I keep seeing the attack ad blaming John Braun for the huge increase in Washington state spending, and I find it an appalling twist of the truth.
You don’t have to be a state budget expert to know that the statement doesn’t add up. One, Republican Sen. John Braun is not responsible for the tax increases and out-of-control spending of a majority Democrat Washington state government that has the presiding majority in control over decades in Washington state.
I’m not an expert on the state budget. I don’t know all the details of how Olympia puts together an $80 billion spending plan, and I suspect most other voters don’t either.
But I can look at the numbers and the timeline.
John Braun was one of the Senate’s lead budget writers when Republicans controlled the Senate. During those years, Republicans were the ones pushing back against higher taxes and increased spending.
The last budget Braun helped write before Democrats took complete control of state government was about $40 billion. Since then, state spending has more than doubled to over $80 billion.
Yet, the attack ad tries to leave voters with the impression that Braun was responsible for that enormous increase. He wasn’t.
The biggest increases came after Republicans lost control of the Senate and Democrats controlled the House, Senate and governor’s office. They had the votes to lock out Republicans altogether and pass the budgets they wanted.
People can disagree with John Braun. They can disagree with Republicans or Democrats about how much government should spend and what our priorities should be. That’s politics.
But blaming someone for massive spending increases that happened after his party lost the ability to control the budget is something else entirely. It’s deceptive, and it’s being broadcast continuously by Braun’s opponent and inferring that Mr. Braun is or will be a part of the Washington, D.C. corruption. It is false.
As far as I know, Mr. Braun is not running on anything to do with reproductive or abortion issues but is running on parental rights. Again, that was a stab on an ad.
I have reviewed Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s mailer and it references that she supports bringing back American manufacturing. We have heard that from day one from the Republican Party. It appears that there is common ground with both parties and an opportunity to work together.
I would say to the voters: don’t allow your judgment to be clouded by the ads. Do your own research and reflect on whether you are better off under the present congresswoman’s representation. Did MGP bring home the bacon for you?
Mr. Braun is already providing a great deal of jobs in Lewis County through his company Braun Northwest, an emergency vehicle company. His employees are able to put food on their table. He is firmly planted in this congressional district and supports our farmers.
Join me and vote for John Braun this November for positive change in our congressional district.
Elizabeth Cameron
Centralia
