The ad says: “Republican Dino Rossi has got a lot in common with George Bush. They believe in the same kind of trickle down economic policies. Tax breaks for big corporations.”
The proof:
Rossi voted for a resolution requesting Congress to pass President Bush’s economic growth and tax relief plan. [SJM8006, 4/7/03]
“Senate budget writer Sen. Dino Rossi defended $115 million in current tax breaks, pushed by Republicans, mostly for high-tech companies. The Republican-led Senate voted to renew the high-tech and bio-tech tax exemptions for another 10 years, rather than wait for a new study that could provide more details on how the programs have worked.” [Spokesman Review, 5/11/03; Seattle Times, 4/23/03]
“President Bush signed the most sweeping rewrite of corporate tax law in nearly two decades, showering $136 billion in new tax breaks on businesses, farmers and other groups.” [Associated Press, 10/22/04]
The ad says: “More industry deregulation”
The proof:
“Rossi says the government needs to pare back regulations…” [The Associated Press, 10/8/04]
“Republican Dino Rossi vows to reduce government regulation.” [Christian Science Monitor, 10/29/04]
“Rossi has contended since he got into the race last year that Washington’s businesses have suffered from too much government regulation during 20 years of Democratic governors. He blames the state’s regulatory climate for its slow recovery from recession and says he can turn that trend around.” [The Olympian, 9/15/04]
“U.S. business groups are looking for another leap forward for their agenda from Capitol policymakers – in everything from new legislation to the appointment of conservative judges and shifts at key regulatory agencies. In what could be the most business-friendly climate since the days of President McKinley, President Bush and the GOP-controlled Congress are moving to extend corporate tax breaks, pass pension reforms, allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and limit lawsuits – including a settlement of asbestos litigation that has driven 70 companies into bankruptcy. Most encouraging to business lobbyists are prospects for a less visible agenda: a lighter hand on regulation well into the future.” [Christian Science Monitor, 6/9/05]
“Bush Is Putting Team in Place for a Full-Bore Assault on Regulation: Across an array of federal agencies, the Bush administration has begun to make good on its commitment of broad deregulation, promoting a policy transformation long sought by the business community and opposed by consumer, labor and environmental organizations.” [New York Times, 5/23/01]
The ad says: They both oppose negotiating with drug companies for lower prices.
The proof:
“A prescription drug bill passed the House but has stalled in the Senate Ways and Means Committee led by Sen. Dino Rossi, R-Issaquah. The bill would allow a panel of doctors and pharmacists to compare drugs that are equally effective, then pick the cheapest one. The state would put the cheapest one on a “preferred drug list” and buy it in bulk, a tactic similar to what private insurers do to trim prices. If a doctor thinks a patient needs a particular drug not on the state’s list, he or she could still write the prescription and the state would pay.” [Seattle Times, 4/12/03]
“Rossi voted against a bill to develop a comprehensive prescription drug education and utilization system that would improve prescription drug prescribing practices, increase consumer understanding of and compliance with appropriate use of prescription drugs, and improve prescription drug purchasing through a sound evidence-based process that evaluates the therapeutic value and cost-effectiveness of prescription drugs.” [ESSB 6368, 2/18/02]
“The Bush administration said that it would strenuously oppose one of the Democrats’ top priorities for the new Congress: legislation authorizing the government to negotiate with drug companies to secure lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries.” [New York Times, 11/13/06]
The ad says: And even oppose requiring insurance companies to cover contraceptives for women.
The Proof:
“Rossi voted against requiring health plans that cover prescription drugs to cover the cost of prescription contraceptives.” [SB5512, 3/9/99]
“President Bush has proposed dropping a requirement that all health insurance programs for federal employees cover a broad range of birth control. It is just one paragraph of fine print in the 1,296-page budget appendix, but it would end required coverage for 1.2 million female employees and their dependents who are served by the federal employees health benefits plan.” [Washington Post, 4/12/01]
“The Bush administration announced plans to implement a controversial regulation designed to protect doctors, nurses and other health-care workers who object to abortion from being forced to deliver services that violate their personal beliefs. The rule empowers federal health officials to pull funding from more than 584,000 hospitals, clinics, health plans, doctors’ offices and other entities if they do not accommodate employees who refuse to participate in care they find objectionable on personal, moral or religious grounds….[B]oth supporters and critics said the regulation remains broad enough to protect pharmacists, doctors, nurses and others from providing birth control pills, Plan B emergency contraception and other forms of contraception, and explicitly allows workers to withhold information about such services and refuse to refer patients elsewhere.” [Washington Post, 8/22/08]
The ad says: So if you love George Bush,You’re going to be really happy with Dino Rossi.
The proof:
“Bush had a hand in recruiting Rossi, a former state Senate leader from Sammamish.” [The News Tribune, 9/3/04]
“President Bush personally encouraged Rossi to run, and the Bush-Cheney campaign has no qualms about embracing him.” [The Boston Globe, 7/5/04
“Calling on Washington voters to pick a Republican governor and re-elect President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney told a fund-raising crowd that the November election is crucial to the country’s future….Cheney boosted the gubernatorial campaign of former state Sen. Dino Rossi. “It’s been a long time since you’ve had a Republican governor, but I have a feeling your wait is coming to an end,” Cheney said. “Dino Rossi knows exactly what you need in a governor.“…Rossi told The Associated Press he is pleased that the vice president is campaigning for him.” [The Associated Press, 7/26/04]
“President Bush’s adviser Karl Rove had a hand in recruiting Rossi to run for governor, and Vice President Dick Cheney was the featured guest a few months ago at one of Rossi’s fund-raisers.” [Seattle Times, 10/24/04]