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From DU, as mentioned in my post #199, and as per your request in your post #200:

"Republican Grinches Steal Christmas From Disabled Kids"

This thread will retire to Health/Education/Social Policy

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davsand (779 posts)

Dec-19-01, 11:29 PM (ET)

"Republican Grinches Steal Christmas From Disabled Kids"

LAST EDITED ON Dec-20-01 AT 00:09 AM (ET)

Reprieve Can't Aid Regional Program

By KATE CLEMENTS
© 2001 THE NEWS-GAZETTE
Published Online December 19, 2001

Gov. George Ryan agreed to restore some of the cuts to the Lekotek toy-lending program for special-needs children, but it was too little and too late to save the East Central Illinois Lekotek program in Champaign.

The program, which operates out of the Champaign school district's family information center, closes its doors for good Thursday, said Margie Jobe, director of student services. For the last week and a half, Champaign's Lekotek leader, Mary Coash, has retrieved the borrowed toys and equipment from the 50 families the center serves, a process she said was heartbreaking. "Children didn't understand why I wasn't bringing them toys, I was coming to take them away," Coash said. In late November, Ryan cut $430,000 from the statewide program to help fix a $500 million hole in the state's $53 billion budget...

Link here:

http://www.news-gazette.com/story.cfm?Number=10708

Another heartwarming example of Republican family values. Happy Holidays, kids...

Illinois Republicans are such a wonderful example of humanity at its finest...

bleedingheart (407 posts)

Dec-20-01, 00:02 AM (ET)

1. "What heartless bastards"

I get so pissed when I read stuff like this.

Once again to paraphrase a tee-shirt my brother has.

Someday perhaps children will get the funding they need from the government and the military will have to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber..

DrGonzoLives (3421 posts)

Dec-20-01, 00:07 AM (ET)

2. "Ah, Illinois"

They churn out Republicans almost as bad as the ones from Indiana.

jiacinto (1240 posts)

Dec-20-01, 11:30 AM (ET)

4. "This is so " despiscable!! I so hope that someone in the private sector steps in to help these children. I feel so bad for them!

Hephaestus (16 posts)

Dec-20-01, 04:21 PM (ET)

5. "Not exactly heartless"

Illinois and Missouri state Constitutions both require balanced budgets every year and Missouri and Illinois have been facing deficits for the past two or three years. In Missouri the Democratic Governor has been forced to make cutbacks in all programs especially Medicaid and welfare programs. I hate to say it but these programs being cut is partly the fault of the Clinton administration policy of shifting welfare and Medicaid funds from the Federal budget into the state budgets so now Missouri and Illinois have to figure welfare and Medicaid spending which used to be only part of the Federal budget, into their budgets. Ryan is far from an ultra-conservative who hates government programs and wants to cut them, but he had little choice in my opinion. Ryan had to cut spending somewhere and frankly which cut is better: 1.)cutting food and medical programs for children or 2.)cutting a Christmas gift program?

Gussie (761 posts)

Dec-20-01, 04:26 PM (ET)

Reply to post #5

6. "Maybe if our esteemed gummint didn't spend" billions on corporate welfare, there would be enough money for BOTH food and toys for children.

davsand (779 posts)

Dec-20-01, 08:38 PM (ET)

Reply to post #5

9. "You may want to learn more about Ryan's projects..." ...like Illinois First. Also known as MY District First. Last figures I saw showed over 130 million in that line item that is going unused.

What is it? Illinois First was supposed to go to rebuilding infrastructure. It has gone to wonderful projects like building a library, in a town of maybe 2000, that they can't afford to maintain. It has gone to another town of maybe 10,000 to build a new swimming pool, in spite of the fact that the city council there voted NOT to build the pool.

The common link to both projects would the *Republican* State Rep from that area.

He took toys and special equipment(adapted for use by disabled kids) away. THis is not just about taking the toys back, this is about special needs kids getting screwed out of aides that they need to learn or even function.

He may well be facing the choice of taking away medical care down the road, but I expect the bastard to take away the legislator's "toys" first.

You want to talk about the impact of the big switch on SS an medicaid funds that was made, I'm a bad one to talk to on that issue, too. I'm the one that was on the phone with the parents of the 65% of Illinois Children's SSI recipients who were terminated from benefits with *no* hearing. Odd, none of them were ever advised of the fact that they had a right to continue the benefits pending appeal. Even stranger is the fact that when the kids went in with a lawyer almost 75% were reinstated.

Those parents and kids were placed in crisis by the same wrongheaded thinking that prompted this recent action. Somebody got the great idea that they could save money by messing with people with no huge voting block and no real means to be heard.

It is a whole lot easier to go after the most vulnerable part of the population than it is to take away the pork promised to a croney... at least that seems to be the philosophy of Illinois Republicans.

If there really is a hell I expect to see the Illinois Republicans getting toasted ...