In his much-heralded health-care address in Michigan today, former Massachusetts governor (and Republican presidential hopeful) Mitt Romney made news by offering . . . absolutely nothing new.
Rather than admit that Romneycare was a mistake, Romney once again defended the individual mandate he imposed in Massachusetts, calling it “what I believe is right for Massachusetts.” Why? Because Massachusetts had a free-rider problem. Never mind that all states have a free-rider problem. (So why is it not the solution for other states, too?) Never mind the indications that Massachusetts’ free-rider problem is getting worse not better, under Romneycare. His defense of his individual mandate was indistinguishable from those delivered by countless Obamacare zombies.
It’s almost as if Mandate Mitt is keeping the hypocrisy alive because he’s afraid no one will pay attention to him once it’s gone. The only novelty I saw was when he admitted that Romneycare has become a political liability. Not enough of one, evidently. So here we go again:
