Buck supporter responds to last-minute "hit" piece from opponent

Democrat dishonesty

October 25, 2006

by Bob Wheeler

Clallam County, WA - Two campaign mailer hit pieces directed against Jim Buck landed in district mailboxes today. The charges by the State Democrats and the Harry Truman Fund are ridiculous - - - they must think we are stupid.

It took a while to run the bills down but all are from the 03-05 session. Their information is not current and misrepresents Jim's record.

The first bills cited are HB 1214 and 5904. When one checks the most recent bill list, one finds HB1214 deals with shellfish licenses and SB5904 deals with tax adjustements.

HOWEVER, if one goes back to the 03-04 session, one would find that they dealt with prescriptions and both DIED IN COMMITTEE. Not a single person has been helped by either of these bills.

It appears that the senate agreed with Jim Buck's NO votes along with Washington Citizen Action, the Disabled Veterans, The Epilepsy Foundation, the Arthritis Foundation, National Black Veterans and numerous other groups who found the bill did not meet their needs.

To say Jim Buck voted with Pharmaceuticals is a convenient fiction to cover up the truth that many reps and senators had grave concerns about these bills; and it is Democrat dishonesty at its worst to ignore the concerns of the disabled community and those who were not covered by these failed pieces of legislation. Makes one wonder why his opponenet didn't bring them up last time.

The next item also presupposes our stupidity. The Democrat State party cites SB5404 and states, “ Jim Buck voted to cut 20,000 needy children off of healthcare.”

SB5404 is the operating budget bill from the 03-05 session. There is no recorded vote to remove 20,000 kids from healthcare.

The action was one of several hundred parts of the general fund budget that dealt with a billion dollar shortfall which occurred after the 9/11 attacks. The budget passed with a bi-partisan vote of 67-30 with all Democrat and Republican leadership voting for the bill including Buck’s seat mate, Lynn Kessler and his senator, Jim Hargrove. In fact, no democrats who voted for SB5404 have been attacked by the Washington State Democrat Party.

The last item states Jim Buck opposed a measure to reduce health care for small businesses and their employees. The bill was opposed by NAMI, the Arthrtitus Association, the Washington State Assn for Addiction and Alcoholism Programs and the Washington State Psychological Society. There were grave concerns that the bill would not meet the needs of many of the people it was supposed to serve and Jim voted to to protect them.

Finally, and most important, the statement in the Truman Fund mailer that Jim Buck takes money from medical industry lobbyists is a bold faced lie and the Democrats know it.

The response to Item 1 alleges that Jim has taken money from various companies. There is a serious difference between ligitimate, properly reported political contributions and the implication that Jim accepted money outside of that process. Acceptance of gifts over $50 in value and money from anyone is a violation of state law and several prominent legislators went to jail in the 80s for doing so. Re-elect Jim Buck is a separate legal entity set up in accordance with I-134 and Public Disclosure laws. The campaign accepts legal contributions which can only be used for campaign purposes. This is way different than him taking money personally which is what this document alleges. It conveniently ignores the fact that incumbent Democrat representative and senatorial campaigns accept contributions from the same people. I don't see any hit pieces aimed at them.

So, this is partisan politics at its worst. I hope you will pass this info on to your friends and make sure they get out the vote for Jim.

 

Bob Wheeler