Remember all those Democrats (and quite a few Republicans) who said in 2012 that Mitt Romney created the original Obamacare law in Massachusetts, and that he was running away from that accomplishment as he chased after Republican votes?
Well, now that he’s out of politics, even Mitt Romney is finally able to embrace the truth.
It all began in Massachusetts, as local news outlets were covering the death Friday of Thomas Stemberg, the founder of Staples, who passed away from cancer at age 66.
Stemberg was also a close confidant of Mitt Romney — whose capital investment and business helped to provide key assistance in building Staples into the office supply empire it is today. In remembering his friend, the former Massachusetts governor is now telling The Boston Globe that his great ally even helped to inspire health care reform in America:
Romney said that shortly after he was elected, Mr. Stemberg asked him why he ran for governor. Romney said he told him that he wanted to help people, and Mr. Stemberg replied that if he really wanted to help, he should give everyone access to health care, which Romney said he hadn’t really considered before.
“Without Tom pushing it, I don’t think we would have had Romneycare,” Romney said. “Without Romneycare, I don’t think we would have Obamacare. So, without Tom a lot of people wouldn’t have health insurance.”
You hear that? We can all thank Tom Stemberg — and Mitt Romney — that a lot of people now have health insurance.
So what was that whole 2012 election about, then? It’s a good thing Mitt lost the race — or he might not have any meaningful legacy at all.
Update: Romney has now backtracked — kind of — posting this message on Facebook:
Getting people health insurance is a good thing, and that’s what Tom Stemberg fought for. I oppose Obamacare and believe it has failed. It drove up premiums, took insurance away from people who were promised otherwise, and usurped state programs. As I said in the campaign, I’d repeal it and replace it with state-crafted plans.
Photo: Mitt Romney, June 6, 2012, via Facebook.
