Conservative Bloggers Attack 12-Year-Old Who Gave Dem Address On Kids' Health Care

ABC News Political Radar:

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: With debate raging in Washington over children's health insurance, congressional Democrats found a new way to make their case for an expansion last weekend: Rather than have a senator or a congressman respond to President Bush's weekly radio address, they decided to have a child who was helped by the program speak directly to the public.

But the 12-year-old boy whom Democrats chose as their poster child is now at the center of a firestorm in Washington and beyond. Conservative bloggers who uncovered some details of the family's finances are blasting the family, calling the fact that they rely on federal insurance an example of how the State Children's Health Insurance Program has expanded beyond its original intent.

Read the whole story: ABC News Political Radar

Comments

[Hirnlego]

George Carlin - Who Really Controls America ("they OWN YOU")
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=935607276

Most Support U.S. Guarantee of Health Care
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/02/washington/02poll.html?ex=1330491600&en=c983317774f806cb&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
Feb 17th, 1971 5:23 P.M.

Ehrlichman : "We have now narrowed down the vice president's problems on this thing to one issue, and that is whether we should include these Health Maintenance Organizations like Edgar Kaiser's Permenente thing." President Nixon : "Let me ask you, you know I'm not too keen on any of these damn medical programs." Ehrlichman : " This is a private enterprise one." Nixon : "Well, that appeals to me." Ehrlichman : " Edgar Kaiser is running this permanente thing for profit. And the reason he can do it... I had Edgar Kaiser come in, and talk to me about this... And I went into some depth... All the incentives are toward less medical care, because the less care they give them, the more money they make." Nixon : "Fine." Ehrlichman : " And the incentives run the right way." Nixon : "Not bad."

U.S. Health Care System: Paying More, Getting Less
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/04/health-paying-more/

Profit before healthcare. That's some morality..

[skizziks]

.......why does Bush hate children ?......

[Hirnlego]

George Carlin - Who Really Controls America ("they OWN YOU")
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=935607276

Most Support U.S. Guarantee of Health Care
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/02/washington/02poll.html?ex=1330491600&en=c983317774f806cb&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
Feb 17th, 1971 5:23 P.M.

Ehrlichman : "We have now narrowed down the vice president's problems on this thing to one issue, and that is whether we should include these Health Maintenance Organizations like Edgar Kaiser's Permenente thing." President Nixon : "Let me ask you, you know I'm not too keen on any of these damn medical programs." Ehrlichman : " This is a private enterprise one." Nixon : "Well, that appeals to me." Ehrlichman : " Edgar Kaiser is running this permanente thing for profit. And the reason he can do it... I had Edgar Kaiser come in, and talk to me about this... And I went into some depth... All the incentives are toward less medical care, because the less care they give them, the more money they make." Nixon : "Fine." Ehrlichman : " And the incentives run the right way." Nixon : "Not bad."

U.S. Health Care System: Paying More, Getting Less
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/04/health-paying-more/

Profit before healthcare. That's some morality..

[Doug]

All other things aside -- How do each of you plan to pay the half million dollars in taxes that your family already owes to cover our current social programs?

[BUSHLICKER07]

At least it would be going for a good cause, not the phony war in Iraq BS. I take it that the 600B plus we have spent so far doesn't bother you huh?

[Doug]

What we've spent in Iraq is irrelevant compared to the cost of our current social programs.

[AtticusinPa]

Doug, probably the same way you and your family are going to pay the 9 trillion dollars in national debt, much spent for the carrier battle groups, nuclear submarines and the billions spent in Iraq. How about it?

[Doug]

The national debt is 57 trillion when you include social programs. Tell me, how will you pay your share?

[mae692]

Same way I'm paying for war.

[LorettaSingbiel]

"Their father, Halsey, is a self-employed woodworker, meaning that if his family doesn’t have health insurance, it’s because Halsey Frost -- as his own boss -- chooses not to purchase it for himself."...

...complain the "compassionate" conservative bloggers!!!

And yet...

"Last year, the Frost's made $45,000 combined. Over the past few years they have made no more than $50,000 combined depending on Halsey's ability to find work."

So let me see if I've got this straight... NO "handouts"... NO "charity" for Joe Public making $50,000 annually???

And yet...

The HIGHER ECHELON who WE THE PEOPLE chose to REPRESENT us, make UPWARDS OF 6-FIGURE SALARIES, and "choose not to purchase health insurance for themselves"...because WE THE PEOPLE (including Mr. & Mrs. Frost) STRUGGLE to PAY IT FOR THEM WITH OUR TAXES!!!

THIS IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!

WE THE PEOPLE DESERVE AND DEMAND UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE FOR ALL!!! END OF DISCUSSION!!! MAKE IT A DONE DEAL!!!

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[Doug]

Everything else aside, can any of you tell me how you plan to pay your $500,000 in taxes to cover the CURRENT nation debt of 57 Trillion dollars?

NOTE: That's the nation debt when social programs are added in. Social programs account for 85% of that figure.

[TruEngineHearing]

You are an idiot.

America will pay for it using the same mechanism that enables almost everyone to somehow pay the rent each month and get enough food to survive. It is the uncanny inbred math of each creature to get what it needs.

Your 2 posts indicate you know absolutely nothing worth knowing. Drink up, pal, and shut up some more.

[Doug]

No, how will YOU pay your $500,000 share?

[RedRooster]

...it's all perfectly acceptable for the people who CLAIM to represent "family values" to attack an actual family.

[Doug]

Society is never to criticize:

Children, the family of dead soldiers, the family of 9/11 victims, minorities, the poor, women, or any other group that may induce an emotional or a politically correct response.

Absolute moral authority.

[Overd0g]

Only when your political opponents are using the family as a human shield against rational debate.

[OrleansCatalan]

Terri Schiavo?

[OrleansCatalan]

Like Terri Schiavo? Right?

[dsbsh]

Human shield? Using a human face to supplement a rational argument is a common political practice; and only a fool pretends it isn't. The rational arguments have been made, but when Bush and his allies in the GOP respond to facts with lies about SCHIP-- enables coverage of families making $83,000, supposed to help only the poorest of the poor, it's socialized medicine-- using a real-life example is entirely appropriate.

It's you who don't trust the American people to listen to rational debate. The 12-year-old doesn't preclude debate at all; he simply makes it harder to lie about SCHIP and pretend there are no consequences.

[mae692]

snowflake babies
http://scienceblogs.com/framing-science/contact.php

[andiammisterbones]

Amen

[Incredulous]

Repugs attacking children now? What's up with that? Are there no more veterans to disparage or war widows to mock? Couldn't they just find another dog to kick? The compassion of conservatives overwhelms me.

[Doug]

Society is never to criticize:

Children, the family of dead soldiers, the family of 9/11 victims, minorities, the poor, women, or any other group that may induce an emotional or a politically correct response.

Absolute moral authority.

[Overd0g]

Remember that giving away your neighbors money doesn't make you compassionate.

[JohnJames]

Yeah, like the billions of tax payer dollars given away in the form of no bid contracts to Republican contributors and sundry Bush family sycophants.

[LorettaSingbiel]

"Repugs attacking children now? What's up with that?"

The "childrens do learn" that once they're born, their "protection" is no longer Bush's priority.

Bush used the first VETO of his presidency to "protect" 400,000 frozen throw-away embryos from Federally-funded Embryonic Stem Cell Research....

"This bill would support the taking of innocent human life," he said. "Each of these human EMBRYOS is a unique human life with inherent dignity and matchless value."

Bush will use the fourth VETO of his presidency to "Suffer the little children to come to me, for such is the kingdom of heaven".

Maybe he doesn't know that funding S-CHIP for one year is equal to 41 days of his war!

Apparently, money used to HARM the human populace, rather than HELP, is money well spent?

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[barrycourage]

The Oval Office Floor Vase doesn't think he is harming humanity.

He plans to grow the 400,000 embryos into soldiers.

Anything to escalate the war while avoiding the stain of reinstituting the draft.

[nowaterboardUSA]

The Reps as usual show their ugly side. The fact that the kids got the help that they needed and their lives were saved is a moot point to them. They want to argue over the family's finances. It is this kind of pettiness that is destroying them and I say good riddance. I think they talk about morality all the time because they are trying to remind themselves of what it is? They've forgotten!

[LorettaSingbiel]

"I think they talk about morality all the time because they are trying to remind themselves of what it is? They've forgotten!"

MONEY is their "MORALITY".

MONEY is their "PRIORITY".

How DARE these SANCTIMONIOUS SCUMBAGS call themselves "RIGHT-TO-LIFERS"!!!

Their "I've got mine...FUCK the rest of you" attitude MAKES ME SICK!!!

My husband & I have BC/BS through his employment, BUT I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO PAY WHATEVER IT TAKES IN TAXES, SO THAT ALL AMERICANS CAN HAVE WHAT I HAVE!!!

And by the way...NO MORE TAXES FOR BUSH'S WAR!!! That's ONE way to pay for all the "social problems" that "Doug" (posted 01:16 pm on 10/09/2007) is WHINING about!!!

WE THE PEOPLE DESERVE AND DEMAND UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE FOR ALL!!! END OF DISCUSSION!!! MAKE IT A DONE DEAL!!! DAMN IT!!!

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[Ammobob]

The 'real' property tax rate in Baltimore is 2.268 per $100 evaluation or 1.100 in the county.

The property tax on their $400,000+/- home is then $10,000 or $5000 per year depending on city or county. Their mortagage would be around $1800+/- a month.

And they earn $45,000 a year between both of them? Tax shelters anyone?

[Ammobob]

Or there parents 'gave' them the valuable house and they don't have a mortgage.

So being disingenuous about 'affording' health insurance really has to do with 'choices', doesn't it? What's more important to them?? Cell phones, flat screen TVs, Xbox, and a big car OR health insurance???????

[truthbtold]

Do more research. They bought the home in the early 90's for 60K

[mae692]

also, the house is assessed at 260K. That's what they're paying taxes on.

[TruEngineHearing]

Absolutely appalling behaviour on the part of the assholian GOP. Mark Twain would have called them "pukes" and he would have been right.

[Ammobob]

The Dems and HuffPo Whiners cannot 'justify' giving this family free healthcare by pointing out the private school is 'paid' for by someone else. The parents live in a fine home, drive a nice car, and own there own business with property in BALTIMORE! The 12 year old was trotted out by Dems in hopes he would NOT be criticized or in hopes HE would be criticized. Picking the WRONG fight over the WRONG issue with the WRONG players.

No clue, No substance, No chance.

[Kiernanne]

You might want to educate yourself re: what this family has had to deal with. Oh, and you might want to look at sources other than Michelle Malkin and Free Republic. I trust that being a reasonably intelligent person who knows how to use the google, you might be able to learn more about the Frost family and what they have been through on your own initiative.

[only1Demvoter]

boob : Liar !! And then to the ' likes ' of an apologist such as yourself... Displaying not one shred of human decency by parroting your Reichwing rhetoric talking point spew. Deflect and project your ' strawman ', Mr. " WRONG " !!

It is my pleasure to watch you spin and twist, apologist ! Rave on schmuck... -ralph

[Clearvoice]

"No clue, No substance, No chance."

You've just capsulized what you've done to our party. I'd rather see us in and out of the White House and Congress for 16 years than have a 7 year majority and never be heard from again, because of idiot lickspittle like you.

Shut your mouth, a-hole.

[LorettaSingbiel]

How much does YOUR Health Care cost YOU, Ammobob? And what percentage of YOUR income would that be?

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[mae692]

get a clue.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.frosts10oct10,0,4459992.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout

[frybread]

We can see where Bill O'Reilly gets his methods from -- the right-wing bloggers will harass a family at home.

[waynesmyer]

BUT! BUT! "I thought the GOP (Grand Old Pedophiles) loved the lttle children??"
Why are they picking on a 12-year-old?
"I have asked Blackwater not to shoot anymore little children, we need all we can get" F-Thee Cheney, your beloved "vice" War Presinator
GOD AND THE GOP LOVE THE LITTLE CHILDREN!

[only1Demvoter]

waynesmyer : His parents won't let him post on MySpace or Facebook ?? ( So... The GOPpers can't get to him ?? ). -ralph

[bdl0715]

You see, Socialism and welfare are fine, as long as it all goes to the very wealthy. Socialized medicine given to Welfare like tax breaks for off shore companies is fine. Programs like farm subsidies that goes to millionaire hobby farmers is fine, but DON'T EVER talk about giving welfare or socialized medicine to someone that actually needs it. Then it is evil. I think the argument is, Don't offer government subsidized health care to people because they will take it over private insurance because it is better, but then again, we keep hearing how bad socialized medicine is in Europe. Which is it? You can't have it both ways.

[Doug]

So need should dictate action even at the expense of personal liberties?

[Kiernanne]

What does this mean?

[JohnJames]

No liberties need be sacrificed. You conservatives need to get out more. Pay a visit to any other advanced country. By the way, there seems to be no crush of Canadians trying to cross our borders illegally. Anyway, "personal liberty" doesn't mean cr@p if you've been injured working at a low paying job and can't afford a doctor.

[JohnJames]

Those poor Canadians shackled and bound in their socialist hell-hole. It's no wonder millions are trying to cross our northern border.

[JohnJames]

So where's the Congressional Republican support for ending their tax-supported health care and making them pay for it themselves?

[Doug]

They are employed by the government.

[JohnJames]

I know. So? They can't exempt themselves from the health care benefit? They should. Government health care is socialism, remember?

[TakeBackAmerica]

What's your point? They're employed with the government doesn't mean crap.

[pa104inf]

Unless I am wrong, the problem comes down to the following summation: the poor already are covered by MEDICAID so they don't have a problem, the rich can afford there own insurance so they don't have a problem, and the elderly are either covered by MEDICARE or MEDICAID depending on there income level so they don't have a problem. The problem appears to be with the middle-class obtaining proper healthcare for a reasonable amount. I hope I summarized the problem correctly. Let's work from that point on. First, whatever we need to do, we should not allow illegals to receive anymore then life-saving healthcare. If not, they will break the bank in no time and the taxpayers will not be able to afford government-funded healthcare. Next, using examples from other countries including the recent example in England where the National Health Service had to apologize to a family for less then stellar medical service we find that other countries have serious problem with national healthcare. I do not believe we should to England, or Canada for examples of healthcare models. I believe the answer is to look to Australia for healthcare. They use a model with combines both government provided healthcare and private healthcare. Individuals move back and forth between government provided healthcare and private insurance based on who offers the best services at the lowest prices.

Steorn, the solution to Global warming can be found at http://www.steorn.com

[cynic]

Dearest Pa104Inf,

Beware the illegals!
Beware the little brown men from south of the border!
They're coming to destroy us! The little brown men and women are coming here and breeding like animals! They will take over our culture! They will outnumber us! Protect what's good, right and WHITE!

Your racist subtlty couched in your nuanced, seemingly balanced argument is obnoxious.


Who pays for your health insurance???

[pa104inf]

It has nothing to do with racism, so stop accussing me of that. What it has to do with, is that if you offer welfare and free healthcare to everybody who can get across the border, you will have half the world here tomorrow. I want to know how you think we will pay for all these new citizens? Your taxes will be 110% of everything you make. You consider enforceing the law a form of racism do you? Strange, Mexico who would like us to have no border control enforces its own border with an iron fist? Are they Racist? Answer me that question?

Steorn the solution to Global Warming can be found at http://www.steorn.com

[TakeBackAmerica]

Umm - you are WRONG. Your first sentence falls apart - so does your second and third sentence. All of it false.

SCHIP is not socialized medicine. It is government-paid health insurance, but most states use the money to buy coverage from private insurance companies. And though SCHIP was originally limited to children from families under 200 percent of the poverty line - about $41,000 a year for a family of four - times have changed. More employers have dropped medical coverage for their employees, leaving many middle-income families out in the cold, particularly in high-cost areas such as Long Island, where yearly incomes well above $41,000 just won't stretch to cover the $12,000-plus yearly cost of private insurance.

I realize it's easy to always blame the victim when you see the world from the right, but that view leaves out the facts. Affordable and comprehensive health insurance in this country is becoming more and more a luxury, not a necessity or a right. If you're going to make an argument, you have to get the facts from someone other than Rush/Hannity/O'Liely.

[Overd0g]

It is interesting that a couple can have children without end, and the supposedly "moral" position is to endless subsidize their reproduction, which they clearly could not afford to support. Someone else's lack of using a rubber does not obligate you or I to giving them money.