Idaho State Senator Jim Patrick Called a “Liar”

And Governor Brad Little too!  On my radio program.  By Wayne Hoffman.  He’s the President of the Idaho Freedom Foundation.  The think tank is a thorn in the side of both Republicans and Democrats across the state.  It scores their votes on a freedom index and according to a strict reading of state and federal constitutions.

Hoffman was made privy to an email Senator Patrick sent out to some constituents.  They were asking him his position on the vaccine mandate established by Idaho’s largest hospitals.  After the House of Representatives passed a bill this past session that would have barred mandates, Patrick bottled it up in the Senate.  Like many of his fellow Republicans, he claims he doesn’t believe government has a role in business decisions.  Idaho is an “at will” state and workers who don’t get the vaccines at the large hospitals will be fired.

Hoffman calls the arguments about staying out of business decisions spurious.  He cites where legislators and the Governor have often meddled in business and recently.  Including limits on a hospital’s ability to collect on patient debts.

Hospitals also are often recipients of tax breaks and taxpayer dollars.  The Freedom Foundation President appeared on Magic Valley This Morning on Newsradio 1310 KLIX and 96.1 FM.  You can hear the discussion by clicking on the YouTube video below.

The vaccine mandate was announced two weeks ago and has become a highly contentious issue.  With an election coming next year a great many Republicans (and they overwhelmingly dominate state politics) are trying to walk a tightrope between being business friendly but also acknowledging individual liberty.  Liberty and choice are synonymous.