Andy Sanborn Compares the ACA to a Plane Crash

State Senator Andy Sanborn, recently of Bedford (where he and his wife, Rep. Laurie Sanborn moved after redistricting hurt their chances of reelection in Henniker) had a little trouble on the radio this afternoon, leading to an age old politician's problem - foot in mouth:  

Sanborn, R-Bedford, was the guest host of the afternoon radio show on WTPL-FM in Concord Tuesday afternoon. During one segment he was talking to former State Sen. Ray White, also a Bedford Republican, about the new national health care law. Sanborn has been vocal opponent of the law.

At one point Sandborn said the new law "is barreling down on us like a jet landing into San Francisco. It’s (laughter) it should make people really concerned."

After the program Sanborn didn't recall the remark, but after hearing the audio of the program said he apologizes for it.

"It was my mistake. If I offended anyone I am sorry," Sanborn said.

He compared the ACA to the recent plane crash in California that killed 2 people and injured 168 others. 

I'm pretty sure that having access to health care doesn't kill people - it is NOT having access to  health care that kills people. The ACA contains a provision that eliminates the "pre-existing condition." My granddaughter is 3 years old. When she was born, she required some preventative treatment right away. It was successful. She's fine. If the old language were still in place, she would be tagged with the label of "preexisting condition" for the rest of her life, and would have difficulty getting health insurance because of that. I think that eliminating that label was a very fine thing. 

I think anyone who thinks otherwise is a wretch. 

Senator Sanborn makes his point of view very clear. He's opposed to the ACA, and thinks that comparing it to a plane crash is funny. He laughed.  He was recently appointed to the commission to study the expansion of Medicaid in NH. Two things are clear after reading this story. 1) Senator Sanborn is a close-minded ideologue 2) Senator Sanborn is a public embarrassment. 

He should resign, immediately, from the commission. 

What Sanborn  presented was not an apology. It was a fauxpology. "If I offended anyone, I'm sorry" translates as "I'm sorry I got caught spouting stupid stuff."