Democrats enlisted 12-year-old Graeme Frost, who along with a younger sister relied on the program for treatment of severe brain injuries suffered in a car crash, to give the response to Bush's weekly radio address earlier this month, Republican opponents quickly accused them of exploiting the boy to score political points. See Daily News
Then, they wasted little time in going after him to score their own.
In recent days, Graeme and his family have been attacked by conservative bloggers and other critics of the Democrats' plan to expand the insurance program, known as SCHIP. They scrutinized the family's income and assets - even alleged the counters in their kitchen to be granite - and declared that they did not seem needy enough for government benefits.
The critics accused Graeme's father, Halsey, a self-employed woodworker, of choosing not to provide insurance for his family of six, even though he owned his own business. They pointed out that Graeme attended an expensive private school. And they asserted that the family's home had undergone extensive remodeling, and asserted that its market value could exceed $400,000.
One critic, in an e-mail message to Graeme's mother, Bonnie, warned: "Lie down with dogs, and expect to get fleas."
As it turns out, the Frosts say, Graeme attends the private school on scholarship. The business that the critics said Halsey Frost owned was dissolved in 1999. The family's home, in the modest Butchers Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, was purchased for $55,000 in 1990 and is now worth about $260,000, according to public records. And, for the record, the Frosts say, the kitchen counters are concrete.
The Frosts also own a commercial property, valued at about $160,000 that provides some rental income. Halsey Frost now works intermittently in woodworking and as a welder, while Bonnie Frost has a part-time administrative job at a firm that provides services to publishers of medical journals. Her job does not provide health coverage.
Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have risen to the Frosts' defense, saying the family earns about $45,000 a year and are precisely the type of working-poor Americans that the program was intended to help.
Pelosi on Tuesday said, "I think it's really a sad statement about how bankrupt some of these people are in their arguments against SCHIP that they would attack a 12-year-old boy."
The House and Senate approved legislation that would expand the child health program by $35 billion over five years. Bush, who proposed a more modest increase, vetoed the bill last week. Bush said the Democrats' plan was fiscally unsound; the Democrats say Bush is willing to spend billions on the Iraq war but not on health care for American children.
Then, they wasted little time in going after him to score their own.
In recent days, Graeme and his family have been attacked by conservative bloggers and other critics of the Democrats' plan to expand the insurance program, known as SCHIP. They scrutinized the family's income and assets - even alleged the counters in their kitchen to be granite - and declared that they did not seem needy enough for government benefits.
The critics accused Graeme's father, Halsey, a self-employed woodworker, of choosing not to provide insurance for his family of six, even though he owned his own business. They pointed out that Graeme attended an expensive private school. And they asserted that the family's home had undergone extensive remodeling, and asserted that its market value could exceed $400,000.
One critic, in an e-mail message to Graeme's mother, Bonnie, warned: "Lie down with dogs, and expect to get fleas."
As it turns out, the Frosts say, Graeme attends the private school on scholarship. The business that the critics said Halsey Frost owned was dissolved in 1999. The family's home, in the modest Butchers Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, was purchased for $55,000 in 1990 and is now worth about $260,000, according to public records. And, for the record, the Frosts say, the kitchen counters are concrete.
The Frosts also own a commercial property, valued at about $160,000 that provides some rental income. Halsey Frost now works intermittently in woodworking and as a welder, while Bonnie Frost has a part-time administrative job at a firm that provides services to publishers of medical journals. Her job does not provide health coverage.
Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have risen to the Frosts' defense, saying the family earns about $45,000 a year and are precisely the type of working-poor Americans that the program was intended to help.
Pelosi on Tuesday said, "I think it's really a sad statement about how bankrupt some of these people are in their arguments against SCHIP that they would attack a 12-year-old boy."
The House and Senate approved legislation that would expand the child health program by $35 billion over five years. Bush, who proposed a more modest increase, vetoed the bill last week. Bush said the Democrats' plan was fiscally unsound; the Democrats say Bush is willing to spend billions on the Iraq war but not on health care for American children.
13 comments:
This whole thing made me so angry, I swear my blood pressure rose a few point higher.
Is this how the Republican party wants to be portrayed? I've seen low before, but this is pretty much rock bottom. There's a special place in hell for people like Limbaugh and Malkin...or any of the rest of them who particpate in this.
The address and other personal information of this family was found to come from Mitch McConnel's office.
They go after this young boy, but spending billions on this war doesn't bother them in the least. Pathetic.
The Republican political machine is very powerful. They have fangs and aren't afraid to bite, that's for sure.
Those rightwing lowlifes keep sinking lower and lower. It's just insane that Bush would pinch pennies for health care while squandering billions in Iraq.
I haven't looked at any rightwing blogs for a few days (I'm trying to quit) but I'm sure they're having a field day with those children. To them, a working person who doesn't have enough money for a serious medical catastrophe is in the same category as a heroin-addicted panhandler who sits in the middle of the sidewalk. At the same time, the billions of tax dollars that go to Blackwater and Halliburton -- that's free enterprise.
I don't know. I think its sad that we have to use children in order to fight political battles. This shouldn't even be an issue. Its kids for godsake!
Mary Ellen these are the people we have had running this country and looking out for our best interest since 2000.
Anajo, they are not afraid to bite, regardless to whom it is that gets in their Presidents way.
Tom Harper, those rightwing blogs are working over time on this one.
phil_in_ny, I agree, but to actually give out this kids address and give death threats to him and his family is shameful and just wrong.
What IS it about these right-wingers? That they would even think to do such a thing in the first place is beyond me. And supposedly they've cornered the market on family values. Unbelievable. I had not heard about this until seeing your blog. Thanks for keeping us up to date!
Very well said FranIAm!
Candace, the reason families are not doing great at this time is because the conservatives have fooled a group of people into thinking they have the morals and actually care about the family.
Every time I read something or see news on this my blood pressure goes up, it's just disgusting. I only make about $45,000 a year and hardly get by and I'm single and live in a low cost of living area. Those people should use any government program available.
I agree with you 100% Parson!
That was "compassionate conservatism?"
It surely was Larry, at its best!
wow..this whole thing is so disturbing..and so low...I can't imagine what is next BBQ puppies..geez...heartbreaking that this poor family had to go through this....it should have been his proudest moment..
enigma4ever, this is just why Republicans no longer need to run this country or the bills that are approved to help the people in this country.
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