Jeb Bradley just lied to his constituents - Granite Grok

Jeb Bradley just lied to his constituents

Like all politicians, NH State Senator Jeb Bradley sends out eblasts all the time.  Now that it is campaign season, everyone should be expecting a whole lot more from all the candidates.  So, why the title?  I think I know – and I believe that Bradley makes it glaringly obvious (reformatted, emphasis mine) in this eblast that came to my attention recently:

Jeb Bradley NH State Senate District 3

Dear Friends:

Today my Democrat opponent attacked me in a letter to the editor for standing by my pro-jobs, pro-taxpayer principles.

He attacked me for supporting business legislation requested by a large employer in Conway, for working for pension reform that reduces the unfunded pension liability and protects property taxpayers across NH, and for supporting more educational choice and opportunities for parents and students.

I am proud of my record.  I have led efforts to kill tax and fee increases introduced by the liberals the Senate,

Er, what about the HUGE tax increase that you just gave us? 

I have worked to reduce the regulatory burden on our state’s businesses and entrepreneurs, and I have taken on some of the most difficult issues facing our state, like pension reform, and supported a free-market based solution to make healthcare more affordable and accessible in New Hampshire — without putting the financial burden on taxpayers.

Yeah, that would be the one. I had a coupla / few of screaming matches with Mr. Bradley over this – in fact, I dare say that most grassroots conservatives have as well (or would have wanted the chance).  Dishonest as all get out, I think this line will have to win the “GraniteGrok Lie of the Campaign” – packed with no less than four LARGE falsehoods.  So, let’s unpack this smelly pig in a poke (and the last is the largest and most egregious lie of all):

  • First off, notice that he won’t call it what it is: Obamacare’s optional Medicaid Expansion.  Yes, optional.  While the Rogue Republicans have tried to repackage this something that just HAD to be done, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Obama Administration went beyond its legal bounds in the attempt.  So NH flat out didn’t have to do it (even though that other Rogue Republican, NH State Senator Nancy Stiles STILL believes it is mandatory – a GREAT reason to vote for her rival in the Primary in District 24- Steve Kenda)

It is NEVER a good thing for the citizenry when a politician tries to wordsmith away a VERY large error by trying to call it something it isn’t – in this case, trying to hide his pushing FORWARD! a big Democrat issue but trying to wrap it up in conservative terms.  He is deliberately misleading you (after all, they can spend HOURS wordsmithing these things in trying to achieve just the right nuance).

  • Second, how can a government mandate EVAH be a “free-market based solution“??  NH would not be even thinking about expanding Medicare if it was not for all that Government money that the Obama Administration would be pouring into the State – with LOTS of strings attached.  The Feds NEVER just give money away – there is always a purpose and an agenda behind “free money” when money is being transferred to a lower level of government?

No, there is no market in which to be “Free” in – just another way to redistribute taxpayer monies to other people.  Which, by definition, is not a market or a place.  And remember, Anthem is the only player in the Obamacare Exchange – where this is supposed to be played out in.

  • Third, nothing about Obamacare or Obamacare Medicaid Expansion has made “healthcare more affordable“.  All over the country, as well as here in NH, rates have gone up.  I lost my insurance plan and the resulting plan, because of all of the Government mandates placed on insurance plans

Sidenote: Jeb Bradley COULD have worked to make insurance premiums more affordable – he could have worked to reduce the number of mandates placed upon NH premium payers.  He could have worked and fought the hard political fights to allow NH residents to purchase premiums from anywhere (not just NH).  He didn’t lift a finger.  Except to champion and make sure that the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion became law here in NH.

  • Fourth, 20,000 NH residents who were already paying for their own insurance were mandatorily thrown into Medicare – no choice at all.  So people who were self-responsible and self-reliant (two Republican virtues) will now be dependent (a Democrat virtue) on Government for their healthcare.  And that Government healthcare means taxpayer monies will now be spent.  Again, when one is totally dependent upon the Government, how can that be a “free-market based solution“?  Free markets mean that individuals use their own funds to pay for services they can voluntarily select.

There is no choice in this, only dependence.  Period.

  • Fifth, the “and accessible“.  Sorry, I could only giggle over this claim – how in God’s Green Earth could Bradley look around and claim this to be true.  Obamacare’s Exchange quickly cut 10 of our hospitals out of the Anthem network – the decision was deliberately  made for as low a premium cost as possible instead of “accessible“.  Was Bradley deliberately ignoring the rage and uproar that occurred when this became known?

Let’s add to the pile – how often have you been to your doctor’s office only to see the sign at the receptionist’s desk stating “Not accepting any more Medicaid patients”?  Even IF these newly enrolled are now “covered”, this program make no expectation or guarantees that a doctor will actually see a Medicaid Expansion patient. (and Obamacare plan patients are ALSO finding that doctors are not taking them – repayment amounts are also too low for many doctors).

  •  Sixth, this monstrously grows State level Government (a Democrat ideal).  There will be a new and large bureaucracy that will be needed to administer this.  Oh sure, the claim is that by putting these new dependents into the “private marketplace” (again, how can it be “private” when it is Government created and not organically grown between private sector individuals?)

Over a billion taxpayer monies have been spent on creating these Exchanges, and the Federal one that is used here in NH, Healthcare.gov (er, again, how can it be a marketplace based solution when patients and vendors MUST go through a GOVERNMENT WEBSITE??), is well north of that.

  • Seventh, and worst, is the utterly outrageous claim of “without putting the financial burden on taxpayers“!

This is pure pixie dust and unicorn farts.  Tell me, are the doctors and nurses going to work for free for these new “BradleyCare” patients?  How about the support staff in the doc’s office that process the paperwork – how often do you think they’re going to say “Medicaid?  Oh, just delete my time from my paycheck for them”?  Is PSNH going to keep the lites on for free, or the furniture vendors, the computer, the HVAC, the phone, the Internet ISPs….all going to say “don’t worry, we’ll do this for free for them”.  Yeah, not happening.  Ditto for the labs, the clinics, the hospitals; you name it, they ain’t working for free.

TANSTAAFL – Contrary to what good ole’ Jeb wants you to NOT think about (re: like Progressives, they think thee to be stupid), There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.  Or sure, if you are the Medicaid Expansion patient, this is a GREAT deal – it IS just about free (and thus, “affordable“)!  But as always, somebody has to pay, and that would TAXPAYERS (as I don’t see any philanthropic millionaires (like Jeb) offering to take on the tab for all this).   Now, most of the Rogue Republicans (NH State Senator Chuck Morse and NH State Senate President) have always been extremely careful to say “New Hampshire taxpayers” when making this claim.  Jeb, not so much – he just says “taxpayers”.

Look, Jeb may not want to treat you like an adult, but I will – it takes money and it is only going to come from one place – Government.  And Government has one of three places to get that money: print more of it, borrow more of it, or tax more of us for more of it.  That would be me.  That would be you.  Doubt me?

      • Buy stuff here in NH?  You are paying the taxes that are applied to all businesses here in NH.  Indirect, but prices are higher due to them.
      • Look at your 1040 and paychecks – most of you reading the ‘Grok also pay federal taxes.

There will be a burden and Bradley just isn’t honest enough to tell you that – I am.  It is rather sad to see Jeb try to claim otherwise instead of being upfront and honest.  Sadly, he’s gone back to his old ways of being a moderate / Progressive type Republican – larger and larger Governmet.  Sadly, it’s like Obama claiming that he has issued less Executive Order than either Bush or Clinton numerically – and not bothering to mention that, in the aggregate, his E.O.s are FAR more intrusive into our lives, make Government larger, and cost WAY MORE.

Help me send a message to all those running for office in the New Hampshire State House that we can’t afford the Democrat’s job killing and expensive agenda.

And this is supposed to be a cheapie?  I think the above proves that wrong.  And what happens, Jeb, when the 3 years is up and the Feds no longer have to pay 100%?  Better yet, the DC rumors are already swirling that the Feds can’t afford paying 100% for even that short amount of time (after all, they’re already $18 Trillion in the hole already) – who is going to pay THEN, Jeb? 

Let’s get to the nub – you didn’t have the political courage to say “no” this go-round (in fact, you and Morse led the charge to pass the bill) – I have no trust in you that you would stand up to the howling Democrats and ravenous Media and vote to kill the program.  If you are still in office (and people are already taking bets that “retirement” is in the offing before that three year drop dead date shows up), odds are that you won’t vote in the affirmative to kill the program (especially if the Rs are still in the majority, which is NOT a bet I would place).

Then, WHO is going to pay the freight then, Jeb?  We’ve had that conversation – you never answered the question.  Can’t answer, I guess, or the cat is out of the bag.  NONE of the Rogue Republicans that voted for this steaming pile will answer this question.

Voters, ask yourself why?  Why won’t they answer that?  Why are they so depending on the “Scott Brown” technique (that would be to deflect, go on a tangent, blame the questioner, or run to the bathroom)?

Increasingly NH is viewed nationally as having an unfriendly business climate because of policies supported by my opponent. Policies I have fought against for the last 4 years as Majority Leader in the NH Senate.

Visit my website today and request a lawn sign or consider making a financial contribution.

Or, go to the website and leave a comment.  Or just email him.

Together we can fight off these job killing policies and make the 2014 election about growing jobs and protecting taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Jeb Bradley

Pixie dust and unicorn farts.

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