# Romney praises Romneycare, criticizes Obamacare in the SAME SPEECH. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 27, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040 "2012-09-27T17:04:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/21 "2012-09-27T22:43:05Z")
> [@fumster](#): > > OK, you don’t have to have slavery, but that doesn’t mean we can’t But you have to adjust tariffs such that our slave-based economies can survive. And you have to agree with us that slaves that flee north aren’t human and therefore can be hunted down and returned. And you have to help us hunt down runaway slaves. **And by God, if you elect that Abraham Lincoln you will regret it for the rest of your** … oh hey Sherman’s here yeah we lost can we give up now? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/22 "2012-09-27T22:55:16Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Or for that matter, any other state that has no sick people. Well, you know, Colorado sick just ain’t like Massachusetts sick. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/23 "2012-09-27T23:09:49Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > We’ve done this many times before. Romneycare was statewide and Obamacare is nationwide. If you are a Federalist (like I am) that is a huge difference as Romney/Obamacare may work great in Massachusetts but not necessarily Colorado or Texas or Alaska. > > He may sound like Will Ferrell in _The Campaign_ but his objection is IMO that Obamacare is yet another example of the growing Federal government and the dimishing importance of state government. Has Romney explicitly gone of record saying that his main objection to Obama’s health care program is that it’s federal rather than state? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/24 "2012-09-28T00:39:34Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Has Romney explicitly gone of record saying that his main objection to Obama’s health care program is that it’s federal rather than state? I don’t have time to look up a cite but I’ve seen him do this when explaining why he still stands behind what he did in Massachusetts but not ACA. It has been parroted by others. I don’t recall him ever saying that Romneycare was a bad idea - which it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/25 "2012-09-28T01:27:56Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Yes. I find it quite amazing that so many on the left seem to be unaware that the Constitution makes great distinction between the role of the individual states and federal governance. It’s as if that think that the U.S. should be treated like a 51st state. As you point out, this has been explained before, more than probably a hundred tomes on this board alone. Still, we get OPs like this one. Yeesh. And I find it quite amazing that so many on the right seem to be unaware of the 236 years that have elapsed since the ink dried on the Constitution, during which the strength and role of the Federal government has changed. I believe someone has already alluded to the landmark case of Lee v. Grant, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/26 "2012-09-28T02:17:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > **Saint Cad** , it’s confusing when you speak out against Big Government, but then praise state power in lieu of federal power. Local government _is_ big government, and much of the role of the feds is in _ **reigning** _ in the big government power of the states. Think of anything at all that the federal government has its finger in, and you’ll find that the states do it too, and ten times more. > > extra coding added by me – _ **kd99** _ Ahem. “Reining.” Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/27 "2012-09-28T03:17:06Z")
OK, I’ll accept the bold, size, color, italics, and underlining in pointing out my error, but was the Comic Sans really necessary? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/28 "2012-09-28T04:30:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I’ll accept the bold, size, color, italics, and underlining in pointing out my error, but was the Comic Sans really necessary? Comic Sans is [never](http://bancomicsans.com/)necessary. ---
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/29 "2012-09-28T15:01:03Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > We’ve done this many times before. Romneycare was statewide and Obamacare is nationwide. If you are a Federalist (like I am) that is a huge difference as Romney/Obamacare may work great in Massachusetts but not necessarily Colorado or Texas or Alaska. > He may sound like Will Ferrell in _The Campaign_ but his objection is IMO that Obamacare is yet another example of the growing Federal government and the dimishing importance of state government. I’m so fucking sick of this argument. Look, the bottom line is that it makes NO FUCKING SENSE for Romney to call for repeal of the national health care overhaul while simultaneously praising his IDENTICAL law in Massachusetts. You can spin it any way you want - which, to be sure, you’ve already done - but there is absolutely NO WAY (none, zero, zilch, nada) to reconcile the belief that MA health care reform is good but the ACA is an evil government overreach. It seriously is one of the dumbest right-wing arguments that’s out there. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/30 "2012-09-28T15:16:27Z")
The federal vs. state argument is a real one, but it doesn’t apply to people who characterize the ACA the way a lot of Republicans do. If you think the law creates socialist death panels that takes away our freedom, who cares that Romney’s version only does so at a state level? I mean, yes, it would only kill people in Massachusetts, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/31 "2012-09-28T15:28:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I’ll accept the bold, size, color, italics, and underlining in pointing out my error, but was the Comic Sans really necessary? > [@digs](#): > > Comic Sans is [never](http://bancomicsans.com/)necessary. Haters. Comic sans is the best font in the world[.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBibXwwLBts) If you want your design to look like it was done by little girls. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/32 "2012-09-28T15:30:25Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Haters. Comic sans is the best font in the world[.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBibXwwLBts) > > If you want your design to look like it was done by little girls. It’s also the funniest font ever created. I mean, it’s got “comic” right in the name! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/33 "2012-09-28T15:56:44Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > It’s also the funniest font ever created. I mean, it’s got “comic” right in the name! Yeah but it is Comic Sans, Without Comic (in an extremely tortured interpretation)…so in fact it is the saddest font in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/34 "2012-09-28T16:05:03Z")
Is there a Comic Serif and if so, is it as widely (and unjustly) hated? ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/35 "2012-09-28T16:40:32Z")
The world does not move to beat of just one drum. What might be right for Massachusetts may not be right for Washington. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/36 "2012-09-28T16:51:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I’ll accept the bold, size, color, italics, and underlining in pointing out my error, but was the Comic Sans really necessary? Stupid vBB doesn’t support Fraktur. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/37 "2012-09-28T22:31:51Z")
Just so we’re on the same page, here is what he said. [QUOTE=Mitt Romney] "Don’t forget – I got everybody in my state insured.” “One hundred percent of the kids in our state had health insurance. I don’t think there’s anything that shows more empathy and care about the people of this country than that kind of record.” [/quote] So he is not a hard-hearted Republican that wants people to die in the street. [QUOTE=Mitt Romney] “I will repeal Obamacare and replace it with real health care reform.” [/quote] So I have a healthcare plan that will totally pwn Obamacare. [QUOTE=Mitt Romney] “Obamacare is really Exhibit No. 1 of the president’s political philosophy, and that is that government knows better than people how to run your lives.” [/quote] The government should stay out of heathcare. [QUOTE=Mitt Romney] "“I don’t believe in a bigger and bigger government. I believe in free people pursuing their dreams. I believe in freedom.” [/QUOTE] Government needs to stay out off people’s lives. Long live this great country, the Constitution and Jesus. God bless you my fellow Americans." There’s no way in fuck I will vote for Obama so now I gotta find a good third-party candidate to vote for. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/38 "2012-09-28T23:17:59Z")
Romney has said that Romneycare is better because it was done by a state and not the Feds, basically: [link](http://www.weeklystandard.com/keyword/Tenth-Amendment). But the absurdity is still present. If one believes that Obamacare and Romneycare share the same features, one can still object to the constitutionality of Obamacare. That is a coherent argument. But to criticize the features of Obamacare which are identical to Romneycare on their merits, without the whole 10th Amendment issue in the discussion, is patently ridiculous. Romney is running against the substance of Obamacare: government takeover, won’t reduce costs, etc. [link](http://m.mittromney.com/issues/health-care). That is obviously an unsupportable and dishonest opinion, to support the substance of his plan but object to the substance of Obama’s plan, completely setting aside the Constitutional issue. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/39 "2012-09-29T03:59:12Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > There’s no way in fuck I will vote for Obama so now I gotta find a good third-party candidate to vote for. That would describe any third-party candidate who sucks up a vote that would otherwise go to Romney, so feel free to pick one at random. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040/40 "2012-09-29T17:41:18Z")
> [@Reyemile](#): > > I’ve seen this pointed out by Romney’s apologists, but I’ve never seen a quotation from the man himself actually stating–or even implying–that this was his reasoning. Can you provide a cite where Romney actually mentions his plan being acceptable, and Obama’s not, on states’ rights ground? [Here’s a video of him going into the differences.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5JjBHq8_0) He gets into what you asked for at about :50. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-praises-romneycare-criticizes-obamacare-in-the-same-speech/636040.md?page=3)