Dear Editor:
One would think that the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, mandate would be a win-win for both parties. After all, it was conceived and championed by the Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage’s stated mission is to “formulate and promote conservative public policies.” Our two parties are of one mind.
The individual health insurance mandate originated in 1989 at the conservative Heritage Foundation. In 1993, Republicans twice introduced healthcare bills that contained an individual health insurance mandate. Advocates for those bills included prominent Republicans who today oppose the mandate including senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) and former senators Robert Bennett (R-UT) and Christopher Bond (R-MO). In 2007, Democrats and Republicans introduced a bi-partisan bill containing the mandate. Our two parties were still of one mind.
In fact on April 12, 2006, then Governor Romney signed the Massachusetts health reform law, commonly called “Romneycare,” which requires Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or face escalating tax penalties, such as loss of their personal income tax exemption. It was lauded by Republicans and Democrats alike; Unity at last….not so fast. Enter President Obama.
President Obama in fashioning his Affordable Health Care used as a template the healthcare plan instituted in Massachusetts by Governor Romney. One might say that Obamacare is aka: Romneycare.
It appears that amnesia has set in. It is so sad to see such blatant hypocrisy, destructive partisanship and commitment to say “NO” to anything President Obama promotes, even if it means voting against your own ideas.
Welcome to the discussion.
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