This is exactly the kind of corruption that has given us the mess we're in now! And it wasn't $300K as Newt was saying. It was closer to a million. And what about the 37 million his firm was paid to push the individual mandate?
Newt is the epitome of what's wrong with DC.
He earned this money; not by fees charged to Freddie; but in his 'for profit' Company. And given that he 'was' Newt's company; was he not supposed to be available to those who invested; and paid for consulting fees 'by Newt'. And these fees had nothing to do with 'pushing the mandate'.
The author of this article thinks he doing a 'gotcha' on Newt; when in fact; the entire impetus only reveals this writers ignorance. He dismisses Newt's experience by referencing him as no more than a 'House Historian' taking advantage; reaping ill-gotten monies; when in fact, Newt has been involved in Health Care since his Congressional days. He was the only man in Washington who actually knew and understood the problems that so challenged our health care system; and who had a 'working knowledge' so as to come up with some workable solutions. He worked often with Health Care providers/Advisors across the country trying to solve problems.
The bond; that Newt recommended was a bane to a number of Conservatives; albeit the 'MO' seemed to take on different meanings; per one's perspective. Not all were resistant; however.
The 'bond concept' was; in fact, endorsed by the Heritage Foundation. Of course; some fine tuning has taken place as we now move through the current 'morass' per Obamacare. Newt's plans for healhcare; still invites critics; but it is a different world than what Obama offers.
Newt believes in; and supports the individual; the same person, Obama and the Left; find absolutley expendable. From net: [A think tank founded by GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich collected at least $37 million over the past eight years from major health-care companies and industry groups, offering special access to the former House speaker and other perks, according to records and interviews.
The Center for Health Transformation, which opened in 2003, brought in dues of as much as $200,000 per year from insurers and other health-care firms, offering some of them “access to Newt Gingrich” and “direct Newt interaction,” according to promotional materials. The biggest funders, including firms such as AstraZeneca, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Novo Nordisk, were also eligible to receive discounts on “products and workshops” from other Gingrich groups.]
Personally; see nothing corrupt per above MO. As for Newt's 'mandate'; he wants everyone to have some 'skin the game' lest it become abused. We certainly see that now; with people using Emergency Room services for a cold; or to get a written excuse to miss work - but not a pay check. It's 'free'; they imagine. . . Obamacare, of course; invites even more abuse; while promising an abusive response from health care providers by way of rationing et al.
HuffPo reported as well; that [Ed Haislmaier, a health care policy expert at the Heritage Foundation (the Conservative think tank that first championed the mandate), said he did not have enough information to comment on Gingrich's past approach to health care reform. Haislmaier did, however, note that there is a distinction between taxing individuals for not buying insurance and requiring them to post a bond, as Gingrich proposed. While the former is a penalty for not getting coverage, "what [the latter] is saying is you have to pay your bills if you get care," he said.
Gingrich is against 'Federal control of your healthcare'. He believes in; and supports the individual. His health care proposals are impressive if you read them at his site. In a nutshell; they are offered here. And they spring from a different well; than those of Obamacare.
Don't agree with them all? Welcome. But 'overall' fairly decent proposals. . .and better, perhaps; than anything thus offered from Repubs. . .
from Newt.org some thoughts from Newt:
Rampant Medicaid/Medicare fraud: stop paying the crooks. (Jul 2011)
If you mandate healthcare, you mandate everything in life. (Jun 2011)
House GOP Medicare plan was right-wing social engineering. (Jun 2011)
Repeal ObamaCare; sign tort reform instead. (Feb 2011)
21st-century personalized intelligent health system. (Dec 2007)
Focus on health as a moral issue. (Dec 2007)
Medicare opt-in to private health savings accounts. (Dec 2006)
Focus 21st Century Intelligent Health System on individuals. (Dec 2006)
Market competition yields more health choice at lower prices. (Dec 2006)
1994: Declined gov't insurance but gov't paid 75% anyway. (Nov 2003)
Save dollars and save lives--so transform urgently. (Sep 2003)
System broken due to “perfect storm” of converging problems. (Sep 2003)
Tax credits for developing technology for disabilities. (Sep 2003)
Re-focus Medicare on preventive health instead of sickness. (Sep 2003)
Market dynamics can save healthcare, not government control. (Sep 2003)
Focus on prevention; would save $14B with diabetes. (Jul 1998)
(fight)Ongoing battle against liberals nationalizing healthcare. (Jul 1998)
Too much reform puts 1/7 of US economy at risk. (Jun 1995) Defund, repeal, & replace federal care with free market. (Jul 2010)