A Message to Republicans Who Voted Against the Children's Health Bill

My name is Paul Simon.

I earn my living by writing and singing songs. It's a very old and low-tech profession that feels increasingly age-appropriate. I am honored to have the opportunity to express my opinions concerning SCHIP.

I am the father of four healthy children, knock on wood, but if they get sick or need medical attention I don't knock on wood; I take them to a doctor whose care and attention I am, fortunately, able to afford. Millions of American children do not receive the same medical care. They are uninsured.

Twenty years ago, I co-founded The Children's Health Fund with Dr. Irwin Redlener. Our organization provides mobile medical units with doctors and staff to serve the pediatric needs of poor communities across the United States. In the twenty years since we began, we have grown incrementally, but as of last year we had recorded over 1.2 million doctor/patient visits.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated a large portion of Southern Florida. Our medical units were there to help. When Hurricane Katrina lashed the Gulf Coast with an almost Biblical force, The Children's Health Fund had units working in those communities within a week. There was very little outside help -- no FEMA, no Red Cross.

But there were scores of mini-vans and trailers loaded with food and supplies from hundreds of churches around the country. I watched with wonder and admiration as the church people opened their hearts and got to work helping people on the Gulf Coast whose lives has been destroyed. They did not debate whether they could find a compromise or alternative way of helping. They opened their hearts and started to repair a dire emergency.

The president's veto of the re-authorization of SCHIP was a heartless act.

Thanks to groups like Families USA and the Children's Health Fund, Congress is getting closer and closer to overriding the President's veto -- and children of hard working American families are getting closer to receiving affordable health care through SCHIP.

I am asking those of you who supported the veto to reexamine your conscience, to find compassion in your heart for our most vulnerable and sweetest citizens -- our children. I am asking you to change your vote. If you do, I believe it will be one of the proudest days of your life.

Thank you,

Paul Simon

To learn more about this issue and to take action, please visit www.familiesusa.org

Comments

[TheIndependenceParty]

Having worked nearly four decades in hospitals across the country, I recall in nearly each one, plaques and monuments marking gifts of care "in perpitutity", beds donated to the care of fellow citizens, and grants of land from the communities they were built to serve.

When not-for-profit hospitals are sold to for-profit chains, ... is the community reimbursed their "share" of the assets, ... for the ground beneath the hospital which was a gift, for the bequests of beds for the care of the indigent? I've not heard of a single instance where that was so! This has constituted a tremendous transfer of public wealth to private asset, ... and our government, wedded to a philosophy that free markets solve every need, has acquiesced in every instance!

At the heart of the "malpractice crisis" is the loss of heart in delivery of healthcare. When the face of care went from the family physician and house calls, to a faceless inaccessible group of strangers, ... the system began to break down irreparably.

Hill-Burton has never worked, and the pretence that hospitals willingly offer charitable care is a farce! The only solution is to provide care to all citizens as a right of citizenship, and to begin by covering the children.

[crossja]

Many of these health care professionals are struggling to profit and stay in business because of the free health care that they are required to provide for those living at the poverty level. This unrealistic expectation to provide free care is the problem, for it has jacked up the cost of health care.

Where, precisely do you think the money is going to come from?

[maddogbitesback]

Where precisely does the money come from now and who benefits from it. Crossya - ya have to check the facts. Do you think ALL of the developed world is to stupid to add two and two and so have decided to have universal tax funded health care? And are their doctors hammering at the door to enter the United States?

[Ono4Hoopono]

Well said, Paul...When you put it in the form of a request, it certainly has a different impact.

It places responsibility for the answer squarely on the shoulders of the person or party being asked, and does not allow them to hide behind partisan rhetoric.

If they say no, and they have any kind of conscience, they will know they are directly responsible for the suffering that follows.

The Republicans have desperately wanted to make a show of power, as though it were more important than policy itself. They have made it. We need them to stop the war, we need them to pass S-CHIP, we need them to protect the Constitution, and to solve the many other problems we face.

It's time to settle down and work together, and a request is a good place to start. Thanks.

[TucsonEd]

Since the Republicans have a problem with the COST to taxpayers of insuring children that are not thiers the only solution is to put in place regulations and caps on the amount of profit that hospitals, doctors and drug companies can make thereby we make sure EVERYBODY can afford health care and medication!

[lisakaz]

Cap profits?! How un-free market of you. You KNOW that'll never happen and yet it is the reason healthcare costs less in other parts of the world.

[starboymikey]

Funny, but I've never once heard our Reps gripe about congressional "entitlements." Congressmen and senators get the best medical coverage available, more or less for life, and massive pensions, all at the public expense. Plus they vote themselves fat raises every year. What other employees, public or private get to do that?

And yet they yammer about giving health insurance to children whose familes would lose their homes if they had to purchase insurance at market rates. This they call an entitlement, as if it is somehow tainted by the family's unwillingness to work hard enough. This from a bunch that works three day weeks and takes three month vacations.

This crew makes more than enough to buy its own insurance instead of making us pay for their "entitlements."

[lisakaz]

Yep. You phrase it so well, too. I can't take these heartless sob's seriously unless or until they surrender their own "entitlements."

[NickOhio]

It is appalling that a country of our stature has to fight to secure health care for our citizens, much less our children.

With so much being made of religion in this country, it is hypocritical to actually be against offering health care to everyone. We are incredibly wealthy and have more millionaires than just about any other country.

With so much wealth, the conservatives want us to have everyone pay their way. I suppose it's the greed and avarice that has taken over the minds of some/many of the wealthy and those who desire pure capitalism.

How can we not support those who cannot support themselves?

How can we not think of the health of our own citizens as being representative of our own morality?

How can we allow our country to fade into oblivion due to the greed and avarice feeding upon itself?

Without the necessary morality, social and economic checks that would provide us with a stable future, we will have a very bumpy road ahead. One of the first steps to a smooth path is in providing full health care for our children. The S-CHIP bill needs to be upheld as it stands and the veto overridden.

[lulu]

If we could only find that 9 BILLION dollars that was conveniently "lost" when sent to Iraq, we could cover these children's medical expenses. Try checking under the rug at Halliburton or Blackwater.

[javagirl322]

Lulu, this administration already knows where the 9Billion dollars are. Do not believe for one second that they don't!!!

[lisakaz]

Probably a slush fund for expenses in case Congress "grows a pair" and cuts off money for their "war."

[soulrebeljc]

Nice sentiments. However, Mr. Simon should be supporting Dennis Kucinich, not Obama and Dodd (as FundRace2008 indicates). Kucinich has the only healthcare plan that removes profit from the healthcare system. We don't need health insurance. We need health care. Universal, single-payer. Then we wouldn't have to have the debate on SCHIP at all. Healthcare for people, NOT profit. Support Kucinich and HR 676.
Jason Call
www.Call4Democracy.org
Albuquerque, NM

[Dandy12]

As one of my favorite people for the past 42 years, thank you Paul Simon for attacking the newest "Sounds of Silence" (or inaction where voices and actions are necessary).

Perhaps we need a new "Homeward Bound" for the War in Iraq.

Many of these politicians are supplying their own rope. Healthcare costs have been completely out of control during this administration.

[choirgirl]

right on paul. somehow, the repukes never worry about the budget when its for the war in iraq - but for children. fawgeddaboutit. and that $80,000 a year is a lie... and it would be for a family of 4. gimme a break. i'll meet you on the steps of the capitol if you sing anything... but mother and child - good choice. followed by slip slidin away.

[ModernHigh]

Well done Paul,
But you must remember that children do not vote.So this is an easy one for the Republicans to win.It's no surprise that we have not heard of the death count of the Iragi children. To the Republicans the S-SCHIP is a non-issue because they is no money to be made.Blackwater;1, S-schip; 0.

[thromulese]

The last thing king george wants is a bridge over the troubled waters of health care. Especially a bridge that would take money from his corporate, big pharma, big oil, corrupt minions.

In bush world an unborn child is valuable but once it enters this world it is on its own, and is expendable.

[vipersdad]

You are close thromulese....

"In bush world an unborn child is valuable but once it enters this world it is on its own, and is expendable."

They DO truly care about children....

As long as it can fight in little George's military, any child is welcome to die there.

[Bobzmcishl]

The comments from Republican's and their right wing friends in the media put an end to the compassionate conservative myth. There aren't any. They are looking under every rock for any damaging comments about the Frost family. It is the same old story revisted many times by Republican's starting with Reagan and his welfare queen driving a cadillac. For those of us around long enough, we heard the same baloney back in the 50's from conservative Republican's. Back then there were actually moderate Republican's but they seemed to have been stamped out and are extinct. The Democrats could have picked the most pristine family on earth to put a face on our health care problems and Limbaugh and Coulter (the odd couple) would have found something to dislike. That is their nature. It alway's has been and it always will be. But if the really wealthy need a tax break that's ok. And of course the born again's are nowhere to be found on this issue. They don't care about real children it seems, only the unborn. A sad commentary on America today. No wonder our friends in the world (what few remain) don't understand us.

[faust2001]

Far-Right idealogues only seem interested in "protecting the children" by regulating pregnancy, marriage, and TV and radio content. But the rest of us are "socialists."
And LRS, if we adopted a Canadian-style health care system, our seniors wouldn't have to go to Canada to buy their medications.
I visited Iceland and saw first-hand how "socialized" health care works. People were lying dead in the streets, abandoned, waiting in lines for food and shelter--oh, wait, that was post-Katrina New Orleans.
"Laugh about it, shout about it, when you got to choose.
Either way you look at it you lose."

[oldbutstillthekidd]

Reading these responses I feel that many of you would feed on your own young, most definitly someone elses. This society is and has been feeding on itself since it first started funding prisons and war ahead of education. Those were the good old days, compared to now. We fight made up wars on ficitious information, and are lead by puppets and with no mind and no heart ( no soul) We know not charity except when giving back to our selves. That is not charity. It is and always will be greed.
The shocking thing is many call yourselves christians, if Jesus were around today he would change his title.
Thank you, Mr Simon, you heart and words are charitable. To bad so many are un-educated and greedy. They only remember propaganda. If you hear a lie over and over and never seek the facts you are destened to assume that which is a lie to be truth.

[bronceye]

The insurance industry should be allowed to catalog everyone by their health histories and earnings potentials. They should then be allowed to bless or forbid marriages between people who may have sickly children or not be able to give the insurance co.'s enough money for health coverage. After all, the insurance co.'s have to shell out money when people get sick and die. Maybe they should be allowed to pool their resources and buy an island for the poor and infirm. Noone will know or care when those unworthy citizens die and profits would soar. We have to get rid of underachievers, ignoring them hasn't worked. It's about the money.

[PlanetKansas]

For the record, I support nationalized health insurance but the Republicans have one valid concern on how it will be paid for.

Our country can't continue adding benefits without increasing taxes, though I would be glad to do both. The national deficit, combined with the coming baby boomer retirements and their demands on SSI and Medicare are going to bankrupt the country in the next 20 years, and we can't rely on the Chinese and Saudi's to keep buying the bonds to pay for the debt. Furthermore, do we want pass our spending spree onto our children to pay for?

Our country is so disfunctional on so many levels but the Republican tax revolution has gone too far, and it's time we start paying our bills. England and Spain went through the same drunken debt spending before the collapse of their colonial empires. We are headed the same direction.

[democracydiva]

Single payor would eliminate the middle person i.e. insurance companies. That money would pay the bill for single payor plus a small raise in payroll tax. Then there would be loads of savings like bulk purchasing of medications. Ultimately, there would be big savings. Read a single payor bill and see for yourself. There's one in CA called SB 840 - do a google search.

[Meah]

I do not care if taxes have to be raised. I often wonder if those who do are the greediest amongst us. The wealthiest of our citizens have made NO sacrifices; they only get their tax cuts. CHANGE the Tax Cuts then; do not raise taxes. Just give a damn about our children. Our country shows itself to be the selfish place it has become. There needs to be some decency that we can espouse. Instead of giving our millions to a war that nobody wants, cover our children's insurance to those who cannot afford huge expenses expecially for catastrophic situations that can otherwise cause a family to loose everything.

[Peabodies]

Ah yes, Social security is going to bankrupt the country! NO!!! Back when we had real demographers, in the early 1980s, they foresaw the "rabbit in the snake" bulge that the baby boomers were going to be, and adjusted the SS witholdings upwards, from 1983 onwards, so that the bulge could be successfully managed. Now the admin is using the money for wars and threatening to cheat the boomers of the SS they have financed over the years. Don't believe the propaganda. After the boomers bulge disappears, then would be the time to lower the SS witholdings from paychecks.
I know, because I'm a boomer myself.