Republicans Taking Away Deaf Kids Hearing Aids (Dem rhetoric hits Rock-Bottom, part II)

6/26/03

[ElkGroveDan]

The California State Senate is continuing debate on the State Budget. They just recessed

I thought you should all know that according to Senator Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach) by not wanting to increase taxes, Republicans are now taking away children's hearing.

Yes. He claims that without $8 billion in new taxes there will be no funding for poor children's hearing aids. Thus Republicans are denying kids the ability to hear.

[Revolting cat!]

complaining about a tax hike of rich people - to help deaf kids hear.

I hear ya pal! All those others here are deaf! How did the filthy rich get rich anyway? (Never mind how they got filthy for a moment.) Probably by selling those $20,000 hearing aids, which needless to say are 100% profit, to the poor slobs like you and me. I say tax the rich 100 percent and then give them food stamps to live on. That'll solve all out problems, doncha think?

[LibWhacker]

What's she complaining about; we're not taking away blind kids' canes, are we???

[Rabid Dog]

Thanks for the ping. I thought the Republicans were taking away prosthetic legs just the other day. The Dems are really trying to paint us with an ugly brush these days. You should have heard the baloney I heard from our California Dems during their road trip to gain support for taxes.

[Rabid Dog]

Oh, it's the SAME ROAD TRIP! We heard how we were going to risk our standing as 29th in spending per child in education. No mention that we were in the bottom 40's as far as performance.

[judgeandjury]

...but you are complaining about a tax hike of rich people - to help deaf kids hear. Pathetic.

Hey Einstein, it's not just rich people who pay taxes. If a kid needs a hearing aid, the parents can use their insurance coverage, they can pay out of their own pockets, or they can turn to one of numerous philanthropic foundations around the country. What is pathetic is people leeching off of taxpayers every time they have a financial need that they can't meet themselves.

[xm177e2]

You people really are quite short-sighted when it comes to fiscal dscipline. Your president has given us a 400 billion dollar a year deficit - but you are complaining about a tax hike of rich people - to help deaf kids hear. Pathetic.

I think the real point of contention with what this Democrat said is that it's probably not true. Without a tax increase, will poor kids really not get hearing aids?

[ElkGroveDan]

What's she complaining about; we're not taking away blind kids' canes, are we???

There will be Senate floor session tomorrow. I'm sure that will be their talking point of the day -- will let you know.

[ElkGroveDan]

I should clear up here for those who have decided to speak on the virtues of hearing aids for kids.

There is NO Republican plan to abolish hearing aids. There is a Republican proposal for 7% in across-the-board state spending cuts. Some Dmeocrat noticed that 7% of some program was equivalent tot eh amount spent on hearing aids for kids and decided to leap to the conclusion that they would there for be lined out.

That would be like me telling my wife we need to cut 2% of family expenses. If she was a legislative Democrat she would notice that 2% of the family income was spent on milk. She could then go to her friends and declare that I wanted to eliminate milk from the family budget.

THAT my friends is how they come up with their conclusions that we want to take away people's legs and ears...

[merry10]

This is absolutely not true. There is a program called CCS - California Children' Services, that gives durable medical equipment to kids who have diabilities IF the parents make 40k or under. Also, there are lots of funds - Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund, Lions' CLub, Hear Now, Miracle Ear that gives hearing aids to people who make too much to qualify for CCS. Many insurance companies are now covering aids and most are covering implants. My child is now benefiiting from cochlear implant surgery. Lots of parents are successful in getting the schools to cover hearing aids of very high quality.

I AM the parent of a deaf kid and appreciate the ping. I'd like to see the link.

[ElkGroveDan]

Charitable foundations have been around for hundreds of years, but if you look back 100 years - when there was no social safety net - you see children dying of starvation, massive poverty, phenominally low wages, no child-labor laws, environmental degradation, poorly educated masses, and a generally grim version of America.

If you look to places where in recent history they have had the social welfare nirvana you are in favor of such as Cuba and the former Soviet Union you see children dying of starvation, massive poverty, phenominally low wages, no child-labor laws, environmental degradation, poorly educated masses, and a generally grim version of America."

[merry10]

Scott I just posted a bunch of resources for you to go to get help in covering hearing aid costs. Also, go to http://www.listen-up.org.

I never qualified for CCS although I was a single mother of three at the time. I had to come up with these resources myself. You can too. Miracle Ear came thru with my daughter's aids very soon after her diagnosis.

You DON'T always need the state to help you, and you know it. If its true what you say, that you're a parent of a deaf kid, then you know that these organizations DO help people get access to this equipment ~ with no help from the state.

mary

[Revolting cat!]

I suggest you try some independent thought on the next forum you sign up for (unless, of course, it is DU.) It may help you to land on the ground instead of hovering like a fool on a hill above all those who appear to you to be "idiots". You're repeating nothing but Leftist talking points, predigested phrases, tired clichés, focus group tested slogans, and what is known as "received wisdom". Lame. We have heard it all before and hear it every day from the media sympathetic to your "progressive" cause to create a gulag Utopia. It's not us who appear to be mindless idiots here.

[Rabid Dog]

Merry10 - thanks for the excellent post. Although I'm not sure everyone here posting has the eyes to see truth - much preferable to believe recycled propaganda.

[Arpege92]

I wasn't going to post anything until I had a chance to read your posts.

First off, insulting the good people here is not going to get you very far in trying to make us understand your position.

Second, you claim that the tax break middle class families recieved was not much of anything. Accoding to who's standards are you basing this on? Yours? or perhaps you say this because it is you, the parent, who is responsible for your childs hearing aid and you feel it's not fair. You feel that our tax break wasn't big enough to make a difference in our lives, so we won't miss it if it is paying for your childs hearing aid? Am I correct?

You also claim that the rich class in this country are feeding off of everyone else, and it's not fair that they get a tax break. It's the rich who pay most of the taxes but again, that's ok with you, just as long as you are recieving something in return. Since when does middle class families or rich families owe you anything? Because they might have more than you? Your the one who is living in a fantasy land.....this is not "Robin Hood" and believe it or not....no one owes you anything.

I sympathize with your situation and that of your child but I too am a parent and my child has needs as well. Why should I be forced to give up my tax break, so your son can have a hearing aid? My son needs braces, who's gonna pay for that? I'm certainly not going to demand the rich or middle class families give up there tax breaks so I don't have to pay for my sons braces. Would you give up your tax break to pay for my sons braces and please don't compare braces to hearing aids either.

It's families like mine who do in fact need that tax break and you are too self involved in your life to see past your own problems. You are not thinking about the needs of other middle class families who have money problems too. But, I guess they aren't as important to you as your son is....that's ok.....that's the way you should feel, so I know you will understand that although I sympathize with your situation, I am going to take care of my son's needs before I would even think about taking care of your son's needs.

BTW....we are not imbeciles, we are just trying to get by!

[merry10]

I also think that there should be help out there for people who really need it..hence these endowment funds which have been set up ..but I also know that a 5-7k hearing aid is the very very top of the line. Ours only cost 1800.

[Rabid Dog]

It was kind of scary reading his post(s) - talk about not being in touch with reality. And he is so bitter. I have a special needs kid as well and don't have any expectation of entitlement. It would be nice but I sure wouldn't be grinding an axe over it. My son costs more to raise than most kids - Oh well! I'm an adult and I do what I have to do.

[T Minus Four]

Buh-bye!

[Stultis]

Yeah, right. Jobs and capital are already flooding out of California, but it's O.K. to raise taxes, thus increasing the exodus, thus lowering revenue long term, as long as it's spent on my special interest.