Saturday, March 19, 2011

Jim DeMint Praises Romneycare

Jim DeMint:
“He has demonstrated, when he stepped into government in a very difficult state, that he could work in a difficult partisan environment, take some good conservative ideas, like private health insurance, and apply them to the need to have everyone insured,” DeMint says. “Those kind of ideas show an ability to bring people together that we haven’t seen in national politics for a while. We don’t need the nation to be more polarized.”
Of course, it should be stated that Jim DeMint made those comments in 2008. Now, he believes that Romneycare was a "colossal mistake."

If I sound like a broken record with my 'individual mandate is a conservative creation' posts, it is only because I am determined to not let spineless, conservative leaders rewrite the history of the conservative movement. DeMint can pretend all he wants that he believes that the individual mandate is horrible, but he can't hide from the words he uttered less than three years ago. I personally saw DeMint live smothering Romney with praise at a Republican event in 2007. He had no qualms about Romneycare at the time. No qualms.

There is a simple reason for all of this. Jim DeMint is not a serious person. He has decided to hitch his wagon to the Tea Party Express, who believe that anything that comes from Obama is socialism. Therefore, he now believes that Romneycare is too close for comfort. He would rather pander to the firebrands and be a reliable no vote in the Senate, then stand by his own prior beliefs. The reality is that Jim DeMint has no problem with the individual mandate. He only has a problem with being associated with the individual mandate when it is unpopular.

I don't expect people to listen to everything that I say. But if there is one message that I could get across to conservatives today, it would be the following: The conservative movement will only succeed if it produces relevant, policy solutions to problems that Americans face. It will not succeed if it just becomes a reactionary, populist movement that exists solely to oppose anything that the Democrats do. Are we going to be ideas-focused or talk radio-focused? Jim DeMint is pressing toward the latter.

12 comments:

Granny T said...

"There is a simple reason for all of this. Jim DeMint is not a serious person."

Like Huckabee said, Governors are supposed to experiment at the local level. He gave Romney props for trying. From things I've read Romney didn't want it to be a national mandate. He wanted other states to use his plan at the state level. But, from what I've been reading Romneycare is bankrupting the state of Massachusetts. Huckabee was criticized for even mentioning Romney and Romneycare in his new book. He was criticized for offering his advice to Romney to apologize for Romneycare. But, since the expense of the experiment has come out Pawlenty, Huckabee, Giuliani, DeMint and others have criticized it.

This is a subject that I am looking forward to being discussed during the GOP Presidential debates.

BOSMAN said...

DeMint just said this:

"One of the reasons I endorsed Romney [in 2008] is his attempts to make private health insurance available at affordable prices,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.), a GOP kingmaker.

DeMint blames Democrats in the Massachusetts State Legislature for adding many of the features to Romney’s plan that many on the right decry.

“It just depends on how he plays it. For me, I think he started with some good ideas that were essentially hijacked by the Democrat Legislature,” DeMint said.

Sure I'd like DeMint to come right out and say "I love Romneycare" and "Romney is my man in 2012", but that's not going to happen.

DeMint does have to pander to HIS BASE or there won't be a base. Romney needs them as well.

In the LONG RUN, I believe DeMint will endorse Romney when Romney officially declares his candidacy. When he does, It will be because of the importance of turning around the economy/jobs. Because that is the NO. 1 issue with voters. He will also argue that Romney is committed to repealing Obamacare.

Granny T said...

IMO "the Democrat Legislature" hijack a lot of "good ideas." :(

Pablo said...

Bosman, he just said that it was a "colossal mistake" and that Romney would have to apologize for it if he wanted DeMint's support. What do you make of that?

Granny,

Romneycare is not bankrupting the state. Do a google search. Try the Massaschusetts Taxpayers Association. It is not bankrupting the state. And the people that you just mentioned are all potential Romney opponents.

BOSMAN said...

Pablo,

My latest quote came from HIS LIPS the other day.

The one you quote came from a so-called, close UNNAMED source.

I'm kind of a need to hear it from the horse's mouth kind-a-guy.

Anonymous said...

Bosman, I wonder about that. Who is the unnamed source, and did he have DeMint's blessing to speak for him as far as an apology is concerned? Inquiring minds want to know!

-Martha

BOSMAN said...

Hi Martha,

My guess is that PERHAPS someone in DeMint's camp maybe unhappy with DeMint's warm feelings towards Romney.

This was some AHOLES idea of trying to put a damper on DeMint's actual statement.

Anonymous said...

so granny t,
you also believe that romney has to "apologize" for romneycare? Stop listening to huckabee, he'll say anything to attack romney. Romney has nothing to apologize for. He did something about it unlike Huckabee in arkansas. Romney said he would change some things about it, some things worked and some didnt.
I believe things wouldve been better if it werent for the democratic legislature, and also if Romney had still been president, he wouldve implemented it better. But for heavens sake, Romney doesnt need to "apologize" for anything. He did no wrong or committed no crime. Huckabee on the other hand has a lot of apologizing to do for maurice clemmons and all the pardons he enacted.

Anonymous said...

Bosman, I thought that might be it, as well. But DeMint has let it stand, for whatever reason.

I don't know who DeMint would support if not Romney.

-Martha

Pablo said...

Bosman,

That is a good point. I was not aware (my fault) that that quote was from an unnamed source. I believe that the quote came from DeMint, but behind closed doors? Is that correct?

Dave said...

After Mitt wins back to back in New Hampshire and Nevada, DeMint, Nikki, and Graham will probably all endorse Mitt, if they haven't done so already.

DeMint and Haley were for him last time, and Graham hinted he would favor Romney earlier this year.

Anonymous said...

I also noted the difference between what DeMint said and what his unknown aide said. DeMint has not confirmed or denied what the aide said. That's how politics often works. If it worked differently, we might actually know what politicians are thinking! What a different world it would be!

I think Romney making an apology would be a mistake; another flip-flop for his opponents to accuse him of. The people who want this distrust Romney, and I'm not sure apologizing would make it better. Still, many are ready to believe OBAMA'S STATEMENTS THAT HIS PLAN AND ROMNEY'S ARE THE SAME! Many conservatives would never for an instant buy that if it was said about Palin, Huckabee, or anyone else but the former Governor of one of the bluest of blue states. MA care is a tricky subject and requires careful handling.

I believe that DeMint will not readily dump Romney.

AZ