Does Mitt Romney forget about Romneycare?

Mitt Romney gave a policy speech on healthcare today, and not surprisingly, he criticized Obamacare. I don’t disagree with his views on Obamacare, but could someone remind him that he did a similar thing at the state level while he was Governor of Massachusetts. Romneycare, anyone?

I strongly agree with his speech’s focus on allowing states latitude to make decisions, portability, and free market solutions. Unfortunately, when he was in charge, he went the big government rout. Mitt has no street cred.

Mitt Romney criticizes Obamacare, but loves Romney care

I find former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to be an insincere, disingenuous person who will say anything to get elected. Basically, I don’t trust a word he says. With that said, I was surprised to see this quote from Romney:

While other possible candidates talked about repealing healthcare in their CPAC speeches, Romney barely mentioned it.

It came up when he accused Obama and “liberals” of looking to “European solutions” to the economic crisis by increasing government spending and moving for a “takeover” of healthcare.

“It does not work there and it will never work here,” Romney said. “We are an exceptional land.”

So, let me get this straight. The man who helped engineer the Massachusetts healthcare bill that compels citizens to purchase insurance is now criticizing liberals for the same thing? Mitt Romney likes to portray himself as a businessman who supports limited government and the free market. If that’s the case, then what happened in Massachusetts? This is just one of the reasons I don’t trust Romney.

There are certainly more competent candidates to challenge Scott Brown, but if Kennedy does challenge Brown, it would automatically become one of the most competitive races in the country. The question isn’t if Kennedy will pursue the seat, but when.

There’s no doubt that Scott Brown’s win was impressive, and his presence has drastically altered the political landscape in Washington. If you’re a conservative, it was certainly an exciting win, but it seems like some of us are getting carried away by questioning whether Brown might run for President.

By the time the 2012 elections roll around, Brown will have had less than 3 years in office as a Senator. I’d prefer to see a deeper resume for a Presidential candidate. You might argue that Barack Obama had a similar resume when he ran in 2008. You would be correct, but let’s not forget one point: He’s a lousy President.

From the beginning, Scott Brown said he would vote against Obamacare, and would be the 61st Senator needed to stop the Democrats. The fact that this message resonated with one of the bluest states in the country illustrates the level of discontent with Congress and Barack Obama. This is just the latest loss for the Democrats. You might recall the huge losses for the Democrats in the November 2009 elections when both Virgina and New Jersey elected Republican governors. Some felt that those elections weren’t really much of a barometer for national sentiment. However, Scott Brown’s win leaves no doubt that the Republican party has the momentum.

Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi should look at this moment as a judgment of their leadership. A moment where a state that tends to support their ideas overwhelmingly, finally had enough. It’s one thing to have your political enemies criticize you, but when your methods receive a rebuke from your own, it’s time to reconsider your approach.

There’s no doubt that this momentum will carry forward into the November elections. It’s very likely that Republicans could pick up a half-dozen Senate seats and possibly gain control of the House. Hopefully, when they return to power, they will practice the fiscal conservatism that voters sought when they put them in office.

“If you think there’s magic out there and things can be turned around overnight, then you would vote for someone who could promise you that, like Scott Brown,” Kennedy said. “If you don’t, if you know that it takes eight years for George Bush and his cronies to put our country into this hole … then you know we have a lot of digging to do, but some work needs to be done and this president’s in the process of doing it and we need to get Marcia Coakley to help him to do that.”

(Curiously, Kennedy mentioned Coakley repeatedly during his remarks to reporters, each time referring to her as “Marcia,” not “Martha.”)

Could someone tell him that her name is Martha? Maybe no one did, since they figured he would know her name, considering that she is Massachusetts’ Attorney General, and according to Kennedy, a great candidate who will do a great job. Doesn’t it make you wonder how he doesn’t even know her name, yet he knows she could do a great job?

Patrick Kennedy is the perfect example of someone who gets by solely on his family name. With an anti-incumbent sentiment spreading across the nation, disgust with the Democrat’s thirst for bigger government, and a strong Republican candidate, Patrick Kennedy might be looking at his last term in Congress

If you would like to help rid Congress of Patrick Kennedy, please visit the website of his opponent, John Loughlin. He’s an exceptionally strong candidate, and worthy of your help.

I’m very optimistic that Scott Brown will win the seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy. If he does, it will send an overwhelming message to Barack Obama and every Democrat in Congress. Americans are tired of big government, and they plan on letting them know just how much in November 2010 and 2012.

If you haven’t seen the clip where Massachusetts Senate candidate Scott Brown corrects David Gergen during a debate with Martha Coakley, you must check it out. During the debate, David Gergen asks Scott Brown about “Teddy Kennedy’s seat”, and Brown reminds him that the seat belongs to the people, not the Kennedys or the Democratic party.

Scott Brown’s campaign was seen as a long-shot at first, but he is quickly picking up momentum. As of late, he has been quite successful raising funds, and his name recognition has increased steadily. Democrats probably thought Martha Coakley would walk right over to “Teddy Kennedy’s seat” and just sit down, but Brown will have none of that.

This election is of extreme national importance. If Scott Brown wins, the Democrats will lose their 60th vote, which will force them to actually be more reasonable and prevent them from ramming through dangerous legislation. A Brown victory would stop Obamacare in its tracks and force Congress to look at other ways to improve the system. Of course, this is what should happen, but we can’t be sure.

William Galvin, Massachusetts’ Secretary of State, and a Democrat, seems to think it could take a while before a winner is certified and allowed to be seated. After all, he needs to follow the rules. Of course, this would mean that Ted Kennedy’s old buddy, Paul Kirk, would remain in the Senate to cast the 60th vote. Questionable tactics are nothing new to Massachusetts Democrats, since these are the same people who changed the law to allow the Democratic governor to appoint a fellow Democrat to fill Kennedy’s seat. Not surprisingly, Congressmen Barney Frank thinks this is nothing more than a conspiracy theory:

“That is the stupidest thing I’ve been asked in a long time. That is insane, the suggestion could only come from a demented right wing source,” erupted Representative Barney Frank (D – MA), when asked by The Washington Times about what he thought regarding assertions that Massachusetts Democrats would stall the certification process should Mr. Brown win. “There isn’t the slightest possibility of it happening—a way of doing it. That is conspiracy theory at its most contemptible.”

The Secretary of State needs to wait 10 days for absentee ballots, then up to 5 days to file the necessary papers. Once this happens, the ball is in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s court. An aide had this to say:

“When there is a certified winner in Massachusetts, the Senate has received appropriate papers, and the vice president is available, the successor to Kennedy/Kirk will be sworn in.”

Let’s take a look at how Scott Brown’s certification could be handled. We need to wait up to 15 days for Massachusetts to file papers, wait for the papers which will likely be sent by the Pony Express to arrive in D.C., wait for the mail to be opened and make the long 12 foot journey from Harry Reid’s secretary to his desk, then wait for Joe Biden to have time available in his schedule. Since the V.P. is such a busy guy, that could take weeks! Even if Scott Brown wins, the fight will not be over.