(CBS News) STERLING, Va. - In advance of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act due out Thursday, Mitt Romney said Wednesday it was a "moral failure" for President Obama to focus on health care legislation during a time of economic crisis.
"His policies were not focused on creating jobs. They were focused on implementing his liberal agenda. There's nothing wrong with people having an agenda, but when the country's in crisis, you have a moral responsibility to focus on helping people come out of that crisis," Romney told a crowd of hundreds of supporters in Virginia, that proved to be one of the most energetic and excited crowds he has faced recently. "It was not just bad policy; it was a moral failure to put forward a piece of legislation that wouldn't help Americans get back to work."
With the Supreme Court's ruling on the constitutionality of the healthcare law expected Thursday morning, Romney has spent the past two days previewing the ways he will respond. As he has promised to repeal and replace the law if it is not struck down by the Court, he has outlined his specific objections.
"I don't like the idea of government bureaucrats getting between us and our doctors, that's number one. And by the way, for our senior citizen friends who are concerned about Medicare, let's remind them about one other thing we don't like about Obamacare. The president cut $500 billion out of Medicare to pay for Obamacare, another good reason to get rid of it," Romney said. "And then for those that are a little younger, he's adding trillions of dollars to federal spending - we don't need more debt, we do not need more deficits, we cannot pass on these burdens to the next generation."
Romney has made the law a central focus of his campaign, even though it is similar to a state insurance mandate he put into place in Massachusetts. If the Court rules against its constitutionality, Romney will lose a major talking point. Still, he has publicly expressed hope the law will be struck down.
"My guess is, they're not sleeping real well at the White House tonight," he told the crowd.
Romney was introduced by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, widely considered to be among Romney's vice presidential picks. McDonnell was firmly on message in advance of the Supreme Court ruling.
"All that time when president Mitt Romney would have been focusing on jobs and economic development and getting you back to work and creating better dreams for you and your kids this president's focusing on unfunded mandates on the states and taking over the health care system, the best health care system in the world, by the federal government. So this president is out of touch, out of time, and it's time for a new president," he said.
After the event, Romney came outside to present a new truck to one of his biggest fans, 70-year-old Virginia resident Jim Wilson, who used to follow Romney's campaign around the country with a pickup truck laden with Romney signs. After the truck was destroyed in a fire earlier this month, the campaign purchased a used 2003 Chevy Silverado for $13,900, and Romney presented Wilson with the keys.
Can someone answer this question for me? If schooling is compulsory for all children in the United States then why can't health insurance be compulsory? Both require tax payers to pay in order to fund the schools or health. One program; education is for the benefit of the child's mental growth and the other is for..well..it is a life and death situation for many.
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by mortarman29th1SG June 28, 2012 7:40 AM EDT
Schooling is compulsory at the STATE level. States have that power. States also have the power to order compulsory insurance.
The Federal government has no power in either of these areas.
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by KPeters_from_UK June 28, 2012 10:41 AM EDT
As far as I can tell it is the ages that differ from State to State.
Still if mortar says what is true then every state should have compulsory health insurance. I still have yet read a response that explains the difference between the public support for schooling (home or at school each must follow a curriculum) and health insurance.
Actually, RomneyCare in Massachusetts is LEGAL.
RomneyCare (Obamacare) nationally is not.
Actually mortar, your OPINION plus $4.25, will get you a Starbuck's latte and nothing else.
How does it feel to be such an ideologue that's so wrong it hurts?
Section 1302 of the PPACA sets up health care exchanges, where individuals and small businesses will be able to pool together like corporations and unions, in order to get better rates!
As a matter of fact, even one of the REDDEST states, UTAH, has already gone forward with health exchanges, with 30% of their residents already benefiting from this cost-saving method!
Utah moves ahead with federal health reform mandates
June 23, 2012
Defining a baseline for coverage is an important step toward compliance for the state's Health Exchange, which began enrolling employees of small businesses in Utah during a test phase in 2009. It currently provides more than 140 health care coverage options to more than 7,000 individuals and their dependents.
Exchange director Patty Conner said the state will move ahead with its exchange with or without federal health reform, as it has served as "a good value to the state." She said 30 percent of the population benefiting from the exchange did not previously have coverage from an employer.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=20913438&s_cid=rss-960
"ask not what your Country can do for you, ask what you can do for your Country",
such a different U.S.A. it was.
Who are a prime example of the bigotry and hatred that is dividing this country. What a bunch of wild crazy ideas based on prejudice and uneducated ignorant imagination you have displayed.
Presidents dont increase or decrease debt. Congress does.
Thus, your post is false.
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SO, MORTARD, the deficit increases since 2010 are the fault of the anti American GOP economic terrorist majority in the Congress????
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1. G.W. along with his brother in Fla. 'BUSCHWACKED" the American people by stealing the W.H.
2. Started a "BOGUS" war in Iraq, because his father could not get rid of Hussein in 1992.
3. Started another "USELESS" war in Afghanistan that still goes on today, 10 years later.
What do any Republican say about these simple facts ?
In the world of exponential growth, Obama is a piker.