question-and-answer session by a medical student. “There are a number of similarities,” conceded Romney, who continued at length:
“We passed in Massachusetts a health care bill that makes sure, that if you lose a job or change a job, you won’t lose your insurance. Everybody in Massachusetts is able to keep insurance throughout their life. It’s not taken away from them. So it’s portable.
“No. 2, you can’t be cancelled if you have a pre-existing condition or if you become ill once your insured. So everybody’s insured. Ninety-eight percent of the citizens in our state are insured. So in that respect, it’s very similar.
“And we also have an individual responsibility. We have an incentive – a mandate, if you will, to say we need everybody insured. The reason we did that was pretty simple. We had a lot of people showing up at the hospital without insurance – people who had the money or funds to buy insurance, who said, ‘I got no insurance. I’m real sick. Take care of me.’
“And the government was paying for those people. That’s what’s happening here, and in the other states in the country. There are people who — we call them free-riders — who say ‘I’m not going to be insured. I can’t pay my own way. If I have an accident or have a heart-attack, the government will pay for me.’ We say no more. You’ve got [the] responsibility, a personal responsibility, to get insured.
“But there are some aspects of the president’s plans I don’t like. One thing, I like states being able to do what we did – not the federal government. I’m a big believer of the federalist system….
“He’s raising taxes by half a trillion. We didn’t raise taxes to get our job done. No. 2, he’s cutting Medicare. We didn’t cut the benefits for senior citizens to get our job done.
“And No. 3, he’s putting in price controls. Markets don’t work if government starts setting prices. That just does not work. So for those reasons, among others, I’m an opponent of Obamacare.
“But [I] like what we’ve done pretty well, despite its weaknesses and flaws – and it has weaknesses and flaws. And those are worth studying. But what I don’t understand is, given the fact that some people think our system is a lot like what the president did, why didn’t he call me to ask for my advice? I would have given him some good advice.”
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110 comments Add your comment
TW
March 31st, 2010
4:08 pm
Trouble with Romney is he’s a self-proclaimed Moron. Now, we had a Moron in the White House from 2000-2008, and even though he had only one wife, the results were disastrous.
No more GOP Morons!
You Asked
March 31st, 2010
4:42 pm
Gee TW no one has ever been clever enough to make a pun about my religion (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) using the word Moron in place of Mormon. Governor Romney would think you were hilarious.
Such a clever little basement dweller you are.
I second the motion to have the AJC moderate the forums- or at least make the reporting function easier to use. The racist, ignorant crap is really reflecting badly on Atlantans and I suspect most of it is Mobys (people pretending to be something to make a group look bad) or people who think they are funny.
OBAMAMERICA
March 31st, 2010
5:11 pm
Please get a dictionary or hit spell check on the computer Sarah Palin Lover…..You are too funny. It will take a long time to get rid of everyone that is not of your race. We are here to stay……It’s your ancestor fault, they brought us over
. Get serious….and please let me know what county you are in because I don’t want anyone to receive the “ajucation” that you received. How can you understand what is going on and you can’t even spell. You have to know how to articulate in order to understand. Who knows if I am black I may be your next door neighbor pretending to be “ignorant” when I am talking to you outside. You never know….:). Have a blessed day and keep spreading hate, because it motivates us to do what we did in 2009. Also, what makes you think you are paying for someone’s healthcare, etc. You can’t be making that much. You have to be able to spell and speak correctly to fill out an application. Or do you call your sheet parties a job! Everyone has a right to express their views in a positive manner. I know you were on the front row of Palin’s campaign trail, because anyone that had sense knew she couldn’t articulate her views either. Blah, Blah, Blah…..You are a hillbilly and proud of it, right. Again, I say continue to be the conservative little puppet. Drink your tea….or swine that you make in the hills, while you think we are enjoying the free care. I wonder how many of your family members are working, having babies out of wedlock, get government funds or free healthcare now. I know they are all weathy and own their own companies, never needing anything from anyone. Good day- and get a LIFE!
i'm in love with sara palin
March 31st, 2010
6:09 pm
are you stupid i am in the us of a dont they teach that in the black schools? i am not a hillbilly i am from goerga you imbred. an i got my own bissness and i am tired of paying for schools and doctors for the blacks. i am not a rasist i have blacks who work for me an they no there place.
i'm in love with sara palin
March 31st, 2010
6:15 pm
an none of my famly takes no govermint hand outs we work hard and i got my own bobcat bissness so i dont need you and obama or any other muslims an mexicos taking my doe and siting at home listening to rap music an getting gold teeth all day. i got nothin against u accep that rasist obama taking my money and giving it to you so you can buy rap music and big wheels for your cadalacs.
OBAMAMERICA
March 31st, 2010
9:28 pm
ok I’m in love with Sarah Palin……….no amount of typing will get the ignorance out of you. Maybe you will take that bobcat “bissness”
and roll on out of here. Let it take you to reading, phonics and writing first, then leave the state of “goerga” to form your own “govermint” with your “rasist” self. While you at it take your “doe” and by a d-i-c-t-i-o-n-a-r-y PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I only picked out a few of your misspelled words in parenthesis ok. It would take me a life time to point out all your ignorant comments-good ol’ Joe with his own “bissness.” I wish you would post your comments at work so the black workers would know their place, but I know you are a COWARD! Have a nice night. I am through having fun with you-STUPID.
i'm in love with sara palin
April 1st, 2010
7:05 am
yah i no all you blacks think it is funny that obama give you all my money. mark my words that will change in novenber when the tea party an sara palin put you in your place and take this county back. an dont talk about my blacks they no there place an they are good people not getting tattoos and gold teeth all day an not driving around with big shiny wheels on cadalacs shooting at innisent white people. why dont you read some histry an get your facs strate you sound imbred. you are just another jelliss one who dont work looking for a handout.
gsteinum
April 1st, 2010
12:54 pm
first question i would have for romney is: do you like syrup with your waffles?? first he’s against, then after it passes,he’s in favor of it, then when the president wants it for the nation, he’s against it and claims it’s nothing like the mass. plan, now that it’s gaining popularity, he’s admits that at least it’s similar to the mass. plan. ok. sure pal. just like you know what u.s. citizens want. tea anyone???
gsteinum
April 1st, 2010
1:01 pm
yur in lav wit apawlin: i say you’re a poser trying to sound black. anyone can be whatever they want on the web, but you’ve given yourself away by typing too much. i can believe you identify with apawlin; as you do sound programmed and out of touch with reality.
Glenn
April 1st, 2010
1:42 pm
I think in time, our country will be back in pretty good shape. Most of the things Pres. Obama and his adminintration are pushing through had to done sooner or later by someone to get our economy and health care back in good shape. Changes had to happen. So I wish Palin, McCain, Romney, the new Mass. Senator and those Republicans in Congress that are on tv constantly running down our president would grow up, get back behind their desk’s and STOP it.. It was their man George Bush and some of THEM who helped put us in the mess we are dealing with now, I hope they have to eat their words someday and that many of them do not get re-elected to their post. By the way, how much do we still owe China?, since they funded the war in Iraq after Bush and his group wrecked our economy. Billions I’m sure.