A two-time failed right-wing political candidate who opposes all government programs says he is not a hypocrite even though his 10 kids are on the government health plan, Medicaid.



“As with all welfare programs, Medicaid should not exist,” wrote Greg Collett on his web site, after receiving a stream of negative policy when he was quoted in an NBC News online article headlined, “Health care holdouts: Uninsured but resisting.”



Collett (pictured) ran for the Idaho state legislature in 2010 and 2012 but was defeated both times.



“If you don't want my kids on Medicaid, get them off by terminating the entire program,” he wrote. “I would be the most thrilled if that were to happen.”



In the meantime, however, the self-employed software developer says he plans to continue covering his large brood — eight of whom are adopted — through the public Medicaid program.



“If families are not able to help, they should go to churches or other charitable organizations for assistance. Government should not be involved, period,” Collett wrote. However, he says that when he chose to go into business for himself, he couldn’t find a health insurance plan he could afford.



How does he justify, then, covering his kids with taxpayer cash?



“Yes, I participate in government programs of which I adamantly oppose. Many of them, actually,” he wrote. “Am I a hypocrite for participating in programs that I oppose? If it was that simple, and if participation demonstrated support, then of course. But, my reason for participation in government programs often is not directly related to that issue in and of itself, and it certainly does not demonstrate support.”



In other words, Collett says, it is okay to take part in programs one opposes as long as one does not “support” those programs.



On the other hand, Collett does not support public education and he follows through by home-schooling his 10 kids.



“I consider public education to be the grandaddy of all welfare programs,” he wrote in his site. “Even more than that, I consider it to be a crucial method of control over a population for tyrants, which is why it is one of the planks of the Communist Manifesto.”



SOURCES: Greg Collett For Idaho, NBC News, Progressive Populist

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