Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell defends Romney on RomneyCare

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

By Adam Bitely — If a Republican defeats Obama in 2012, the electorate will be expecting ObamaCare to be repealed within moments of that person taking the oath of office.

Many have concerns that Mitt Romney would not repeal ObamaCare, and those concerns are based on the fact that in Massachusetts, Romney created a system that Obama says was the blue print for his own health care plan. Those concerns are futher heightened when Romney himself says that he is “proud” of the system in Massachusetts but doesn’t think that a federal version is a good idea.

Enter Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, who recently endorsed Romney and is now defending Romney’s stance on RomneyCare. Using what appears to be a case based on the 10th amendment, McDonnell suggests that Romney would never attempt to implement a system like his own or Obama’s at the federal level…

According to the Washington Examiner:

McDonnell, who endorsed Romney ahead of last Saturday’s South Carolina primary, argued that Romney had every right as governor to enact a mandate requiring citizens to buy health insurance. That power doesn’t extend to the federal government, something Romney is aware of, McDonnell said.

Under McDonnell, Virginia sued the Obama administration over a similar mandate and passed a law prohibiting the state from requiring citizens to purchase insurance.

“That’s not what Mitt Romney did. The states are free to do it,” McDonnell said. “He’s admitted there are some things he did right, some things he would do differently. But on day one he would repeal Obamacare.”

No one can be 100% sure what Romney would do on day one. If he is the GOP nominee, I guess we will have to take him at his word. But as happens far too often, politicians say one thing on the campaign trail and do another behind the scenes when they are “governing.”

Adam Bitely is the Editor-in-Chief of NetRightDaily.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @AdamBitely.