Columbia, SC – October 15, 2010 – Facing flagging poll numbers just days before the election, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Vince Sheheen has desperately tried to reverse course after a favorable federal court decision and hide his position on the unpopular Obamacare.

Well documented throughout his candidacy, Sheheen has been an enthusiastic supporter for costly federal mandates contained in ObamaCare. And he has been unsupportive of South Carolina’s constitutional challenge against Obamacare.

These Sheheen supported ObamaCare unfunded mandates will cost South Carolina taxpayers over $20 million dollars on January 1st eventually increasing to $1 Billion.

Now, after South Carolina scored a big victory in its federal challenge, Sheheen claims he never supported ObamaCare’s crippling federal mandates and “applauded” the states big win. But the facts prove otherwise.

“Vincent Sheheen is desperate. With flagging poll numbers and widespread public opposition to ObamaCare, Vincent is attempting to hide his support of the radical Obama Democrat agenda,” said SCGOP Chairman Karen Floyd. “But the voters know better and won’t be fooled by Vincent’s slick ObamaCare trick and will see through it come November 2nd.”

Vince Sheheen’s support of Obamacare mandates are detailed below.

Yesterday, Sheheen’s Spokesman said he supports the Obamacare lawsuit decision and opposes its mandates.

Trav Robertson, a spokesman for Sheheen’s campaign, said his candidate also supported the judge’s decision and refuted Haley’s criticism.

“Unlike what Rep. Nikki Haley is saying, we applaud the decision, and we have said repeatedly that we do not support the unfunded health care mandates,” Robertson said.
– Associated Press 10-14-10

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But just weeks ago, Democrat Vince Sheheen was an enthusiastic and public supporter of Obamacare’s unfunded mandate provisions…

“There are good things that the law has changed to make sure that college students can stay on their parents’ insurance plan, that health insurance companies can’t throw people off of their insurance plans because someone gets very ill. But you also have to stand up when things hurt business in your state,” said Sheheen. –WYFF 9-30-10

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Sheheen has said he supports some aspects of it, specifically allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance through age 25, and barring insurers from tossing people off plans for pre-existing conditions” -Associated Press 9-24-10

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And he supports much of federal health care reform. But Sheheen, a Kershaw County state senator, said if elected governor he would leave the decision to pursue a pending lawsuit over health care reform to the state’s next attorney general. … –The State 8-26-10

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….that will now cost the taxpayers another $20 million on top of the $100 billion we knew about.

State Republicans pointed out Thursday the state health insurance plan will pay an additional $20 million this year because of new requirements in the federal health care law supported by Democratic nominee Vincent Sheheen.

The new law allows parents to keep children covered on their plan up to age 26 and prevents insurance companies from canceling coverage for those who become sick. Sheheen said in an August interview with The State that he supported both of those changes. – The State 10-7-10

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The critics were right. Tuesday’s Post and Courier reported that the Obamacare Medicaid mandate is projected to cost our state “nearly $1 billion over the next decade, even with the federal government covering at least 90 percent of the cost.”

That obligation is especially daunting during these tough times with state governments already suffering severe budgetary stress. And we can’t wait a decade to start paying up. S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster announced Thursday that as of Jan. 1, the state will owe almost $20 million to comply with the law. – Post and Courier 10-9-10

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