This isn’t a flash back. This is today. Mitt Romney is again declaring the foundation of Obamacare, the individual mandate, “conservative.”
To be sure, it is conservative that one takes responsibility for their own healthcare. But the conservative solution is not to force Americans to buy a product. Forcing Americans, through penalty of law, into purchasing or refraining from purchasing a product is not and will never be conservative.
What’s conservative? Well, if the person doesn’t want insurance, don’t let them get out of paying their medical bills through bankruptcy. But forcing them to buy insurance? Not only is it not conservative, we can see in Massachusetts that health care costs have continued to go up as has the cost of government.
So not only is Mitt Romney’s plan not conservative, it does not even work.
By the way, for those who want to obfuscate on the federalism issue, yes, this is a federalist issue. It is perfectly legitimate for Massachusetts under its constitution to do this when it is not permissible for the federal government to do it under Article I, Section 8. But just because something is constitutional or not does not make it conservative. Constitutional and conservative are not exactly the same things.
No surprise, the GOP is rapidly moving to nominate the one person who makes Obama the lessor of two evils, amazing, simply amazing.
This exactly the problem with any Republican candidate who supports “individual mandates”. Making the stretch of the “commerce clause” that it empowers the Federal government to mandate requiring the people to buy something, is NOT Conservative (ie a conservative reading of the Constitution) but is based on an extremely liberal interpretation of a liberal interpretation of the so called “commerce clause”.
Because of this, I can not bring myself to support either Romney or Gingrich in the primary elections.
One thing is for certain. I think there are many other people out there that feel as Ditto stated. Look whats happening in Iowa right now. Its still anyone but the GOP favorite Rommy.
I will not support romney. obamadeathcare law was fashioned after romney care only on a bigger scale. I am not sure what to do. vote for a muslim marxist, or a mormon RHINO. Frankly, I just don’t see any candidate in the republican field that is of any worth. I wish they would stop fighting amongst each other, sit down and discuss who has the better chance of beating this usurper. – and then join together in the fight. right now they can only put one another down and don’t address the issues (unless forced).
oh yes and as an aside, in 2012 there will be an increase in the cost of insurance (for those who have it). I frankly again am sick and tired of paying for those who can work, but won’t; those who are illegal and actually get more benefits than my family can have); those who use their uterus as a slot machine and those who have made a living from using the system (which includes all of the above).