Since then, Gingrich has said he is in favor of Ryan's plan, no longer supports health-care mandates, and is "glad to answer any Democrat who attempts to distort what I said."
That's a tough assignment, given that Gingrich seems to have no idea what he said and less idea what he meant.
Our politicians' childish word games would all be great fun were the nation's solvency and our economy's future not hanging in the balance.
(Laurence Kotlikoff is a professor of economics at Boston University, and is the author of thepurplehealthplan.org. The opinions expressed are his own.)