The Hudson Star-Observer reported today that Senator Russ Feingold once again attempted to justify his costly failed stimulus bill and his deeply unpopular health care overhaul.  More interesting, however, are the false and misleading claims he made in doing so.

For instance, Feingold attacked Republicans for pointing out that his health care bill “did not cut Medicare benefits,” a statement that is demonstrably false.  In fact, a Wall Street Journal article this week notes that thanks to the law’s nearly $200 billion in Medicare Advantage cuts “dozens of private insurers that run [Medicare Advantage] plans are preparing to pare dental, vision and certain prescription-drug coverage starting next year.” As Humana’s CEO put it, “There’s no question that either premiums go up or either benefits go down” as a result of the health care law’s cuts to Medicare Advantage.  And the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that the more than $500 billion in Medicare cuts “would not enhance the ability of the government to pay for future Medicare benefits” – meaning that this spending is effectively being transferred from seniors to younger Americans. Does Feingold plan on attacking the Wall Street Journal and the Congressional Budget Office as well?

Additionally, Feingold viciously attacked Republican challenger Ron Johnson for pointing out the stimulus bill’s failure to create private-sector jobs. But as the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported earlier this month, “Wisconsin lost private-sector jobs in June for the third time in four months… At a time when federal stimulus programs were meant to offset at least some of the weakness with government jobs, Wisconsin’s public sector also shifted into reverse.”  Does Feingold plan on attacking the Journal-Sentinel as well?  Does he plan on attacking the 56 percent of voters in his state who agree with Ron Johnson that the Democrats’ stimulus has failed to create jobs?

In response the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said:

“Russ Feingold’s misleading, partisan attacks prove once again that he is not the upstanding ‘maverick’ he claims to be.  The truth is, Russ Feingold’s reckless spending in Washington has driven America’s debt to more than $13 trillion while failing to deliver the results that Wisconsin voters deserve. Senator Feingold’s desperate, false rhetoric won’t distract Wisconsinites from his disastrous 18-year Washington record, and voters will hold him accountable when they elect a fiscally responsible Republican this November.” – Chris Bond, NRSC spokesman