Thanks to Tim at The Word From Arizona's Fifth District for the heads-up on this...
It's nice to know someone reads this blog, and even nicer to be cited as a source...but it would be nicer still if those who cite me do so accurately.
Last week, I wrote a post about Harry Mitchell's appearance at the LD8 candidates' forum. During that forum, he stated that he supports a universal health plan. That was it.
So imagine my shock to read a press release from the Hayworth camp, citing this blog as a source, that morphed a simple sentence into a screed linking Harry Mitchell to Hillary Clinton and a healthcare reform initiative from the 1990s.
I must have dozed off during that part of the forum, because I never heard any of the candidates mention Senator Clinton's name, not even once.
Note: I didn't doze off.
As far as I can see, the Hayworth campaign's press release isn't an outright lie - JD only used my quote that Harry supports "a universal health care plan". The rest of the release, however, falsely extrapolates from that quote in implying but never specifically stating that Harry Mitchell directly endorsed a particular plan.
Must have been a slow day in the office for Hayworth spokesman Todd Sommers. Either that, or he's taking a creative writing class and he emailed a class assignment as a press release.
For clarification, Harry Mitchell's positions on healthcare, excerpted from his website:
Also from the website:Promote Women's Health
I believe that every woman should have access to comprehensive health care. This includes access to family planning and fundamental medical care, such as breast and cervical cancer screening.
I also believe that every person has a fundamental right to choose when and whether to have children, and I support a woman's right to choose. Medical decisions, both reproductive and otherwise, should be made between families and their doctors - it is not the role of government to interfere with these decisions.
It is important that we work together to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies in the United States. This can be done by supporting medically-accurate sex education for our kids, taking steps to prevent teen pregnancy, and providing access to pre-natal care for all women.
It is also important that we help countries around the world do the same thing. That's why I do not support the "global gag rule," which cuts funding for family planning providers in developing countries.
I'll work to honor America's veterans, and I will support the passage of a GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century. This Bill of Rights
Improves veterans' health care and meets the health care needs of returning soldiers,
Improves mental health care for returning soldiers,
Stops increases in prescription drug co-payments and enrollment fees for veterans,
Reduces waiting times on disability claims and expands outreach to veterans,
Compare this to JD,
...who opposed medical coverage for National Guard and Reserve members and their families.
...who opposes stem cell research. (The bill passed, but was vetoed. He voted to uphold the veto.)
...who voted to limit medical malpractice awards.
...who supports abolishing Medicare. (see: his membership in the Republican Liberty Caucus and their position statement of December 8, 2000.)
What is the basis for JD's positions on healthcare? Why is he so stridently opposed to healthcare for all Americans?
For JD, on this issue, as well as many other issues, the bottom line is 'the bottom line'.
In just the past quarter, ending June 30th, the Hayworth for Congress campaign received over $55,000 from healthcare-related PACs.
$55,000.
That number is from a viewing of the quarterly filing from the FEC's website. It includes contributions from industry PACs, medical association PACs, and health insurance PACs. It does not include money from insurance PACs that aren't specifically health insurance-related, nor does it include personal contributions from employees, executives and officers of healthcare-related businesses and organizations.
Note: that's actually a 2, not 3, month total. I found 40 contributions that were applicable to this total; all but 2 were dated in May or June.
The bottom line for us, the voters of CD5: JD'$ vi$ion for the American healthcare system is the 'American healthCorp$ Don'tcare' system.
Unsolicited advice for the Hayworth campaign: Harry Mitchell can win the election by campaigning on issues...by campaigning on facts...by campaigning on his own record and his own positions.
JD, it seems obvious that you know that, given your campaign's rapid departure from issues, from truth, from your own record.
One other piece of unsolicited advice for the Hayworth campaign: If you are going to quote me for your purposes, that's fine. This is a public blog, and you are free to quote me whenever you wish. However, every time that you misquote me or twist the facts using my quote I will gleefully take the opportunity to hoist you on your own petard.
Here's a link for you to use after the November election.
P.S. - A question for JD's mouthpiece, Todd Sommers. Does your boss know that you paraphrase his opponent's positions as his own? (emphasis to follow is mine)
In your own press release - ""Health care decisions should be made by doctors, patients, and families, not the government," said J.D. Hayworth for Congress spokesman Todd Sommers."
From Harry Mitchell's website - "Medical decisions, both reproductive and otherwise, should be made between families and their doctors - it is not the role of government to interfere with these decisions."
LOL.
Later!!
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