From the UL, Jeb Bradley seems to want to out do Donald Kreis in a given intellectual proposition (a few fries less than a current Happy Meal):
In the week before the bill came up for Senate committee review, however, he issued a letter in opposition. The program as proposed called for payroll deductions except for those who opt-out. Sununu said he would like to see a detailed financial analysis of a bill that would establish a program on an entirely opt-in or voluntary basis. “The financial questions have to be answered. It starts with an actuarial analysis of what a voluntary program would look like,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro. “There’s been no voluntary program in any other states. That’s the starting point, so we can understand the financial dynamics.”
Well, SURE there are voluntary systems, there Jeb – it’s called the Private Sector. You used to be part of it a long, looong time ago, right? Let me remind you: talk to the right insurance broker, he gives you a price for such coverage and you pay it if you think the terms seem a better value than the money in your pocket. Several companies actually have this – is that surprising to you? All you really gotta do is call up your best NH GOP Committeeman buddy, Steve Duprey, and I’m betting he’d put you straight – his company does EXACTLY that (although he’s already on record for wanting to lay that off on…..wait for it…..NH taxpayers and contra to the NH GOP Platform, was also in favor of yet another Bigger Govt program. Again, what’s the diff tween the Rs and the Ds?).
What is it with a lot of Republicans in that they are starting to think that the first (and often, last) answer to something must be a government one. Why can’t they just say “This is not a Proper Role of Government because the private sector all ready has solutions”? And then there’s Senator Jeff Woodburn who can’t turn down even a bad government policy:
“Gov. Sununu assured working families that he would support family and medical leave insurance and ease the incredible burden of being a good parent and a good employee,” said Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn, D-Whitefield, “However, in the 11th hour the governor caved to the wishes of special interest groups and corporate donors, and ordered Senate Republicans to torpedo this popular piece of legislation.”
Yep, dude, you seem to have got that backwards – Duprey was in favor of it, The BIA, for gosh sakes (an amalgam of bigger businesses in NH) were all for it. What’s not to like – cost-shifting a benefit cost back to the government? Ever think that, just perhaps or maybe, that his VOTERS were telling him “ixnay it” because unlike Woodburn, we don’t want a bigger government? Does that register with you, or was that the standard canned answer when more Socialism gets beat back with a stick?
Why is it that the only rational guy in the piece is Greg Moore of AFP which advocates for Free Markets without the heavy hand of Govt:
“Government interference in labor markets is not the New Hampshire way,” he said. “Not only would this bill have challenged our state’s values of limited government and economic freedom, it was bad policy.”
Well put. Bradley could learn a lot from Moore and stop believing that the marketplace constantly need Government “help”.
