Gingrich Backs Health Care Mandate

Well, no sooner does Newt jump into the race than he basically shoots himself in the foot.

Pushed into a corner by David Gregory on Sunday’s Meet the Press, Gingrich said that he supports a sliding scale system that requires everyone to participate and contribute to the health care system. This is not in contradiction to some of his previously held and stated beliefs. In fact, Gregory pointed to a statement by Gingrich in 1993 where he said:

“I am for people, individuals — exactly like automobile insurance — individuals having health insurance and being required to have health insurance. And I am prepared to vote for a voucher system which will give individuals, on a sliding scale, a government subsidy so we insure that everyone as individuals have health insurance.”

Essentially, Gingrich was forced into a corner. To make matters worse, however, I think he again shot himself in the foot while taking a shot at Paul Ryan’s budget, especially as it pertains to Medicare and a proposed voucher system, where Gingrich said:

“I’m against Obamacare, which is imposing radical change, and I would be against a conservative imposing radical change.”

Holy crap. Which one is it, Newt? For or against?

The trouble is, that danged Constitution. You see, driving is a privilege. Nobody is required to own a car. You don’t exactly have a choice about “living”. (Well, ok, you do, but that argument would be silly). Living is a requirement of, well, LIFE. You are not required to get health care, and nobody can guarantee that you will in fact ever need it when you are uninsured. The simple fact that I “live” does not compare to me driving 4500 lbs of steel down the highway into opposing traffic at 55mph. Big damn difference. The simple fact I might be a cost burden on society in the future is a ludicrous argument for forcing me to give money to a system which basically is meant to prop up government tit programs.

Anyway, it is too bad. I think Newt would have been one of the best to take on Barry, when it comes to a tete-a-tete adversarial debates. Unfortunately, considering the tone and mood in this country right now about Obama-care, I think Newt just ended his candidacy.