The Right's Revealingly Cruel Treatment of the Frost Family (Free Republic Mentioned)

The New Republic ^ | Friday, October 12, 2007 | E. J. Dionne

[kristinn]

Conservatives claim to be in favor of stable families, small businesses, hard work, private schools, investment and homeownership.

So why in the world are so many on the right attacking the family of Graeme Frost?

SNIP

The kids were treated, thanks to S-CHIP. The Frosts spoke out so the public would know that real people lie behind the acronym.

Their reward was to be trashed on right-wing blogs and talk radio as if they were multimillionaires ripping off the system. The assault on the Frosts apparently began on the Free Republic website and quickly spread to National Review Online, Power Line, and Michelle Malkin's blog, as well as Rush Limbaugh's radio show.

SNIP

OK, the Democrats are "fair game," but a 12-year-old? No wonder nobody talks about compassionate conservatism anymore.

As a general rule, I am a fan of the blogosphere. It has broadened the public debate and brought new people into politics. And nasty stuff is by no means limited to the right-wing blogs. Left-of-center blogs whose political views I largely share have published offensive stuff, too. Shaun Mullen, who blogs at The Moderate Voice--yes, there are moderate blogs--is right to generalize when he says that the targeting of the Frost family reveals "the vicious underbelly of the blogosphere."

So rather than just condemn the right-wingers as meanies, let's take their claims seriously. Doing so makes clear that they are engaged in a truly perverse and incoherent form of class warfare.

SNIP

But here is a family with modest possessions doing everything conservatives tell people they should do, and the right trashes them for getting help to buy health insurance for their children.

[Suzy Quzy]

The Frosts didn’t BUY a $450,000 house....that’s what it’s WORTH now.....WITH a Carriage House...plus they have a warehouse they rent out.

[Suzy Quzy]

Just like the Dems send out the weakest, i.e. a brain damaged 12 year old child to rebut the President of the UNITED STATES, the left also sends out old women like EJ Dionne to tell the lies.

[lakeman]

Family of five for me $255 x 12 = $3060

Heck maybe I shoud get on the public tit.

[wagglebee]

All of the polling shows that he is going to lose big in Iowa and New Hampshire, it is almost unheard of for someone to get the nomination with out winning either of those early primary races.

And are you really so obtuse as to think the country would be better with Rooty Toot in the office than with an actual conservative? Did you support Anderson or Bush over Reagan back in 1980, do you think America has fared better under the two Bush presidencies than it did under Reagan? Do you actually understand what conservatism is or is the “R” after a person’s name all that matters?

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I was just passing along what I’d read yesterday on another thread. If it was indeed a Saturday, it’s very doubtful that they were on their way to school. More and more facts are coming out, day by day. Yesterday, I tried to find the accident report, but had no luck.

[Froufrou]

OK, the Democrats are "fair game," but a 12-year-old? No wonder nobody talks about compassionate conservatism anymore.

Again, the implication that FReepers 'take shots' at children and have no compassion! Where's the quote, Dionne? If you know so much about blogging, where's your supporting documentation, your research?

But here is a family with modest possessions doing everything conservatives tell people they should do, and the right trashes them for getting help to buy health insurance for their children.

Modest?! Half a million in real estate is not what I call modest. I daresay many FReepers would agree.

I am on record: I never trashed anyone. It is the system that is flawed and I am convinced that expanding it would only make matters worse.

There needs to be an asset limit, plain and simple.

[Suzy Quzy]

Not ONE person has trashed the brain damaged 12 year old.....the left is so DECEPTIVE.

[Froufrou]

I don’t think anyone has trashed the parents, either. The didn’t write the waiver that allowed them free medical care for him.

[Froufrou]

The = They

[BookmanTheJanitor]

http://dadahead.blogspot.com/2005/03/i-challenge-noah-mccullough-to-fight.html

I wonder what E.J.’s take is on the this type of behavior (above link)

[SeaHawkFan]

If Clinton was president, the Frost Ffamily supported the GOP position, and their reall assets became known; the IRS would have already opened up an investigation for tax fraud.

[wjcsux]

They don’t. The Baltimore Sun claims the Frost’s declined their request to see their 2006 tax return. However, a spokesman for the Maryland office that runs the health insurance program assured the media the Frost’s are quaified.
I'll bet that $45k is their taxable income from 2006. Thee Frost's are self-employed. Owning your own business gives you a lot of tax breaks. I admire people who are small business owners. However, it appears that these people made the choice to increase their net worth rather than purchase health insurance for their family.

[ANGGAPO]

It is obvious that the Frosts were used by the Donks as an example of a GOOD child health care program. They just didn’t check the background story well enough. For the politically inept Donks it was a big mistake, and they will get trashed over it. The Frosts are collateral damage.

[ccmay]

In ‘Liberalworld’ any time you point out hypocrisy, misrepresentations, and flat out lying by leftwingers, you are accused of ‘being mean’.

Actually, the entire term of art is 'mean-spirited.' Everything you say can be 100% carved-in-stone true, but if you say it without an approved liberal tincture of tender feelings and motivations and intentions, it's 'mean-spirited.'

But even that term is three years out of date. Nowadays, when you tell the truth about lefties, it's called 'swiftboating.'

-ccm

[ANGGAPO]

And I bet that the IRS is bird dogging that right now.

[Badeye]

Good point.

[goodnesswins]

Another....PHONY JOURNALIST

[Hi Heels]

"for getting help to buy health insurance for their children."

For paying for PRIVATE SCHOOL INSTEAD OF health insurance. Why the hell should we help them pay for health insurance? Pay your own way, folks. And prioritize for your kids. Health, Education, your own wants and needs. In that order.

[festus]

I did some research. Back in ‘03 Bush was trying to get dividend tax removed to avoid the specific double taxation issue you address.

I was under the impression that passed. It seems he only got it cut to 15% instead.

Still a good incentive to move the income off to dividends and make it unearned as you also avoid all FICA taxes on the dividend portions.

[Betty Jane]

If politics was a football game they’d put a woman in at quarterback and go berserk when she was tackled before she crossed the goal line. Mean old defense.

Hillary is the quarterback. Look what happened to Lazio when he tried to hand her aletter during a debate. Big Bully, invaded the little girl's space. How dare he threaten her by walking towards her.