Missouri Press Association Gubernatorial Debate

Jay Nixon Outlines Plans for Change; Hulshof Promises More of the Same
 
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- In today's gubernatorial debate, hosted by the Missouri Press Association, Attorney General Jay Nixon outlined his plans to change the direction of the state, while Congressman Kenny Hulshof continued to embrace the same failed policies from Washington and Jefferson City that have moved our state in the wrong direction these past few years.
 
"I truly believe that our state is at a crossroads. We can either continue down the same road with the same old policies, or we can take our state in a new direction," Attorney General Jay Nixon said today. "There is no question that the policies coming out of Washington and Jefferson City have hurt Missouri families these past few years -- and moved our state backwards.  We need change; we must start moving forward again.

"In Washington, Congressman Hulshof has voted for so many of the failed economic policies that have hit Missouri families so hard. Policies that have caused thousands of Missouri jobs to go overseas. And now back in Missouri, he has embraced Gov. Blunt's agenda, including the decision to slash health care from hundreds of thousands of Missourians.  Quite frankly, if the Congressman is elected, nothing will change at all.

"In this campaign, I have offered a different vision -- new, fresh ideas to bring about the change Missouri families need and deserve.  Turning this economy around by investing in Missouri's greatest asset, its hardworking people. Fixing our healthcare system, which starts by restoring the health care cuts that have hurt so many Missouri families. And making sure that every child in Missouri gets the quality education he or she deserves." 

In today's debate, Jay Nixon offered new, fresh ideas.

1. When asked what he would do as governor for a local couple receiving Medicaid benefits but facing skyrocketing health care prices, Jay Nixon put forward his plan to restore Matt Blunt's devastating health care cuts, drive down costs for all Missourians and bring about the change families need.
   
   
2. Jay Nixon put forth his plan for the Missouri Promise, a new program that builds on the existing A+ Schools Program, to provide middle-class Missourians struggling to afford a college education with a pathway to earn a four-year degree from a state college or university -- tuition free.
   
3. Talking about ethics and transparency in Government, Jay Nixon spoke directly about his plan to restore strict campaign contribution limits.

On the other hand, Congressman Hulshof promised only more of the same:

Kenny Hulshof Called Matt Blunt's Health Care Cuts "Forward Thinking." Kenny Hulshof, in February 2008, "lavished praise" on Matt Blunt and "lauded Blunt for making tough choices."  When asked what Matt Blunt did well, Kenny Hulshof included "changes to the government health care system for the poor."  He called the policies implemented by Matt Blunt in this area "forward thinking." [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 02/18/08]

Kenny Hulshof Modeled His Health Care Proposal After Plans Which "Failed To Reduce The Cost Of Insurance." Kenny "Hulshof projects that his subsidies and tax incentives could help provide insurance to about 200,000 of the more than 700,000 Missourians now lacking it.  He hopes the program would be such a good deal that the remaining 500,000 would choose to buy insurance through it on their own." "A close look at the plan suggests that such a goal may be overly optimistic.  Such a result would reduce the ranks of the uninsured by 96 percent.  Similar proposals in other states have come nowhere near persuading that many uninsured residents to buy health insurance."  "Health policy specialists said similar programs in other states had failed to reduce the cost of insurance, and they questioned how such a marketplace could entice a half-million people to suddenly buy health insurance."  [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 08/31/08; Kansas City Star, 09/07/08]
 
Kenny Hulshof's Health Care Plan Doesn't Offer "Much Access" for Missouri Families.  Kathleen Gillespie is an Associate Professor at the St. Louis University School of Health Management and Policy.  She says plans like Hulshof's tend to favor healthy individuals with few medical needs.   "‘It would have the effect of expanding coverage,' says Gillespie, ‘but, I think one downside is that most of the plans that qualify for health savings account favor very high deductibles, in the neighborhood of $5,000-$10,000 for a family coverage.'"  University of Missouri-Kansas City health policy expert Arif Ahmed agrees with Kathleen Gillespie.  "Hulshof's plan ‘has limited reach in solving the access problem,' Ahmed said.  ‘It is really nothing new.  These high-deductible plans are great for 25- or 26-year-olds who don't need much health care.  But if you have a family of four, they don't offer much access' because out-of-pocket costs remain prohibitive."  [KWMU, 08/27/08; Kansas City Star, 09/07/08]

Congressman Hulshof supports the MOHELA cuts.  Matt Blunt, in 2006, called for the sale of MOHELA assets "to the highest bidder" and the use of the proceeds "to transfer $350 million to the state over six years to finance college building [and other] projects. The program is now cutting back on student lending programs and benefits, in part because of financial problems caused by this initiative, commonly referred to as the Lewis and Clark Initiative. Hulshof embraced Blunt's cuts to higher education access. [Kansas City Star, 01/31/06; Associated Press, 05/27/03]

Kenny Hulshof Said He Supports the Current Unlimited Campaign Contributions System. Hulshof supports the current campaign contributions system, including unlimited contributions from special interests and the campaign committee system.