H. E. Panqui
Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2014
- Messages
- 1,125
He ought to be...
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44854320/...-care-law-blueprint-federal-law/#.VGst4vnF8mc
"..The role of Gruber could complicate the Romney campaign’s efforts to address the issue. An economist who specializes in health-care issues, he was hired by the Romney’s administration as a consultant and asked to run computer models on the costs of various approaches to extending health-care coverage. He told NBC News he attended one meeting with Romney in which the then governor forcefully insisted on including a controversial provision that some of his political advisers were wary about: the “individual mandate” that would require everybody in the state to purchase health insurance or face a tax penalty.
The same provision has since become the most contentious feature of Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
“This was a big decision to be made and Governor Romney clearly stated that he believed without an individual mandate healthy people could just free ride on the system,” Gruber said of Romney’s decision.
Connection played down
Romney aides have recently tried to suggest that Gruber was not a true adviser to Romney and did not play a big role in shaping the law. But Gruber was personally recognized by Romney for his role when he signed the health-care bill into law and was later appointed by Romney as a board member to the Connector Authority. (He also was given a photograph of the signing ceremony personally signed by Romney that read: “Jonathan, with deep appreciation and congratulations. A Triumph! Mitt Romney.")
Gruber now says he is “proud” of Romney for “sticking up for what he did in Massachusetts” but is “disappointed” about his current efforts to make distinctions between the state law and the Affordable Care Act.
(He also noted that the Massachusetts law didn’t require any increase in taxes only because it received federal health-care funds that defrayed the costs of the new law.)
Romney is “the father of health-care reform,” said Gruber. “I think he is the single person most responsible for health care reform in the United States. … I’m not trying to make a political position or a political statement, I honestly feel that way. If Mitt Romney had not stood up for this reform in Massachusetts … I don’t think it would have happened nationally. So I think he really is the guy with whom it all starts.”
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44854320/...-care-law-blueprint-federal-law/#.VGst4vnF8mc
"..The role of Gruber could complicate the Romney campaign’s efforts to address the issue. An economist who specializes in health-care issues, he was hired by the Romney’s administration as a consultant and asked to run computer models on the costs of various approaches to extending health-care coverage. He told NBC News he attended one meeting with Romney in which the then governor forcefully insisted on including a controversial provision that some of his political advisers were wary about: the “individual mandate” that would require everybody in the state to purchase health insurance or face a tax penalty.
The same provision has since become the most contentious feature of Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
“This was a big decision to be made and Governor Romney clearly stated that he believed without an individual mandate healthy people could just free ride on the system,” Gruber said of Romney’s decision.
Connection played down
Romney aides have recently tried to suggest that Gruber was not a true adviser to Romney and did not play a big role in shaping the law. But Gruber was personally recognized by Romney for his role when he signed the health-care bill into law and was later appointed by Romney as a board member to the Connector Authority. (He also was given a photograph of the signing ceremony personally signed by Romney that read: “Jonathan, with deep appreciation and congratulations. A Triumph! Mitt Romney.")
Gruber now says he is “proud” of Romney for “sticking up for what he did in Massachusetts” but is “disappointed” about his current efforts to make distinctions between the state law and the Affordable Care Act.
(He also noted that the Massachusetts law didn’t require any increase in taxes only because it received federal health-care funds that defrayed the costs of the new law.)
Romney is “the father of health-care reform,” said Gruber. “I think he is the single person most responsible for health care reform in the United States. … I’m not trying to make a political position or a political statement, I honestly feel that way. If Mitt Romney had not stood up for this reform in Massachusetts … I don’t think it would have happened nationally. So I think he really is the guy with whom it all starts.”
