GOP rivals gang up on Romney over health care law

[September 08, 2011]  SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- The GOP candidates are ganging up on Mitt Romney over his health care plan in Massachusetts.

The plan that critics call "Romneycare" required the state's citizens to purchase health insurance. The "individual mandate" component of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is one of its most controversial.

At Wednesday night's Republican debate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Romney's plan is a bad example for the rest of the nation and called it a great opportunity for seeing what won't work.

Romney defended his plan, saying the mandate encouraged individuals to take personal responsibility for their own health care. He repeated his promise to sign an executive order that would spare states from complying with Obama's health care law.

Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann says such an order would be ineffective.

[Associated Press]

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