Romney: "It is a tax."

◼ The Supreme Court upheld the individual mandate as “a tax” in its ruling last week Romney said in the interview that he agreed with the dissent in the court’s ruling, but that the dissent lost. The majority of the court said it was a tax, and “therefore it is a tax.” - Washington Post

◼ Obama silent while spokesman denies mandate is a tax - Byron York/Washington Examiner

Anchor Soledad O’Brien asked LaBolt: “His spokesman…said it’s a penalty. The Supreme Court has said it’s a tax. What does he believe?”

“That it’s a penalty,” LaBolt answered. “You saw our arguments before the Supreme Court…”

“So then he disagrees with the Supreme Court decision that says it’s now a tax?” O’Brien asked.

“That’s right,” said LaBolt. “He said that it’s a penalty. You saw our arguments before the Court.”

At that point, O’Brien pointed out that the Obama administration’s solicitor general, Donald Verrilli, argued before the Court that if the justices chose not to find the mandate constitutional under the Commerce Clause, they could still uphold it because it is a tax, and Congress has broad power to levy taxes.

...Just a few days ago, a spokesman for the Romney campaign said that Mitt Romney, too, believed the mandate was a penalty. But on Wednesday Romney specifically said that the Court ruling means the mandate is a tax. Now, a spokesman for Obama is continuing to deny that the mandate is a tax. But the one person who has remained silent about the issue is President Obama himself. Where does he stand? Does he believe the mandate is a tax? Does he think the Supreme Court is wrong? What is his position?