FreedomTalks

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who is known for his single payer universal health program in Massachusetts, has drastically altered his position by outlining a plan that relies on tax breaks and free market solutions rather than government mandates:

Mr. Romney plans to focus on tax breaks and streamlining regulations, policies his advisers say would essentially create a new, freer market for health insurance, driving down costs and providing incentives for individuals to buy their own plans. It is an approach President Bush and many Republican economists have embraced.

In today’s speech, Mr. Romney will nod to his 2006 success in the Northeastern Democratic stronghold, aides say. But he will also aim to reassure conservatives by saying that a “one size fits all” solution isn’t right for the 50 states. As for why he would use a different philosophy as president than as governor, they say he would have greater powers in the White House. “Massachusetts didn’t have the federal tax code to play with,” said Glenn Hubbard, a former Bush administration chief economist, now advising the Romney campaign.

Romney’s plan looks to restructure the tax code with incentives for individuals to buy private plans and will allow states more leeway in deciding on their own plans by reducing the federal government’s role and funding of health care. More on Romney’s change in philosophy

This entry was posted on Friday, August 24th, 2007 at 12:40 pm and is filed under 2008, Elections, Health Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.