Posted on 12/11/2011 12:55:16 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Gingrich: Health Insurance Mandate 'Started As Conservative Effort to Stop Hillarycare' By Terence P. Jeffrey December 11, 2011
(CNSNews.com) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Saturday defended his previous support of a federal mandate requiring people to buy health insurance by saying that "virtually every conservative saw the mandate as a less dangerous future" than the health-care plan being advanced by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton in 1993 and that the idea of mandating that people buy health insurance "started as a conservative effort to stop Hillarycare in the 1990s."
As recently as this May, Gingrich defended what he called a "variation" on the insurance mandate.
On Saturday, however, said: “It’s now clear that the mandate, I think, is clearly unconstitutional.”
Gingrich explained the evolution of his view on the individual mandate in a Republican presidential debate from Des Moines, Iowa, that was broadcast Saturday night on ABC.
"I just wanted to make one point that is historical,” Gingrich said in the debate. “In 1993, in fighting Hillarycare, virtually every conservative saw the mandate as a less dangerous future than what Hillary was trying to do. The Heritage Foundation was a major advocate of it. After Hillarycare disappeared, it became more and more obvious that mandates had all sorts of problems built in to them. People gradually tried to find other techniques. I frankly was floundering trying to find a way to make sure that people who could afford it were paying their hospital bills, while still leaving an out for libertarians to not buy insurance. And that’s what we were wrestling with. It’s now clear that the mandate, I think, is clearly unconstitutional. But is]t started as conservative effort to stop Hillarycare in the 1990s.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
That’s not a position, it’s a statement of fact.
Conservatives were willing to settle for a mandate.
****I frankly was floundering trying to find a way to make sure that people who could afford it were paying their hospital bills, while still leaving an out for libertarians to not buy insurance.****
That is called examining the problem and attempting to encourage citizens to assume responsibility for their lives and to limit the role of government.
What a concept - and the man admits to floundering. Diogenes - we have found him!!!
lol.
Nothing “conservative” about complete capitulation
This man is willing to go halfway with the Dems on anything.
Abandon capitalism to save capitalism I guess
I remember Health Care Savings Accounts (as does Santorum).
I remember allowing small companies, groups (churches) and individuals to pool together to increase buying power.
I remember tort reform.
But I sure don't remember any stinkin' "mandate"!
Newt may not be Mittens, but not by much. He'll spin a yarn at the drop of a hat.
What conservatives and how come the average voter did not know this?
Spin is spin..
Perhaps you should check with the Heritage Foundation. It was their idea first. They since decided it was not a Conservative idea.
“I never remembered mandates coming up as a “conservative alternative” to Hillarycare.”
Newt’s efforts to rewrite history are downright dishonest.
Now he pretends to be a reaganite but at the time he said that if George Bush ran as a continuation of Reagan he would lose:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZyevTo8nhU
And according to him, FDR was the greatest president in US history:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgdzZJePL04
Newt is a progressive republican. Deal with it.
He will destroy the GOP along with the country.
Newt is a progressive. What else is new.
Worth repeating.
“On Saturday, however, said: “It’s now clear that the mandate, I think, is clearly unconstitutional.””
I would call it the evolution of ones thoughts. In this case in the right direction. I believe Newt is speaking openly about his ideas on the subject and how he came to the conclusions as to where he is at today. Of course his detractors will just call him a liar.
“He has more positions than China has rice...”
Yes, but thanks for posting anyway. That explanation he during the debate was factual, even though Newt seems to me to try to swim with what he perceives to be the tide of history, rather than fight it.
The GOP was destroyed long ago.
I fear you are correct. I thought the tea party could right things but that is looking less and less likely.
I searched Heritage's website and found this:
Why Conservatives Need a National Health Plan
This version is not exactly paragraph-friendly so here's the PDF version of it. Look on page 6. That sounds like an individual mandate to me.
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