Tea Party Republican Defends Being on Medicaid While Opposing Medicaid

[Purveyor]

A Tea Party candidate for Idaho's House of Representatives defended himself against allegations of hypocrisy following an NBC News article in which he admitted to signing his entire family up for Medicaid while running on a platform that calls for the dismantling of all government programs.

"I don’t think that the government should be involved in health care or health insurance," Greg Collett, 41, of Caldwell told NBC News earlier this month.

Collett, a self-employed software developer by trade, went on to note that his ten children — two biological, eight adopted — are all recipients of health insurance through the government's Medicaid program, and acknowledged that "there are a lot of people out there that’ll cry foul" over the dissonance.

And, indeed, many people did visit Collett's personal site shortly afterward to ask him what the hell.

In a lengthy response to all the naysayers, Collett attempted to defend his hypocrisy, but made it so much worse:

MORE...

http://gawker.com/tea-party-republican-defends-being-on-medicaid-while-op-1446552792

[hatrack]

1. What. The. FUCK.

Unbelievable - the gall, the blindness, the arrogance, the stupidity.

[ruffburr]

2. Typical ignoramus

[MSMITH33156]

3. The whole "entitlement"

thing is just a smoke screen for racism. They erroneously think that he government is taking their money and giving it to "the blacks", but they can't call them the n-word anymore, so they go this route.

They have absolutely no problem with these programs, and use them frequently. They also rail against them because they've convinced themselves that they deserve these programs, while the "others" don't.

[noiretextatique]

12. bingo!

white conservative xtians deserve....everyone else is a "taker."

[me b zola]

4. Also tax write-offs for each child they adopted. Eight children

[VanillaRhapsody]

5. He has HIS issues and must accept govt help...

YOUR issues are different and not as important as mine are...therefore you are just a lazy bum living off the govt teat. I however am not...neener neener.


Its is so sophomoric...

[RagAss]

6. A cretin on parade.

[0rganism]

7. his dickweed response

Let me set the record straight. Yes, I participate in government programs of which I adamantly oppose. Many of them, actually. Am I a hypocrite for participating in programs that I oppose? If it was that simple, and if participation demonstrated support, then of course. But, my reason for participation in government programs often is not directly related to that issue in and of itself, and it certainly does not demonstrate support. For instance, I participate in government programs in order to stay out of the courts, or jail, so that I can take care of my family; other things I do to avoid fines or for other financial reasons; and some are simply because it is the only practical choice. With each situation, I have to evaluate the consequences of participating or not participating.

What a maroon.

ETA: more from his website http://www.gregcollettforidaho.com/nbc-news-article

By way of example, here are a few government programs and policies that I oppose because they do not conform to the proper role of government, yet I participate in them: I am against marriage licenses, but I still got one to get married; I am against the foster care program, but I became a foster parent; I am against property taxes, but I own property and pay the tax; I am against federal ownership of land by the Forest Service and BLM, but I use the land for hiking, backpacking, camping, and fishing; I am against national parks, but I visit them; I am against driver's licenses, vehicle registration, license plates, and mandated liability insurance, but I comply with all of them to drive; I am against public funding of transportation systems, but I still use them; I am against building permits, fees, and inspections, but I get them as needed; I am against public libraries, but my family uses them; I am against public schools, but I occasionally use their facilities; I am against occupational licensing, but I use the services of individuals and companies that comply with those requirements; I am against USDA inspections, but I still use products that carry their label; I am against the Uniform Commercial Code and designated legal business entities such as corporations, but I use the services of such entities and have set up several of them for myself; I am against the current structure of our judicial system and courts, but I still use them; I am against the 17th Amendment, but I still cast my vote for Senators; and the list could go on and on.

Against public libraries and USDA produce inspections? Dig that hole deeper man! Just keep that shovel moving!

[noiretextatique]

13. he should move to somalia

or some other place where he wouldn't have to make such terrible compromises. #asshole.

[0rganism]

14. ikr?

Instead, he lingers here, burdening all of us with his 10 children on Medicaid. And you know if his entire family's on Medicaid, he's not paying jack shit in taxes himself. And knowing Idaho, he'll probably still win the election by 10 points or more.

[jmowreader]

8. You know what the real problem is

If this man gets elected, the only thing he will do is attempt to dismantle what little government Idaho has.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. What a rambling bunch of nonsense

Let me set the record straight. Yes, I participate in government programs of which I adamantly oppose. Many of them, actually. Am I a hypocrite for participating in programs that I oppose? If it was that simple, and if participation demonstrated support, then of course. But, my reason for participation in government programs often is not directly related to that issue in and of itself, and it certainly does not demonstrate support. For instance, I participate in government programs in order to stay out of the courts, or jail, so that I can take care of my family; other things I do to avoid fines or for other financial reasons; and some are simply because it is the only practical choice. With each situation, I have to evaluate the consequences of participating or not participating.[/div class="excerpt"]

(From the link)

Typical Republican I got mine, yer on yer own selfish mentality at play.

[kelliekat44]

10. Just tell him to not accept Medicaid. Find some other insurance. nt

[Auntie Bush]

11. That crook is just playing the system...which is what rethugs think everyone does.

Why did he adopt so many children when he thinks he needs government help to support them. He adopts them because he gets lots more monetary support with each additional child. The man is a monster! How can anyone support him once they know what that hypocrite it doing? He makes me sick.

[Rex]

15. I had to copy this part for the special amount of stupid in it.

"For instance, I participate in government programs in order to stay out of the courts, or jail, so that I can take care of my family; other things I do to avoid fines or for other financial reasons; and some are simply because it is the only practical choice."

The only practical choice? So Mr. Teabag, what are YOUR IDEAS of an alternative to your family living off of as you like to call it 'welfare'?

Ever come up with any? In all these years?