Mitt Romney called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act a failure during a speech in New Hampshire on Saturday, even though the federal reform law contains many of the same components of a bill he signed into law in 2006 while governor of Massachusetts, reports the Associated Press.
Romney, who is considered a contender for the Republican nomination for President in 2012, called federal reform "bad law, bad policy, and...bad for America's families. And that's the reason why President Obama will be a one-term president."
Romney observed that the Massachusetts reform plan--on which federal reform is based and includes components such as an insurance exchange and a mandate to purchase coverage--was successful, but not perfect. However, he described a nationwide effort to replicate the Massachusetts plan as an attempt to "usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover. The federal government isn't the answer for running healthcare any more than it's the answer for running Amtrak or the post office," he said.
To learn more:
- here's the Associated Press article
- read the Politico article