In his official portrait, Romney sits alongside his health care law, which he doesn't want to talk about.
Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of Mitt Romney signing his Massachusetts health care reform plan into law, a milestone the presumptive Republican presidential nominee seems eager to ignore.
How eager? Ezra Klein made an interesting observation about this.
Here's something odd: There's nothing on Mitt Romney's Web site about the sixth anniversary of Romneycare. No news releases. No blog posts. Nothing.
That's true, and it made me curious about the rest of Romney's website. Sure, the campaign chose to completely ignore the anniversary of "Romneycare" -- aides apparently had other issues on their mind yesterday -- but in general, what do Romney materials have to say about his signature policy accomplishment?
As it turns out, nothing.
On Romney's biographical "About Mitt" page, there are only two paragraphs about his one term as governor -- the only experience Romney has in public office -- and there are literally no references to the health care law that came define his time in Boston.
OK, but what about his page on health care policy? The Romney campaign has a 700-word summary of Romney's position on health care, but there are literally no references to the former governor's landmark law.
This is rather bizarre. Romney's health care reform initiative was supposed to be his springboard to national office. It wasn't just his signature accomplishment as governor, it was a historic victory for Romney, giving him the kind of bragging rights few policymakers in either party could claim.
This breakthrough achievement demonstrated his ability to tackle major policy challenges and work with members of both parties to pass a sensible, mainstream legislative milestone. Of course it would be the sort of accomplishment to build a presidential campaign around.
And yet, here we are -- the single best and most impressive thing Romney has done in his entire adult life is, paradoxically, the one thing he's least eager to talk about. To shine a light on his achievement is to remind voters of his support for government mandates, while inadvertently making the case for the same Obama law Romney has promised to destroy, regardless of the consequences.
Leave a Comment:
I would hate to see Mitt not get credit for this. Perhaps he just forgot. Maybe some enterprising reporter could bring it to his attention and then suggest he be tested for early signs of dementia.
And by the way, there is something else that has been bothering me that I wish that reporter would resolve. Is Romney's church OK with all those lies he has been spouting?
One would have to understand the definition of the term "lie" within the context of his church doctrines.
What surprises me about this man is that he is a Mormon bishop. He was head of a number of Mormon churches. He was a missionary. How can he turn his back on the people he says he supposedly cares about? How can he LIE so much?
Maybe I should have said he was a Mormon bishop.
No, he is a Mormon bishop. However, that's not quite as rare in the LDS as it is in other religions.
Sort of like the current administration ignored the recent 2nd anniversary of Obamacare. Funny, how both sides are very alike in their tactics.
Yeah, I guess making it a cornerstone of your reelection campaign is ignoring it, if you say so.
What alternative universe are you living in? Which series of President Obama's "stump speeches" had as it's cornerstone" Obama's health care legislation? Please provide details to your delusion.
RobDon so sorry you missed Pres. Obama's White House speech last Fri. By the way how many times does one need to say health care in a speech before it counts?
There's a difference between "mentioning" it now and again and making it a "cornerstone" that pol suggested. If it is a cornerstone you'd hear it as often as you here Buffet's name (i.e., Buffet Rule), which is one of the cornerstone.
Now after the Supreme Court rules you may hear it more often, but until then it is not and will not be a cornerstone issue on President Obama's traveling stump speech.
Did he change his mind or forget? If his healthcare reform bill is working well in Mass. why isn't he talking about it? I don't understand what the big deal is, why aren't we even giving Obamacare a chance. If it doesn't help our Country then we could look at it and change what needs to be changed but, we're never going to be able to do this if the Congress has forgotten how to compromise. We need to examine the results first before we can make a rational decision.
Well, there is your answer. Don't you get the memo? New dogmas in Republican politic: "Major policy challenges? What's that? Does it involve drilling? No? Then there is no such thing!" "Work with members of both parties? Are you insane? Over the Tea Party's dead body!"
Here is the crux of the problem facing Mitt Romney today. He is simply not trusted by the right-wing base of the Republican Party. Mitt is a flip-flopper, and he has never stopped flopping from the day he entered the political universe. More importantly, he does not engage in the kind of overheated hateful rhetoric against President Obama that the Tea Party adores and has made it a litmus test for any presidential candidate. Mitt doesn't play the kind of dog whistle politics the conservatives are demanding. He's a "progressive"! And then there's "Romneycare." He's finished! http://www.sunstateactivist.org
It's actually kind of sad. I wonder if Mitt resents the fact that the party that rallied around him when he made that breakthrough has inexplicably flip flopped on him! If you think about it, every single flip flop Romney has made was to simply keep up with his party's ever changing stance on a whole bunch of issues. Not that I have pity for him...he sold his soul to get their support, he had a choice.
I would never be able to be in that party. You can't have a stand on anything and not wonder if at some point your party will suddenly change your mind for you.
Romney knows that his health care plan is the least popular among his critics in the Republican and Tea Party and that is why he avoids mentioning it. I believe that he will campaign on Obamacare in the Republican strongholds and avoid it outside of those areas. But that is where Obama can go on the offensive. He can put out campaign ads talking about how his health care program is based on Romney's health care plan in Massachusetts. This would certainly weaken his support in those areas and possibly make it easier for some Dems to win an upset.
Perhaps Obama should take to heart the advice of Proverbs [1] and thank Romney for his leadership on health care reform.
[1] Proverbs 25:21-22
So I wonder what he would say when challenged on his total lack of accomplishments as Governor of Massachusetts?
Romney seems to be running on air and lies. He also just got an extension on his 2011 tax filing(legal but all to convenient an addition to the lie). Will he get a pass? Please not!