Romney Campaign Press Release - There Is No Denying It ... Gingrich Advocated For The ObamaCare Mandate

Newt Gingrich Praised the Inclusion of a Federal Mandate in Obamacare:

In May 2009, Gingrich Praised Obamacare's National Mandate, Calling It "The Real Foundation And Most Important Part" Of The Bill, Adding "We Believe That There Should Be 'Must Carry.'" GINGRICH: "The real foundation and most important part of this is individual rights, responsibilities, and expectation of behavior. We believe that there should be 'must carry' — that is, everybody should either have health insurance, or if you're an absolute libertarian, we would allow you to post a bond, but we would not allow people to be free riders, failing to insure themselves and then showing up at the emergency room with no means of payment. If you have must carry, then the insurance companies have told us that we can have 'must issue,' and you will therefore have a system in which you don't have to worry about cherry-picking and maneuvering. As we move beyond today's press conference at the White House, this is the kind of general model we're going to be advocating." (Newt Gingrich, Conference Call, "ARRA: Impact On Healthcare Systems," 5/11/09)

• Click Here to Listen to Gingrich's Remarks

Gingrich Has Been a Longtime Supporter of a Federal Mandate:

Gingrich In 1993: "I Am For People, Individuals — Exactly Like Automobile Insurance — Individuals Having Health Insurance And Being Required To Have Health Insurance." "During the interview, Gregory played a 1993 clip in which Gingrich said, 'I am for people, individuals — exactly like automobile insurance — individuals having health insurance and being required to have health insurance.'" (Kendra Marr, "Newt Gingrich Walks Back Health Care Mandate Support," Politico, 5/16/11)

Gingrich, In 2011: "I've Said Consistently We Ought To Have Some Requirement That You Either Have Health Insurance Or You Post A Bond..." GINGRICH: "I believe all of us have a responsibility to help pay for health care. ... I agree that all of us have a responsibility to pay — help pay for health care. And, and I think that there are ways to do it that make most libertarians relatively happy. I've said consistently we ought to have some requirement that you either have health insurance or you post a bond or in some way you indicate you're going to be held accountable. ...  It's a variation on [a mandate] ... But it's a system which allows people to have a range of choices which are designed by the economy. ... I don't think having a free rider system in health is any more appropriate than having a free rider system in any other part of our society." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/15/11)

Newsmax, In May 2011: Gingrich "Strongly Supports A Federal Mandate Requiring Citizens To Buy Health Insurance." "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Sunday that he strongly supports a federal mandate requiring citizens to buy health insurance — a position that has been rejected by many Republicans, including several who likely will be running against him for the Republican presidential nomination." (Tim Collie, "Gingrich Backs Obamacare's Individual Mandate Requiring Health Insurance," Newsmax, 5/16/11)

Despite a Long Public Record of Support, Gingrich Now Denies He Supported the Obamacare Mandate:

Gingrich Claims He Was "Completely Opposed To The Obamacare Mandate." GINGRICH: "I am completely opposed to the Obamacare mandate on individuals. I fought it for two and half years at the Center for Health Transformation. You can see all the things we did to stop it at HealthTransformation.net. I am for the repeal of Obamacare and I am against any effort to impose a federal mandate on anyone because it is fundamentally wrong and I believe unconstitutional." (Newt 2012 Website, www.newt.org, 5/16/11)

• Click Here to Watch Newt's Denial