House Dem Leader Jared Golden has NO IDEA how to pay for Maine Medicaid expansion

Top Democrat hopes for new state surplus, offers no actual plan to find the $54 million required to implement expansion

AUGUSTA – Today, Maine Republican Party executive director Jason Savage released the following statement on how, in a radio interview this morning, House Majority Leader Jared Golden demonstrated an inability to explain how Maine Medicaid expansion will be paid for, and that Democrats have no actual plan for this massive new spending initiative.

“Jared Golden just proved the point Republicans have been making for years. Expanding Medicaid in Maine for able-bodied adults is not free–it costs Maine taxpayer money. Rep. Golden twisted himself into a pretzel this morning trying to suggest coming up with the money will be no big deal. He even suggested gutting the rainy day fund–money Governor LePage and Republicans in the legislature have worked hard for years to build up. As Mainers agree, the rainy day fund is meant to be there for tough times and emergencies, not for spending on welfare for able-bodied adults. 

As time goes on, this welfare expansion would cost Mainers more and more money. Democrats pushed for this and now they own it and they owe the people of Maine an actual plan to pay for it. Raising taxes again, raiding the rainy day fund, and cutting services for our elderly and disabled neighbors are non-starters. The Democrats need to get serious and get to work on cleaning up the mess they just made. They should not expect Republicans to violate their core principles to bail them out on this expensive and poorly planned expansion.

Rep. Golden needs to understand that Democrats simply repeating that it is time to implement Medicaid expansion is not a plan — it is a talking point. Maine’s budget is not balanced with talking points.”

To listen to Jared Golden’s inability to explain how welfare expansion will be paid for, click here.

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