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

[Nyla785]

Republicans will stomp on ANYONE who gets in their way--they've proven that over and over.

[Doug]

No one is immune to criticism. Stop USING emotional ploys to influence public opinion. If democrats have a reasonable argument I suggest they make one.

[Truss]

Republicans are the masters of emotional ploys. For example, they've destroyed the hospice care movement in Florida with their insane tactics during the Terry Schiavo case. Swiftboat their *ss ... that is all the republican thug party knows how to do.

[cynic]

Dearest Doug,

The Democratic argument is reasonable. They had the pitch made by a recipient of SCHIP to better illustrate that the program is effective, it is worthwhile, and it works for the working class.

The freepers are the ones who stooped to using incomplete information presented as hard facts, the freepers are the ones who have preyed on your emotions trying to trigger your outrage.

It's too bad you're too stupid to understand any of this.

[TakeBackAmerica]

Doug - you have got to be kidding. The Republinazi smear machine and propaganda machine milk emotional ploys for all their worth - it's the Rovian playbook. Gay marriage (gays are going to DESTROY marriage), using soldiers as props - very emotional, pictures of aborted fetuses, manipulating people's fear about terrorism. Last I checked, fear is an emotion. So stop your crying and your bullshit. The rightwing is the most emotionally manipulative political movement in history.

[serialcoma]

"emotional ploys"? bwahahahah­ahahahahah­aha!

As if your cowardly preznitwit and fake repub heroes don't play the 9/11, fear, mushroom cloud ploy every chance they get to further their corporate whore agenda with insipid morons such as you and your troll pals... if repbups do it it's ok, if dems do it it's wrong...

repubs are the enemy.

[Kiernanne]

Methinks Doug wouldn't recognize a reasonable argument if it bit him firmly in his nether quarters.

[THEUNHEARDVOICE]

NAZI PARTY

[Doug]

Irony.

[MissingAmerica]

Most of us know that this program extends to Middle Americans who are working hard to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Checked out premiums lately? Who better to talk about the impact of this insurance nightmare than our children who are most affected? How many of these Conservatives, especially those in Congress and the high paying jobs, have insurance on their families? All! To come down on the children for speaking out is giving our children an idea that the government in this country no longer cares about its citizens; sadly, it appears they are right.

[Doug]

When emotion dictates action, we know all hope is lost.

The product of this mentality:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2007/10/08/chimps_choose_more_rationally_than_humans/8872/

[serialcoma]

Exactly - repubs are hopeless.

[Kiernanne]

There are diagnostic labels for people who are incapable of allowing compassion for children to shape their reasoning. And Charles Dickens masterfully described these people in his novels.

[Overd0g]

"Caring" is a psychological process in a human being. A government cannot "care".

[Doug]

You currently owe over $500,000 toward the $59.1 TRILLION nation debt. (85% of that debt is from medicare and social security)

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070529/1a_lede29.art.htm

If you make $40,000 a year, you will need to give HALF of your paycheck to the government for the next 25 years to cover the CURRENT costs of social programs.

The idea that these programs need to expanded coincides with the rationale that a 12 year old should has absolute moral authority. It is a total lack of reasoning to make decisions based on feelings.

[paixa3]

Who in the hell would believe a newspaper written for 4th graders?

[Doug]

Discrediting instead of arguing facts? Isn't that the liberal way? (rhetorical question)

[cynic]

Dearest Doug,

Who pays for your heath insurance? Your Mommy?

[Doug]

I do.

[cynic]

Dearest Doug,

If you're so worried about the national debt, why do you support the republican party? The deficits under the current administration have been the biggest offenders increasing the debt ever. Republican president and republican Congress together have engaged in such profligate spending that even your attempts at facts are underestimated.

If you want to reduce the national debt, vote Democratic

[Doug]

I didn't say that I support the republican party. They are just as bad as the democrats. Bush has increased social programs.

[Doug]

You currently owe over $500,000 toward the $59.1 TRILLION nation debt. (85% of that debt is from medicare and social security)

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070529/1a_lede29.art.htm

If you make $40,000 a year, you will need to give HALF of your paycheck to the government for the next 25 years to cover the CURRENT costs of social programs.

The idea that these programs need to expanded coincides with the rationale that a 12 year old should has absolute moral authority. It is a total lack of reasoning to make decisions based on feelings.

[rabun666]

It's socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor and the Republicans want to keep it a secret so they accuse other of doing what they do with a load of b.s. to go along with it.

[Rumplestiltskin]

Capitalism for the over 30% of lower earners that pay no income tax, and some that receive the Earned Income Tax Credit? How so?

[cynic]

Dearest Rumpleforeskin,

How DARE those lower earners pay no income tax!!! However they do pay a 15% payroll tax. Why is it that wage earners pay minimum 15% payroll tax on every dollar they earn through their hard work, while the rich investment class pay no payroll tax on investment earnings?

Are the rich more deserving of tax savings than the working class?

[Doug]

Ummm..... it isn't just the republicans.

[getoffmedz]

Doug - your comments are completely irrational and illogical. Go back to bed, sleep it off, whatever.

[Doug]

Why do liberals think that some people are immune to criticism?

Children, minorities, parents of dead soldiers, relatives of 9/11 victims, the handicapped, etc. None of these people have absolute moral authority. They are not correct simply because they feel as if they are at a disadvantage or have experienced an unusual or difficult event.

The sympathy factor is pathetic. Emotion should not dictate action. Reason should. These cheap attempts at support via sympathy should never be tolerated.

[getoffmedz]

Doug - so using your concept of an obviously abused child "Emotion should not dictate action. Reason should." the U.S, should have never invaded Afghanistan or Iraq over 9/11? Both entirely emotional responses since the PEOPLE of neither country were responsible for 9/11.

Calling others a "moron" make you look silly. But it does make you a hypocrite.

[Doug]

Switching subjects because you have no argument?

[cynic]

Dearest Doug,

No matter how stupid and ignorant your posts, I promise I won't have any sympathy for you.

[Doug]

I don't want any sympathy from you. I will not put my well being or my family's in your hands.

[lookingAhead]

It appears the right is more upset because the Dems pulled something out of the Rove bag. Grow up repugs you are so last year. Can't wait till your party becomes a comma.

[getoffmedz]

The family qualified for aid under the laws of their state. If your child requires care and you need help, and you LEGALLY qualify for assistance, you can receive that assistance. It's really that simple.

For Conservatives to attack the child and harass the family for entirely legal behavior is criminal. This is exactly the effect the Malkin's, Limbaugh's and Hannity's of our country have wrought. And in truth this is merely another clear cut instance of crimes against a child.

[williamina]

yeah, put a twelve year old up there, have him tell us how it is and then scream like 4 yr olds after a little fact checking. combined that is bringing the political clout of of a 16 yr old.

maroonbats

[BronxBorn]

1) Graeme has a scholarship to a private school. The school costs $15K a year, but the family only pays $500 a year.

2) His sister Gemma attends another private school to help her with the brain injuries that occurred due to her accident. The school costs $23,000 a year, but the state pays the entire cost.

3) They bought their “lavish house” sixteen years ago for $55,000 at a time when the neighborhood was less than safe.

4) Last year, the Frost’s made $45,000 combined. Over the past few years they have made no more than $50,000 combined.

5) The state of Maryland has found them eligible to participate in the CHIP program.

[Doug]

The kid does not have absolute moral authority. It's disgusting that a child is being used in such a manner.

[cynic]

Dearest Williamina,

a little fact checking..­.

It's too bad that "a little fact checking" suffices as instigation of your self-righteous indignation. If your colleagues at freeperland, etc would have done some basic research before engaging in abusive harassment and done more than "a little fact checking" then you wouldn't be shrieking about the sacrilege of using a 12- year old recipient of SCHIP dollars to illustrate its effectiveness.

Moonbats???
You nothing but a dried up old bat. If you're not careful your hatred will overwhelm you and cause you irrepairable harm.

[cynic]

It figures that a hate-filled freeper, determined to keep his off-balanced view of the world intact, would attack a 12 year old boy and his self-employed, small business carpenter father.
Why is it that freepers will attack so viciously with half-baked "truth"? Becasue they're pathalogically selfish little bastards - that's why.

Oh, and they're just plain stupid cowards too.

[rwe]

It figures that the Dems would whore a 12 year old. How many Hundreds of thousands in their investments but not in HEALTCARE? How much did the dems pay the Frosts, How come the Frosts have not come forward to stand up for their twelve year old ? And How come the Dems could not come up with a legitimate example to make their point in this bad legislation anyway. In spite of the libdumb nations lies , socialist medicine IS NOT working in Europe. See how ling it takes to get an appointment or if you doubt ask Mike Moore to take you to Cuba.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Another neo-con idiot who misses the point. By the way Socialized medicine in Europe has not failed. In fact you look at the systems in place in countries like Finland and Sweden where they play $20 Euros to deliver a baby. Before you come back with your idiotic Rush rant about their taxes being sky high, my brother-in-law pays 26% in taxes and gets free medical care. My taxes and medical insurance amount to 23% - 24%, and I have to go broke if I were to get some life threatening illness like cancer. Human beings fall sick, it is a fact of life. No one wants to be sick but it happens. As much as you want to blame people for their bad lifestyle or lack of care for their bodies there are plenty of cases out there where people with good eating habits and who excercise regularly also get sick.

[Rand]

As opposed to the CT Cowboy posing with "snowflake babies" to deny stem cell research? Or his CONSTANT whoring of US service men & women?

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

I have a lot of friends from Great Britain, and several from Canada. In fact I have one friend, who is nearing retirement age, telling me he is returning to England within the next five years. He worries about health care costs over here. I have never heard even ONE of them complain about their medical care in their countries. What I HAVE heard them say is that they are very, very grateful, given what they have seen over here, that their government does provide health care.

[helonias]

Conservative bloggers who uncovered some details of the Republican Senators family's finances are blasting the family, calling the fact that they rely on federal insurance an example of how the Federal Health Insurance Program has expanded beyond its original intent.

[helonias]

So why does no repub or any one else want to address the fact that health insurance in socialist (christian) Europe costs about $100 a month and here its costs 4 to 5 times that. And in Europe there are not pre existing conditions.

Where would Jesus live?

[dawlishgal]

Healthcare is a basic human right, no matter how much money people have. No Republikker EVER complains about throwing taxpayer money at the military-industrial complex, i.e. OUR paying for arms for countries that can and do provide healthcare for all of THEIR citizens, as long as they BUY them from US arms manufacturers. None of them EVER call this "socialized armaments.­"

If parents are irresponsible, is that reason to deny their children healthcare? Typical Republikker thinking..­.spend hundreds of billions--perhaps trillions on a war in which over a half-million civilians get killed for no good reason, but worry about overpaying for healthcare for children.

I just finished the biography "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. She tells how her mother took a 2 carat diamond ring that her children found and WORE IT, while--at the same time there was almost no roof over her children's heads and no food in the house but popcorn. And, it was discovered later that this mother owned land worth perhaps a million bucks that, if sold, could have prevented the deprivation of these children. The father was an alcholic who raided his children's piggy banks.

According to Republikker (what passes for) "ethics," these children are not "deserving" of care.

After the sliming of the McCain child, I didn't think there was anything that could make me loathe Republikkers and their bogus religious base any more than I already did, but I WAS WRONG!

[Rumplestiltskin]

So, healthcare is a "basic human right". I guess that means taxpayers are responsible for multiple liver transplants for alcoholics? You don't believe in any personal responsibility for your own health?
Or will there be rules enforcing some government policy criteria on who gets what kind of health care?
In which case in some cases it will no longer be a "right".

[cynic]

Unlike the "right" of shrubbie's buddies to glom onto all the Federal tax dollar cash they can get their greedy little paws on. What DID happen to the $8Billion in CASH that was shipped to Iraq?

[MyLadyMacbeth]

they are just angry the kid blocked Mark Foley's e-mail addresss and worst than thet the kid has a narrow stance.

[only1Demvoter]

Macbeth : They're just angry because they're WRONG, do NOT like being called on it, do NOT have a leg to stand on ( NO reasonable agrument ), and they're in the worst possible position on their ' stance ' ( LOFL ) on Children's Healthcare !!

( Add : Their choice of ' Scapegoat ', young Mr. Frost, could NOT have worked out worse for the Rethugs... As the boy and his family REALLY need the assistance, and their Coulteresque hate spew Spin is blowing up in their faces !! ).

Man... Watchin' these despots go down in flames is painful. But... Nothing but the BEST for my dog !! More to follow. -ralph

[DELICIOUS]

WOW! COLOR ME SURPRISED. THEY HAVE ALREADY ATTACKED JESUS CHRIST ON HIS VIEWS OF LOVING ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU SO WHY SHOULD THIS SURPRISE ANYONE? THE REPUKLICANTS HATE JUSTICE, POOR PEOPLE, HONEST PEOPLE, COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE...R­EMINDS ONE SO MUCH OF THE THIRD REICH ON IT'S MARCH TO DESTROY THE JEWS AND HALF OF EUROPE!