How the Right's S-CHIP Smear Backfired

SouthernDemocrat · 10-11-07, 06:47 PM

"Hi, my name is Graeme Frost," began the Democrats' September 28th radio address. "I'm 12 years old and I live in Baltimore, Maryland. Most kids my age probably haven't heard of CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program. But I know all about it, because if it weren't for CHIP, I might not be here today.”

The right certainly wishes he hadn't been on the radio that day. Three years ago, Graeme, along with his sister, Gemma, was badly injured in a car accident. He spent the week after the accident in a coma, and remained in the hospital for five-and-a-half months. He still attends rehabilitative therapy, speaks with a lisp, and moves slowly. His sister, Gemma, is worse off: She endured severe brain damage, and receives state assistance to attend a school for the developmentally disabled.
The Frost family bears a heavy burden, and much sadness. But they are not bankrupt, and were not incapable of procuring care for their injured children. That's because the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), which extends health insurance to low-income children, covered the costs. The program worked exactly as promised, providing high quality medical care for children of limited means in their time of need.

Read more here: How the Right's S-CHIP Smear Backfired | The American Prospect

SouthernDemocrat · 10-11-07, 07:18 PM

This whole issue is one just irks me to death, so I have some commentary to offer up here.

The problem is that your hard core conservatives just can't look at any public program objectively. They start with the premise that everything the government could possibly do (other than war), is bad. Thus, they never look at the merits of a program. If you look at SCHIP objectively, its a success. If you look objectively at at the renewal that was passed by solid majorities in congress, it was exactly what was needed to meet the current and future demands for the program.

The fact is, SCHIP works. It helps working families across America. It is a good program that does a lot of good.

The costs of this program, per taxpayer, and we are talking about people that actually earn enough to pay federal income taxes, is a little less than 50 dollars per year, per taxpayer. For that, millions of children that would otherwise lack health coverage in this country get to have it. As a result, they are healthier. They do better in school. They get a better start to life. Its a small price to pay.

Now there are those that say, its not their responsibility. Well, as a Christian and being that most conservatives these days tend to trumpet around their "faith", I am going to give a Christian perspective to this issue. If your a Christian, and you think this is not your responsibility, then all I can say is take it up with Jesus:

31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.”’

41 ‘Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44 Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45 Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

Matthew 25:31-46

Folks, its your choice. If the conservatives in this country were up in arms, like the other 75% of Americans are about this, then this renewal would not have been vetoed. If you are a Christian, then you believe that one day we will all stand before God and be judged, and we can then explain how helping the least among us was not our responsibility. We can tell him that we did not care if SCHIP worked or not, all we cared about was that in our minds it was just a government program, and thus, we did not like it, and chose to either not renew it, or renew it at such a level that it did not even cover the children currently enrolled.

And this little excuse about we should not be forced to give by the government. This is not some royal decree handed down by Caesar in Rome. This is a democratic republic, you are not being forced to give. It is because of hard core conservatives that Bush vetoed this successful program. Like it or not, it is your choice, and by defending Bush's veto, your choosing not do it.

Just remember: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.”’

danarhea · 10-11-07, 07:36 PM

You know, the worst part of what Republicans did was to smear the child and his family, making claims that were untrue. For the record:

1) Attack - Child goes to a private school. Truth - The child is there on a scholarship.

2) Attack - The family's kitchen counters are made of expensive granite. Truth - They are made of concrete.

3) Attack - The family's house is worth $400,000.00. Truth - They bought the house in 1990 for $55,000.00, and today, it is worth $260,000.00.

4) Attack - The father owns a business. Truth - That business folded in 1999.

There are many other attacks on the family including hate mail to their email address, but the worst offender is Michelle Malkin, who won't let up on the kid. What they are doing in attacking this family is morally reprehensible. Only the worst kind of snake could do something like that.

You know, when Republicans stalk a 12 year old child, it is usually for a different reason.

From this article.

DeeJayH · 10-11-07, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danarhea

You know, when Republicans stalk a 12 year old child, it is usually for a different reason.

From this article.

thats some funny stuff there

Stinger · 10-11-07, 09:36 PM

It shows you just how sad and weak the left has become when the only thing they have are emotional pleas.

If you can't see through the charade that this is just a sorry and pitiful way to get us all dependent on government health care you are extremely naive.

Stinger · 10-11-07, 09:37 PM

It's really absurd that the same people who claim to fight for seperation of church and state then try to use religion to thier advantage.

danarhea · 10-11-07, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

It shows you just how sad and weak the left has become when the only thing they have are emotional pleas.

If you can't see through the charade that this is just a sorry and pitiful way to get us all dependent on government health care you are extremely naive.

The emotional pleas keep coming from your side - Emotion in that a family should quit their jobs and become homeless in order to get their kid the treatment he needs. Emotion in that a family should get their kid out of a private school they don't even pay for, due to a scholarship. Emotion that a family needs to sell their own home.

Yes, emotional pleas are turning off lots of sensible people. John Cole, a Republican Party stalwart, has just blasted the hell out of the Republican Party for the emotional hit job they did to attempt to smear an American family. Read his article, and note that he pulls no punches. Like any good American Christian man, he is outraged at this attempted smear job and stalking of a 12 year old kid. Oh thats right, you will now shill with yet another emotional plea that this man is now a Liberal left loony tunes, right?

I guess that makes you the one who is loony tunes, Stinger, since nobody who is sensible is buying into your BS - As a matter of fact, sensible people, both Liberal and Conservative alike, are taking a look at you and your tactics and exclaiming "WTF - Is this man insane?".

As for S-CHIP, I don't believe in it, I don't believe it is good for America, and I believe it is another step towards socialism. But let me add, the minute I attempt to smear the good name of a good American family and stalk their 12 year old kid too, then I sincerely pray that somebody shoots me, because at that time, I would not deserve to live.

If you have a problem with S-CHIP, then speak to the issue at hand, but leave the poor damn kid and his family out of it. They had reasons to come forward and be part of this issue, reasons which I do not agree with, but that is their damn right, and they should be able to speak out without some damn Republican thug trying to smear them into silence.

SouthernDemocrat · 10-11-07, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

It shows you just how sad and weak the left has become when the only thing they have are emotional pleas.

If you can't see through the charade that this is just a sorry and pitiful way to get us all dependent on government health care you are extremely naive.

No, its a plea both on the merits of the program in that it helps real people, and a plea to ones conscience, in that it helps real people. Of course, one must possess a conscience for such an appeal to be effective.

SouthernDemocrat · 10-11-07, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

It's really absurd that the same people who claim to fight for seperation of church and state then try to use religion to thier advantage.

I quoted scripture to show the irony of how the supposed "values voters" in truth take the most morally bankrupt positions imaginable.

Stinger · 10-11-07, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthernDemocrat

No, its a plea both on the merits of the program in that it helps real people, and a plea to ones conscience, in that it helps real people. Of course, one must possess a conscience for such an appeal to be effective.

When they have to use children to try and get support based on emotion it shows how weak their case is. If it is so good then talk like adults and make the case. But the fact is this is just an attempt to back door government run health care and take our freedom and liberty from us.