Aug 27, 2007

Aug 27, 2007 In Case You Missed It: "Dr. Romney Goes National" Romney For President Announces "Rally For Romney" In Utah Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Minnesota Statewide Steering Committee Co-Chairs What They're Really Saying About Governor Romney's Health Care Reform Plan U.S. Representative Tom Petri Endorses Governor Mitt Romney

 

In Case You Missed It: "Dr. Romney Goes National"

Monday, Aug 27, 2007

"Dr. Romney Goes National"

National Review Online

August 27, 2007

 

Commentary From The Heritage Foundation's Robert E. Moffit:

 

"Romney's health-care-reform proposal is a refreshing reaffirmation of federalism. At the federal level, he proposes a universal tax deduction for all health-care expenses. Every person would be able to get the same federal tax deduction for health insurance, for example, regardless of where they got it; health insurance would then be personal and individuals would be able to carry their health insurance from job to job. Romney would also strengthen health savings accounts by eliminating today's minimum deductible requirement.

 

"These are major and welcome changes. But the real heavy lifting would be up to the states. The Romney plan provides federal incentives for states to reform their insurance markets in ways that would reduce premium costs and expand private coverage options for consumers.

 

"He leaves it to the states to determine how best to work out all the mind-numbing details, ranging from creating new risk pooling arrangements to drafting new underwriting rules. But under the plan, state officials would 'earn' federal funds to help low income people get private coverage by making their insurance markets more affordable and consumer-friendly.

 

"Romney's got this exactly right: Essentially, he's using existing government funds to do get the uninsured out of the hospital emergency rooms and into private health plans.

 

"Romney's national tax reform proposal would unify the tax treatment of health care for every American, while his encouragement of innovative state officials would respect the diversity of the states. After all, what works best for Massachusetts may not work well for Mississippi."

 

Robert E. Moffit is director of the Center for Health Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation.

 

To read more commentary, please click here.

 

 

Romney For President Announces "Rally For Romney" In Utah

Monday, Aug 27, 2007

 

 

Boston, MA - Today, Romney for President announced the launch of "Rally for Romney" in Utah. Rally for Romney is a new nationwide grassroots fundraising initiative designed to mobilize and empower volunteers across the country to build support at the grassroots level.

 

The goal of Rally for Romney is to empower grassroots activists nationwide to call friends and family that are not yet supporting Governor Romney's campaign and turn them into active supporters by asking them to make a contribution.

 

Rally for Romney recruitment has begun in more than 40 cities, in 21 states, culminating with "Call Rallies" in those cities and states at the end of September. Governor Romney's son, Josh Romney, has spoken about the program and has helped unveil Rally for Romney in other locations (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWbiA40diS0).

 

The Rally in Salt Lake City will take place at the Salt Lake Convention Center on September 28 from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Utahans interested in participating in Rally for Romney should call 801-961-4070 for more information or visit www.MittRomney.com/Rally.

 

Rally for Romney eliminates the high-dollar attendance barrier of typical fundraising events and gives supporters the ability to come together and form a "fundraising team." Each team will set a fundraising goal and work together to meet the goal before or during the Rally in their city. Recruitment for team captains and team members begin today in Utah.

 

Romney for President Finance Director Spencer Zwick said, " Rally for Romney will help us continue to raise the resources we need to compete nationwide, and give people the opportunity to show their support of Governor Romney and his message of conservative change in Washington."

 

Romney for President Political Director Carl Forti said, "The launch of Rally for Romney is just the latest effort that Governor Romney's campaign has undertaken to mobilize and energize supporters in new and innovative ways. Rally for Romney will help us reach out to more voters and engage them in Governor Romney's campaign at a grassroots level."

 

Rally For Romney Online Efforts:

 

Starting immediately, anyone who wants to show their support for Governor Romney and participate in Rally for Romney can access more information at www.MittRomney.com/Rally.

 

In the coming weeks, Rally for Romney will also encourage participation through web-based efforts including a live, online "Ask Mitt Anything" with Governor Romney and a "Create Your Own Ad" contest.

 

Rally For Romney Will Take Place In The Following Locations:

 

Arizona

- Mesa

- Tucson

 

California

- Bay Area

- Fresno

- Los Angeles

- Orange County

- Sacramento

- San Diego

 

Colorado

- Denver

 

Florida

- Fort Lauderdale

- Orlando

- Space Coast

- Tallahassee

 

Georgia

- Atlanta

 

Idaho

- Boise

- Idaho Falls

 

Illinois

- Chicago

 

Indiana

- Central

- Northwest

- Northeast

- Southwest

- Southeast

 

Maine

- Bangor

- Portland

 

Massachusetts

- Boston

 

Michigan

- Detroit

 

Missouri

- St. Louis

 

Nevada

- Las Vegas

 

New Mexico

- Albuquerque

 

New York

- New York City

 

North Carolina

- Raleigh-Durham

 

Ohio

- Cincinnati

 

Oregon

- Portland

 

Pennsylvania

- Philadelphia

 

Texas

- Austin

- Dallas

- Houston

 

Utah

- Salt Lake City

 

Washington

- Seattle

 

Washington, D.C.

- Washington, D.C.

 

Wyoming

- Cheyenne

- Casper

- Jackson Hole

 

Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Minnesota Statewide Steering Committee Co-Chairs

Monday, Aug 27, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Romney Press Shop (857) 288-6390

 

Boston, MA - Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced his Minnesota Statewide Steering Committee, which will be led by State Co-Chairs Jack Meeks; Brian Sullivan, Minnesota National Committeeman; Evie Axdahl, Minnesota National Committeewoman; and Tony Sutton, State Republican Party Secretary/Treasurer.

 

The Minnesota Steering Committee will play an instrumental in organizing Governor Romney's grassroots campaign.

 

"These committed Republican leaders will be crucial to my efforts in Minnesota," said Governor Romney. "I am looking forward to working closely with them to advance our common agenda of keeping taxes low, getting spending under control, reforming health care, and governing with proven conservative principles. Minnesota voters can look forward to seeing and hearing from me during the coming weeks and months."

 

Joining Romney for President, Co-Chair Jack Meeks said, "Governor Romney is the candidate who understands the need to bring conservative change to Washington. We all agree Governor Romney has the proven record and the leadership qualities to keep America strong through a strong economy, strong national defense, and strong families. Every voter in Minnesota can be confident Governor Romney will lead our nation to a more prosperous future."

 

Romney For President Minnesota Steering Committee Co-Chairs:

 

Jack Meeks - Meeks is President and CEO of The Walker Group, Inc., a strategic consulting firm he founded in 1992. He is also a Senior Consultant to North State Advisors, a Minnesota public affairs and lobbying firm. Previously Meeks served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Vin Weber (R-MN). He was elected Minnesota Republican National Committeeman in 1992, and re-elected to that position without opposition in 1996, 2000, and again in 2004. He also served as Republican National Committee Vice-Chairman for the Midwest region in 1997 and was re-elected in 1999, 2001, and again in 2003.

 

Brian Sullivan - Sullivan is currently the RNC National Committeeman for Minnesota and was first elected to the position in 2005. He also serves as the CEO of SterilMed, Inc., a medical device and healthcare services company, and is a board member of numerous charitable organizations in the Twin Cities.

 

Evie Axdahl - Axdahl is the RNC National Committeewoman for Minnesota. She was first elected to this position in 1989. Axdahl also served on the State Central Committee for 14 years and has been a Delegate to the Republican National Convention on five separate occasions. She currently sits on the RNC Executive Committee. She is married and has four children.

 

Tony Sutton - Sutton is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of the Republican Party of Minnesota. He also is currently the CEO of Baja Sol Restaurants Group, which operates a chain of Mexican restaurants. In addition to various volunteer leadership activities in the Republican Party at the local and state level, Sutton has also served the state GOP in many professional roles including Executive Director and General Consultant. Sutton also served as Deputy State Auditor for the State of Minnesota after the election of State Auditor Pat Anderson in 2002.

 

What They're Really Saying About Governor Romney's Health Care Reform Plan

Monday, Aug 27, 2007

 

Governor Romney Proposes "Free-Market Solutions":

 

CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is working today to put a more conservative spin on an issue that's being played up by Democrats. That would be health care for all Americans. In a speech to the Florida Medical Association today, Romney said the nation's health care system should be overhauled through plans tailored to individual states, not through the federal government by a takeover." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 8/24/07)

 

ABC-Miami's Michael Putney: "Mitt Romney was preaching to the choir today. Actually, to the Florida Medical Association and the doctors liked what had he to say about health care reform." (WPLG-ABC, 8/24/07)

 

- Palm Beach Post's Bennett: "Romney was interrupted by applause when he criticized government-based approaches to healthcare and when he called for caps on awards to plaintiffs in malpractice lawsuits." (George Bennett, "Romney Offers Health Care Plan," Palm Beach Post, 8/24/07)

 

- Dr. Tom Peters: "I'm impressed with his hands-on knowledge and candor." (WPLG-ABC, 8/24/07)

 

South Florida Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man: "Touting free-market solutions to expand insurance coverage and rejecting government mandates, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney rolled out his plan to change the health-care system on Friday." (Anthony Man, "GOP Candidate Romney Unveils Health-Care Plan," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/24/07)

 

Race 4 2008's MattC: "Yesterday, Romney rolled out his health care proposal which contained 6 key points and is a beautiful triumph of conservatism and innovative thinking. ... And, the most beautiful part of Governor Romney's plan? 'Most importantly, this can be done without the need for new spending or taxes.' Amen to that." (MattC, "'RomneyCare' Finds Broad Support, Nationwide Attention," Race 4 2008, 8/25/07)

 

The Associated Press' Rasha Madkour: "The nation's health care system can be overhauled through market-based proposals tailored to individual states - not through a federal government takeover, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Friday." (Rasha Madkour, "Romney Proposes Market-Based Health Care Changes," The Associated Press, 8/24/07)

 

The Wall Street Journal's Sarah Lueck: "Romney is proposing an approach many Republicans in recent years have embraced – changing the tax code to spur more people to buy their own, private health insurance in the individual market." (Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

 

Palm Beach Post's George Bennett: "Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney today said tax changes and deregulation can lower health insurance costs and extend coverage to millions of uninsured Americans without expanding federal regulation or raising taxes." (George Bennett, "Romney Offers Health Care Plan," Palm Beach Post, 8/24/07)

 

Bloomberg's Aliza Marcus: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will propose tax breaks to help Americans pay for health insurance and incentives for states to craft their own programs to make sure everyone gets coverage." (Aliza Marcus, "Romney Seeks Tax Breaks To Help Buy Health Coverage," Bloomberg, 8/24/07)

 

CBS MarketWatch's William Watts: "Romney also aims to change the tax code to promote the use of health savings accounts - high-deductible insurance plans purchased outside the workplace. Romney also called for full deductibility of qualified medical expenses for persons who at least hold catastrophic insurance." (William L. Watts, "Romney Offers Health Plan," CBS MarketWatch, 8/24/07)

 

The Hill's Andy Barr: "Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) unveiled a healthcare plan Friday that would rely on the private sector to provide insurance to the tens of millions of Americans who currently do not have it." (Andy Barr, "Romney Pitches Health Plan," The Hill, 8/24/07)

 

Reuters: "Romney also targeted medical malpractice lawsuits which Republicans have castigated for years, saying they lead to rising costs of health care and insurance. His plan would cap punitive damages and encourage states to establish health courts with judges who have extensive experience with medical cases as well as urge sanctions for filing frivolous lawsuits." ("Romney Wants Tax Breaks To Expand U.S. Health Cover," Reuters, 8/24/07)

 

Poll Of AARP Iowa Members Finds Governor Romney "Best Addressed Health Care" Among Republican Candidates. "The poll of 1,002 AARP members in Iowa – half Republicans and half Democrats – was conducted July 24 through Aug. 6. It has a margin of error of 4.4 percent. On the Republican side, 13 percent of respondents said Romney best addressed health care with no other candidate more than 3 percent." ("Clinton, Romney Lead AARP Health-Care Poll," Quad-City Times, 8/23/07)

 

Governor Romney's Vision For Health Care Vs. The Democrats:

 

Bloomberg's Marcus: Governor Romney's Approach "In Contrast To The Leading Democratic Candidates." "Making changes on the federal or state level to help America's 45 million uninsured get coverage, and to make health care more affordable for everyone, will not require new spending or new taxes, Romney said. This is in contrast to the leading Democratic candidates, who have said they would pay for health-care changes by eliminating President George W. Bush's tax breaks for people earning more than $250,000 a year." (Aliza Marcus, "Romney Seeks Tax Breaks To Help Buy Health Coverage," Bloomberg, 8/24/07)

 

Harvard Health-Policy Professor Robert Blendon: "Romney's not setting up a single model for the country and that's what he wants to contrast with the Democrats. ... He wants to say we don't need a national plan, what we need is a 50-state plan." (Aliza Marcus, "Romney Seeks Tax Breaks To Help Buy Health Coverage," Bloomberg, 8/24/07)

 

In The Headlines:

 

The Associated Press: "Romney Proposes Market-Based Health Care Changes."

(Rasha Madkour, "Romney Proposes Market-Based Health Care Changes," The Associated Press, 8/24/07)

 

CNN: "Romney Unveils 'Federalist' Healthcare Plan."

(Alexander Mooney, "Romney Unveils 'Federalist' Healthcare Plan," CNN, 8/24/07)

 

Bloomberg: "Romney Seeks Tax Breaks To Help Buy Health Coverage."

(Aliza Marcus, "Romney Seeks Tax Breaks To Help Buy Health Coverage," Bloomberg, 8/24/07)

 

Los Angeles Times: "Romney Unveils Healthcare Reform Plan."

(Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, "Romney Unveils Healthcare Reform Plan," Los Angeles Times, 8/25/07)

 

McClatchy: "Romney's Health Care Fix: States, Market."

(Steven Thomma, "Romney's Health Care Fix: States, Market," McClatchy Newspapers, 8/24/07)

 

Palm Beach Post: "Romney Details Health Care Plan."

(George Bennett, "Romney Details Health Care Plan," Palm Beach Post, 8/25/07)

 

Reuters: "Romney Wants Tax Breaks To Expand U.S. Health Cover."

("Romney Wants Tax Breaks To Expand U.S. Health Cover," Reuters, 8/24/07)

 

The Wall Street Journal: "Romney's Federal Prescription."

(Sarah Lueck, "Romney's Federal Prescription," The Wall Street Journal, 8/24/07)

 

The Washington Times: "Romney Outlines Health Care Plan."

(Stephen Dinan, "Romney Outlines Health Care Plan," The Washington Times, 8/25/07)

 

 

U.S. Representative Tom Petri Endorses Governor Mitt Romney

Monday, Aug 27, 2007

 

 

Boston, MA - Today, U.S. Congressman Tom Petri (R-WI) announced his endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.

 

"In Washington, we need a leader with a record of finding new and innovative solutions to some of our country's greatest challenges. On so many issues, we need to move beyond talk to action. In Governor Romney, we have a leader who has been tested and proven with a record of solving some of our most pressing problems by demonstrating creative, conservative leadership. I look forward to working with Governor Romney to help our nation meet a new generation of challenges," said Congressman Petri.

 

With today's announcement, Governor Romney said, "In his more than 20 years of service, Congressman Petri has built a distinguished record of accomplishment that reflects his commitment to finding new solutions to our most challenging problems. His efforts as part of our campaign will be instrumental in Wisconsin and in our nation's capital."

 

Background On U.S. Representative Tom Petri:

 

Currently Serving His Fifteenth Term Representing Wisconsin's Sixth Congressional District, Congressman Petri Was First Elected To The U.S. House In 1979. Congressman Petri is the Ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee. He served 12 years as Chairman of the Committee's Highways, Transit and Pipelines Subcommittee. With a record of fighting for fiscal discipline and pro-growth economic policies, Congressman Petri has earned high marks from organizations such as the National Taxpayers Union, the Concord Coalition, Citizens Against Government Waste, Americans for Tax Reform, Watchdogs of the Treasury and the National Federation of Independent Business.

 

Throughout his career, he has also been known for his efforts to find innovative solutions to problems that cut across party lines. His legislative record includes important accomplishments in the areas of student loan reform, tax reform, welfare reform, banking policy and health care reform. He is married to Anne Neal Petri and has one daughter, Alexandra.

 

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