Gingrich unveils new 'Contract With America'

The updated "Contract" makes priorities out of repealing the federal health care law and replacing it with a market-based program that includes tax breaks for those who purchase insurance. Meanwhile, the health care records of GOP presidential hopefuls Rick Perry and Mitt Romney draw a new round of barbs -; from each other and the White House.

The Texas Tribune/New York Times: Few Bright Spots In Perry's Health Care Record
But while Mr. Perry condemns both efforts to make carrying health insurance mandatory, Texas faces a staggering crisis in health coverage: the state leads the nation in the number of uninsured residents, has the third-lowest percentage of people covered by their employers and spends less per capita than all but one other state on Medicaid, the joint state-federal insurance program for the disabled and poor children (Ramshaw, 9/29).

Los Angeles Times: Gingrich Presents Another 'Contract With America'
The legislative changes include repealing the federal health care law and replacing it with a market-based program that includes tax breaks for those who purchase insurance; reducing the corporate tax rate to 12.5 percent; eliminating capital gains and estate taxes and allowing residents to file under a simplified flat-tax option. He would also repeal financial regulations, allow the partial privatizing of Social Security and Medicare, and require the jobless to participate in training programs in order to receive unemployment benefits (Mehta, 9/30).

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Gingrich Unveils His Policy Proposals, From Taxes To Brain Research
During a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr. Gingrich told voters to "disenthrall" themselves from the past as he unveiled a list of policy proposals that includes increased spending on brain science and allowing Americans to choose how they pay taxes and save for retirement (Yadron, 9/29).

Politico: New Gingrich's New Contract With America Is Announced
Newt Gingrich unveiled his 21st Century Contract With America on Thursday, a document he said offered a bold framework for an American turnaround. … Gingrich, who has acknowledged his past support for requiring people to buy health insurance, opens the 26-page document by slamming President Barack Obama's health reform law as "unconstitutional, unaffordable, unworkable and stunningly unfair," promising to make its repeal his first act as president (Summers, 9/29).

The Associated Press: GOP Hopeful Rick Perry Attacks Romney, President Obama In Domestic Policy Address
In his first domestic policy speech as a presidential candidate, Rick Perry is outlining his record as Texas governor and accusing rival Mitt Romney of governing Massachusetts the same way President Barack Obama governs the country. The address, set for Friday at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, discusses Perry's record on health care and the environment. But Perry offers few policy proposals, instead focusing on criticizing Obama, hitting Romney's health care law and opening a more aggressive line of attack on Romney's record on climate change (Hunt, 9/30).

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: White House Ties Health Care To Mitt Romney
Consider: White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked if Mr. Obama is disappointed that his health care law is headed to the Supreme Court.  He said the president is not disappointed because he expected it. Mr. Carney also said there's no question Mr. Obama's law is divisive and he downplayed the significance of the Supreme Court fight, arguing that other big legislative achievements head to court. … Then the president's top spokesman zinged Mr. Romney, quoting from the GOP candidate's interview on Sean Hannity's radio show" (Lee, 9/29).

Kaiser Health News: GOP Presidential Hopefuls: Where They Stand On Health Care (updated chart)
At first glance, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota; former Utah Gov. John Huntsman; Rep. Ron Paul and Gov. Rick Perry, both from Texas; former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney; and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum seem virtually identical in their health policy platforms. They are unanimously opposed to last year's health law, favor reducing federal investment in Medicare and expanding state flexibility in managing Medicaid. But there are important distinctions in policy and tone (9/29).