In a classic non-apology, Maine Gov. Paul LePage released the following statement today in regards to calling the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the "new Gestapo":
It was not my intent to insult anyone, especially the Jewish Community, or minimize the fact that millions of people were murdered.
Clearly, what has happened is that the use of the word Gestapo has clouded my message. Obamacare is forcing the American people to buy health insurance or else pay a tax. Our health care system is moving toward one that rations care and negatively impact millions of Americans.
We no longer are a free people. With every step that Obamacare moves forward, our individual freedoms are being stripped away by the Federal Government. This should anger all Americans.
In his weekly address to the people of the Pine Tree State last Saturday,
LePage lit into the individual mandate found in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), saying:
For 236 years our constitution has tried to uphold our Founding Fathers intent – to protect Americans rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what our Founding Fathers, I’m sure, did not have in mind is for our rights to be stripped away by our Federal Government. What our Founding Fathers did not see coming is unfair taxation that burdens the American people.
Obamacare is bad policy and bad law. It raises taxes, cuts Medicare for the elderly, gets between patients and their doctors, costs trillions of taxpayer dollars, and kills jobs.
LePage rarely speaks with the media, but a local television crew was able to track him down. When asked if he was sorry for what he said,
LePage responded to WMTW reporter Paul Merrill with this:
It was never intended to offend anyone and if someone’s offended, then they ought to be goddamned mad at the federal government.
Ever classy our governor.