[Ashland, Wis.] Ashland County District Attorney and candidate for Congress Sean Duffy issued the following statement in response to Congressman Dave Obey’s claim today to the Chippewa Herald that the newly passed government takeover of health care will create jobs, protect Medicare, and reduce the deficit.

“It seems Dave Obey’s strategy is to just keep telling people he’s creating jobs and hope someone believes him.  When Dave Obey authored the stimulus bill early last year, he claimed it would get our economy going again and create jobs.  Since then, our nation has lost more than 4 million jobs.  His claim that he will now create jobs through this trillion dollar health care bill simply cannot be taken seriously.

“His Washington spin on the health care takeover is dizzying.  The fact is this bill increases the deficit by $662 billion when all the accounting gimmicks are dropped.  It cuts Medicare by $523 billion.  And it increases taxes by $569 billion.  The only way they can get a positive number out of the CBO is to hold off on providing any benefits until years after they have raised taxes to pay for this new entitlement.

“If Dave Obey really wanted to create jobs, he needs to listen to the employers in his district.  Here in Wisconsin, small businesses aren’t asking for bailouts, they are asking government to stop taxing and regulating them to death.  Government needs to work with these businesses, not against them.”

The claims were made in a sit down interview with the Chippewa Herald earlier today.  To view the article go to the following link: http://www.chippewa.com/news/local/article_127e03aa-426c-11df-8b07-001cc4c03286.html

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