Posted on 10/17/2007 4:33:05 AM PDT by Kaslin
House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) blamed “hate radio” for demeaning children who were being used to lobby for an expansion of federally funded health insurance in a press conference late Tuesday morning.
In the run-up to a House vote to override President Bush’s veto of a $35 billion increase to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, children like the 12-year old Graeme Frost---who suffered brain injuries after a car accident-- have been pushed to the forefront of the debate.
Frost’s position as a so-called “poster child” for SCHIP became controversial when his family’s assets were investigated.
This reporter asked Pelosi “Is it appropriate for opponents of SCHIP expansion to openly question the circumstances that led some children to become spokespeople for that expansion?”
Pelosi replied that she “would not censor” critics and “I can’t control what they have to say,” but much of it was “beneath the integrity of the debate.”
She classified many of the “attacks that impugn children” as coming from “hate radio.”
Pelosi invited Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R.-Utah), also at the press conference to support SCHIP expansion, to address the question. Both declined.
At another point, Reid did offer that he believed opponents of SCHIP had “mischaracterized and misled” the public.”
The House is currently scheduled to have a vote to override the President’s SCHIP veto on Thursday. President Bush has agreed to expand the program by $5 billion, but Democrats are demanding a $35 billion increase.
When the vote occurs, two-year old Bethany Wilkerson, who experienced heart failure as an infant, is expected to watch members make their vote from a high perch in the visitors gallery that sits above House floor. Her family says she would not be alive without SCHIP.
The override is expected to fall 15 votes short and an intense lobbying effort is being conducted by groups like Americans United for Change, MoveOn.org, and Big Labor on Capitol Hill to change those 15 votes. These groups have aired radio ads in more than 20 Republican members’ home districts to help sway them. These groups also rallied behind Pelosi, Reid and Hatch at the Capitol Hill event.
Reid claimed on Tuesday that 69 Senators support expanding the program by $35 billion. This is two more than the 67 needed to override the veto in that chamber.
Jim Williams, president of the non-profit community based health agency Easter Seals, said more than 300 Easter Seals members and staff were present in Washington to lobby Congress for the expansion. There are also cross-country candlelight vigils being held Tuesday evening for the cause.
Celebrity musician Paul Simon, who co-founded the Children Health Fund, also spoke at the event. He implored critics of SCHIP expansion to “reexamine their conscience and find compassion in your hearts.”
Paul’s co-founder Dr. Irwin Redlener described their organization as a “publicly-funded private health care solution” during the question and answer period of the press conference and said the lack of children’s health coverage in the United States was “a major problem with no other parallel on this Earth.”
Redlener said it was being beaten back “with disparaging or mindless slogans about socializing healthcare.”
He remarked, “If I were Emperor, this bill would be $55 billion, not $35 billion.”
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
If the ‘Rats are going to trot out children to advocate positions, as if their cuteness proves something, then the ‘Pubbies have every right and responsibility to ask what exactly the cute child proves. The circumstances of the child then become the legitimate focus of the question.
If the ‘Rats want to avoid this problem, they should stop hiding behind children and make their arguments honestly.
The Republicans have done a masterful job blunting the ‘Rat’s latest Cuteness Offensive. I predict SCHIP will go down to a well deserved defeat as a result. Hopefully they will know how to respond the next time the ‘Rats pull this trick.
Isn’t it humorous to see the RATS throw a tantrum when they don’t get their way.
If the republicans had a spine, they would take them to the woodshed.
Oh the humanity, if the American public didn’t have talk radio, they would be stupid enough to swallow Nancy’s malarkey.
Its Pelosi and company that exploit children to promote their political agenda like they did in this case.
They drug the children into the SCHIP.
Sadly. my Republican congressman, Todd Platts (R-PA), is voting to override tomorrow.
He’s been on local radio (WHP Harrisburg) this morning trying to justify it with talk of the override being on a “compromise bill.”
The local host, R.J. Harris, asked isn’t it about time we have people take care of themselves and stop all this wasteful spending in Washington.
“... demeaning children who were being used to lobby ....”
now, exactly who is using them?
So why do you need the expansion, Mrs. Wilkerson?
Ann Coulter showed us the way on this. Her counter-attacks on the Jersey Girls exposed, once and for all, the successful Democrat strategy of using untouchable attack dogs. Now people see this technique for what it is. Now they know how to recognize it, and the ‘Pubbies can counter it.
We all owe Ann a debt of gratitude for this one.
I’d like to personally thank her ....
Pelosi would know about “hate”.
No one is more hateful than the Dhim O Rats.
I just love her sabotaging Turkish American relations at a critical time.
None dare call it treason.
Liars, thieves, traitors. Suicide bombers. That’s our Dhims.
(crack, pop, static)I(beat, crackle)hate(static, pop, crackle)Nancy.
I wish these groups would go jump off a cliff. MoveOn.org is just a $0R0$ front. He should be in prison as is norman H$U.
I haqd been thinking that we were a middle class, single income family. It took this bunch of idiots to let me know I am poor, since I don't make over $80,000 a year and also learned my daughter (who is getting ready to graduate college) is still a CHILD and getting her own job which will have health insurance.
How stupid I've been all these years. I should have listened and voted for the RATs. It's easier than working for a living. < /sarcasm>
Pelosi and Reid: Rats on a sinking SCHIP.
Easter SealsPaul SimonChildren's Health Fund
Any charity that tries to lay their hands on my money through confiscated taxes loses any right to ask me for a voluntary donation later.
That's a typical mindset of today's Imprial Liberal. "We Have A Devine Right To Rule Over You."
Kids are already covered by SCHIP Madame Speaker. I’m against covering adults up to age 25.
I heard Rush yesterday spotlighting one of the kids and their family story that the democrats were using and the kid was ALREADY COVERED.
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