Christie contradicts self with Romney endorsement

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Some conservative pundits promoted New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as a Republican presidential candidate, because of his tough talk about the need for leaders embrace real entitlement reform. Yet today, Christie endorsed Mitt Romney, the GOP candidate who not only has avoided offering specifics on entitlement reform, but has campaigned as a protector of welfare programs for senior citizens. Romney also happened to have championed the health care program that served as the model for President Obama’s national health care law.

In a press conference announcing his endorsement, Christie called those who have pointed out the obvious similarities between Romneycare and Obamacare “intellectually dishonest.” That’s a list that would include, among other people, House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

“Let me suggest to you, that my children’s future and your children’s future is more important than some political strategy,” Christie said during a highly-praised February speech at the American Enterprise Institute. “Let me suggest to you that what game is being played down here is irresponsible and it’s dangerous. We need to say these things and we need to say them out loud. When we say were cutting spending, when we say everything is on the table, when we say we mean entitlement programs, we should be specific…If we’re not honest about these things, on the state level about pensions and benefits and on the federal level about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, we are on the path to ruin.”

Yet Romney’s presidential campaign has been characterized more by his attempts to portray himself as the guardian of entitlements than it has been by an effort to embrace real reform. He attacked Texas Gov. Rick Perry, repeatedly, for criticizing Social Security as a Ponzi scheme, and declared at a recent appearance at a Florida senior citizen community that, “when you see your friends with signs that say keep your hands off our Medicare, they are absolutely right.” Peter Suderman had a roundup of all the areas of the federal budget Romney has ruled out cutting. Romney wrote an essay outlining how he would control federal spending that does mention Medicaid reform, but doesn’t mention Medicare or Social Security.

Meanwhile, Christie’s pronouncement that it was “intellectually dishonest” to equate Romneycare and Obamacare is insulting to those who have noted the obvious similarities. Both plans mandate that individuals purchase coverage or pay a fine, expand Medicaid, and provide government subsidies to individuals to purchase government-designed insurance on government-run exchanges. Last month, I explored some of the similarities in a post that cited the actual legislative text of Romney’s Massachusetts law. I also explained why the leading defenses of Romneycare don’t hold up to scrutiny.

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The “party elite” are just trying to shove Romney down our throats just like McCain and Dole. The left can “live with” Romney. Christie is not a conservative just a rude bully with a fiscally conservative bent.

Obama is on the ropes. Now is NOT the time to compromise on just a more conservative squish. We need real and drastic change. Romney is not it. Romney is more of the same just a little less so.

Any of the other Republican candidates (except the anti-Israel Paul) will do a better job. In my opinion Perry is the safest choice because he has executive government experience. I fear Cain will be rolled by the seasoned politicians because he is inexperienced as to how the governing game is played. Unlike being the CEO of a corporation, you can not just fire the guy that is standing in your way. Skill in out maneuvering the opposition be required.