Osborn touts history of shrinking government during Sidney visit

Although all his opponents wish to repeal Obamacare, U.S. Senate candidate Shane Osborn claims that he was working against the bill’s passage before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon.

“The difference here is the fact that I actually led the rallies around the state back in 2009 trying to keep it from passing in the first place,” Osborn said. “I didn’t just become against Obamacare when I was looking for votes and that’s a big difference in this race.”

Since then, Osborn hasn’t changed his view that the Affordable Care Act will fail or that it’s meant to result in single-payer government-run healthcare. To see how well government-run healthcare works, you don’t have to go to another county, Osborn argued, just to your local VA branch.

“It’s the largest healthcare system in the country and it’s completely government run, and we’re killing veterans every day,” Osborn said. “Veterans are dying every day because they can’t get access to healthcare.”

This is not a funding issue, but a bureaucracy issue, he said. Osborn thinks the Republican party needs to do a better job of selling its alternative plan to Obamacare already introduced in the House of Representatives. In this plan, everyone would receive equal tax treatment.

“We should have the same treatment as an individual that a big business does,” Osborn said. “High deductible plans with HSA’s (health savings accounts) and portability is key.”

Osborn served in the Navy for nine years where he flew reconnaissance airplanes.

“Obviously the biggest threat to our country is the out of control spending and growth of government,” Osborn said.

Osborn claims he’s the only candidate in the Senate race who was elected in the past and kept his word for limit government. When elected state treasurer, he promised to stick to fiscal conservatism.

“I’ve actually shrunk government,” Osborn said. “I’m the only person running for office that can say that.”

When working as state treasurer Osborn cut his budget 12 percent over four years and reduced his staff by a quarter by running the office more efficiently.

“When it comes to saying we need to shrink government, I’ve actually done it,” Osborn said.

He acknowledged that there’s waste in all parts of government, including the military, but that the way the president wants to cut the military hurts the troops.

“The world is a much more unsafe place today than it was even three or four years ago,” Osborn said.

Osborn believes top threats to the country include unrest in the middle east, the Russian expansion into Ukraine, Chinese threats to Japan, Iran’s threat to Israel and the war in Syria.

Osborn thinks it’s sad that groups in Washington D.C. like the super pacs running attack ads against him on behalf of Ben Sasse think they can pick the next Nebraska Senator.

“The fact of the matter is, Nebraskans don’t take to that kindly,” Osborn said. “They see through this and I think that the great thing is Nebraskans get to pick who the next U.S. Senator is, not D.C.”

Osborn feels good about his chances in the primary. He’s got the support of the Nebraska tea party liberty conservative groups, the backing of 34 county sheriffs as well as the support of 16 current and former state senators.

“I can tell you that my race is about Nebraskans,” Osborn said. “I’m the only one who’s hit all 93 counties.”