Did you catch Mitt Romney on "The Tonight Show" last night? It was generally a light-hearted conversation, though Jay Leno, to his credit, asked about health care policy.
On health care, Leno pushed Romney to explain what he would offer Americans with pre-existing medical conditions so that they might retain their coverage, perhaps the most popular provision of the president's healthcare law.
"People with pre-existing conditions, as long as they have been insured before, they are going to be able to continue to have insurance," Romney said, describing his vision for health care if the Affordable Care Act were to be struck down or repealed.
"Suppose they haven't been insured," Leno countered.
"If they are 45 years old and they show up and say I want insurance because I have heart disease, it's like, 'Hey guys. We can't play the game like that. You've got to get insurance when you are well and then if you get ill, you are going to be covered,'" Romney responded.
Like most Republicans, Romney has always backed an individual health care mandate -- the same policy the GOP now considers Nazi-Communist-Fascist tyranny -- and it's interesting that he's still capable of defending the idea, at least on a conceptual level. Indeed, the five words in that answer that stood out for me were, "You've got to get insurance."
Now, as Greg Sargent noted, Romney's conversation with Leno got a little trickier when the host pushed further, forcing the former governor to hedge on what happens to those with pre-existing conditions who didn't have insurance before. That's hardly encouraging and warrants some clarification from Team Romney.
And while Romney's aides are at it, maybe they can also explain this 2007 video, uncovered this week by our pal James Carter.
The part that stood out for me came about 41 seconds in, and in the context of the campaign, it's arguably pretty important.
Remember, for the better part of the last year, Romney has said, repeatedly and at times angrily, that he never intended for his Massachusetts health care law to serve as a national model. The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming, but that's his lie and he's sticking to it.
But in this October 2007 clip, then-presidential candidate Romney was explaining what he did at the state level, defending his law's efficacy, and said, "That's how we're going to be successful nationwide."
Is that so.
Romney can't, or at least shouldn't, have it both ways. He's said his state law was never supposed to go national and he's said "we're going to be successful nationwide" if his state approach to health care is adopted at the federal level.
Which is of these beliefs does Romney still accept as true?
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It's bad enough that most of the serious journalism these days is being done by John Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
Has it now gotten to the point that Jay Leno - Jay Leno! - is more courageous and persistent in forcing public figures to defend their views than any of the so-called "political journalists" out there?
I finally get it... After Romney secures the Republican nomination, he's going to have a "come to Jesus moment" and decide that Romneycare is super swell. Not...
Another shining example of Romney's, er, truthfulness.
It says a lot that Steve has to whittle "Mitt's Mendacity" down to only the 14 or 15 WORST lies of the week. It would be a much shorter column if we compiled the TRUE statements he makes.
Funny Romney's preaching about the very "FREE MARKET" insurance that most people can't afford right now vs. the "private, affordable, can't be denied due to prior conditions" law that's currently being argued in front of the SCOTUS right now!
Paul Ryan creative in what way to be destructive. His ideas are very lacking and do not help all the people, except the rich. I suppose he can be credited for being creative for letting the people know how destructive his ideas are. Being creative would be to truly benefit or help many or all people.
So help me here, Mr. Romney -- how does this work for people like my nephew who has had Type I diabetes since he was a small child? Do we tell him, "tough luck, kid, you should have gotten insurance when you were four years old. Putzes like you are on your own."
Of course, my nephew was lucky -- his parents had insurance for their children. Today less than 60% of employers provide insurance, and all it will take is one lapse of coverage and the pre-existing condition clauses kick in again.
Lapses of coverage such as when he graduates from University unless he arranges to have a job covering him before he graduates. I know some kids who got caught by that -- graduated, parental insurance lapses, and now diabetes is not covered.
FYI: insulin is cheap. The test supplies to avoid killing yourself with it aren't.
I heard they have found a cure for Type 11 diabetes. I don't understand why they announce these discoveries and then you don't ever hear about it again.
They didn't announce a cure. That was done by the news media. What medical researchers have done is find a way to insert protected beta cells that produce insulin at above the previous levels, and believe me, if it ever became feasible, it would also not be cheap.
I heard this same explaination from Santorum. This leads me to believe they are working for the Health Insurance Companies now and not the American People. Santorum said that people with pre-existing conditions could drop their current insurance because, they wouldn't help cover their medical expenses even though people have paid thousands of dollars into it, and get another insurance that would help them. They think this is unfair to the Insurance Companies that refused to help their customers. They do not beleive it's unfair to deny coverage for a pre-existing condition. This leaves the American People to pay the bill. Most of us do not have Rmoney bucks. The Communication Gap in this country between the wealthy and the Muppets is so wide. They know full well that we can't afford what they can. So, why are they making it even harder?
I have never seen a stronger reaction from an industry as health care insurance when this law was passed. They have enough money to convince the American people that they do not want to change the system that does not work for them.
Money that they made by not covering those who need it.
Of course these politicians support the corporations and the party, was there ever any doubt? I wish they supported the country.
>> Which is of these beliefs does Romney still accept as true?
Whichever one gets him elected President, of course -- he's running for office, for Pete's sake.
Does Bain Capital own the 'Waffle House'?
Which is of these beliefs does Romney still accept as true?
None of the above. Stay tuned for further developments.
Romney is like a fish you just caught. When you get it in the boat it flops around, twisting and turning this way and that. He still has a previous hook in the corner of his mouth from a near miss at being caught before,and it hurts when people touch it. This aptly describes his run. Trying to get away from himself. People are getting to know him better and if the supreme court strikes down the mandate he will be front and center in the talking head frenzy, since it was his idea. Also looming is the Paul Ryan budget that ends medicare as seniors know it. He needs to endorse it to keep the right close, but also distance himself enough that seniors don't grab the hook and pull him into it
As time goes on it is getting more difficult to tell what to expect from Romney if he were elected. How can you tell what you are going to get? He is looking worse all the time.
But don't get complacent about the election, not showing up to vote is how these clowns get elected.
Can someone explain to me how this is not a Death Panel?
Romney has proved to be a very accomplished liar, superb at making gaffs, no wonder he is slipping in the polls. Am I the only one who thought his Russian gaff was complete Palinspeak?
Yes that is true, he sounds better when he is quiet, but he not depending on that win the election. He certain that the public that still allowed to vote will forget anything he has said previously, this is not mass hypnosis, it is mass "Erase-A-Sketch"
To test this theory, can you remember what he has already said? Fades quickly? This the natural outcome from decades of advertisements, phrases, like "new, improved" always are believed.
Romney Care - How much does Rmoney (sp) care.
Romney Care - Massachusetts ACA has a provision that you will like not much, If you pay more than $10,000 cash to a hospital for medical services, you have to pay a 3% tax. Get it, pay cash and get a 3% penalty tax. You could buy nice dog house for that.
Did anybody notice what a great advocate for the mandate Mitt Romney has become? When he says "You've got to get insurance when you are well and then if you get ill, you are going to be covered," he's making the case that the Government's Lawyer was trying to make to the SCOTUS. In order to protect the commerce of the insurance companies and to provide a large pool of paying customers as well as prevent people from demanding insurance after they have become ill, people must be insured.
dear mitt,
i'm 40. i've worked hard all my life - unfortunately insurance wasn't part of the deal with my hard working/low paying jobs. i always wanted it to be offered to me as part of the job perk - like the rest of americans. but, i'm now 40 and time is ticking and my body is not what it use to be.
what if i find a lump next week and have it diagnosed as cancer? but, my cancer quickly spread, so it's now stage 2. could i get your plan in 12 months?
love, me
ps, i'd love to pay into a single-payer federal plan, that does not discriminate me because i am a woman or based on religious beliefs, that can be taken out of my bi/weekly paycheck or federal income tax rebate at the convenience that everyone else has of having to pay for theirs.
pss, i think i make too much for medical insistence and i would rather contribute to a federal plan that it's sole role isn't about making corporate wealth and a rich CEO.