Some Facts Don't Fly
The only major change Powers could point to was an increase in the amount of fully subsidized care. The original law called for the state to provide free insurance to those making up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, a cut-off the current government upped to 150 percent. But Powers estimates that adjustment cost about $13 million, a fraction of the increased spending the state has faced.
To be sure, the bill the Romney backed, as he specifically says, wasn't exactly the final bill that emerged. But it was the legislation he signed into law in April 2006, and there were doubts that it was adequately financed from the beginning. That same month, the independent Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation released a report that said the "sweeping package of health reforms will require at least $200 million of new annual spending, with the possibility that additional dollars will be required to implement the reforms successfully."
Michael Widmer at MTF agrees with Powers' assessment of what has led to higher costs. "It's largely a success story because what's happened is more individuals have enrolled in the subsidized program than anticipated, and so, therefore, our subsidized costs are higher and will be higher than expected," he says. "So it's a product of our own success."
Romney touted the successes, saying he was "proud" of the accomplishments including that 300,000 have signed up for health insurance, but he omitted the fact that those same enrollees are costing more than projected during his tenure.
As an example of the change in costs, Powers says that the estimate of the final legislation was that $725 million would be needed for subsidized care in fiscal 2009. The proposed budget now, however, is $869 million for subsidized care.
Romney vs. McCain: Gasoline Price Inflation
Romney exaggerated the effects of McCain's environmental bill:
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Member Comments
Posted By: M_Whetstone @ 02/07/2008 3:33:20 PM
Comment: sorry, i didnt intend for this below to post three time, i dont know how that happened. Sorry again!
Posted By: M_Whetstone @ 02/07/2008 2:47:58 PM
Comment: I find it very interesting that with all the facts given by both McCain and Romney, they were wrong on many different areas of their own back patting. But because people are easily influenced by the most popular guy on the news that week they still seen to follow them like sick little puppy dogs. I understand that the news hates to give a "fair and balanced" view on anything that cannot benefit them financially, but i find it sickening when they completely ignore people that have their own voice and ideas that arent "main stream". People like Ron Paul will never be elected because there are other people out there that dont see the financial gain in supporting him. They'll even go as far as to cut him off in debates and try to exclude him all together. This is a flashback to the time when Harry Brown ran for office as Libertarian and the two "major" parties did everything in their power to make sure you as a people didnt hear thing that might benefit you as a whole. Ron Paul isnt that radical, he isnt crazy by any means, he just want to give everyone back what they've been loosing for years, your own identity and your ability to make decisions that make sense for you and you alone. As a whole we really need to think about why we spend so much time worrying about what everyone else is doing with their lives and start living their own. However, unless people in the main stream media openly support people like Ron Paul then this country will never be what it is truly supposed to be, free and independent and a mecca for individual civil liberties. So to those closed minded sheeple, keep following the herd and let them lead you nowhere.
Posted By: M_Whetstone @ 02/07/2008 2:47:43 PM
Comment: I find it very interesting that with all the facts given by both McCain and Romney, they were wrong on many different areas of their own back patting. But because people are easily influenced by the most popular guy on the news that week they still seen to follow them like sick little puppy dogs. I understand that the news hates to give a "fair and balanced" view on anything that cannot benefit them financially, but i find it sickening when they completely ignore people that have their own voice and ideas that arent "main stream". People like Ron Paul will never be elected because there are other people out there that dont see the financial gain in supporting him. They'll even go as far as to cut him off in debates and try to exclude him all together. This is a flashback to the time when Harry Brown ran for office as Libertarian and the two "major" parties did everything in their power to make sure you as a people didnt hear thing that might benefit you as a whole. Ron Paul isnt that radical, he isnt crazy by any means, he just want to give everyone back what they've been loosing for years, your own identity and your ability to make decisions that make sense for you and you alone. As a whole we really need to think about why we spend so much time worrying about what everyone else is doing with their lives and start living their own. However, unless people in the main stream media openly support people like Ron Paul then this country will never be what it is truly supposed to be, free and independent and a mecca for individual civil liberties. So to those closed minded sheeple, keep following the herd and let them lead you nowhere.