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Oct. 11th, 2007 07:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oselleMan, please tell me you're following this story.
Despite strong bi-partisan support, the president recently vetoed an expansion of something called S-CHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program), which would have extended healthcare coverage to about four million kids from moderate-income families. Last week, the Democrats invited a 12-year-old kid named Graeme Frost to speak in support of the program. See, Graeme and his little sister were involved in a horrific car accident and were in the hospital for five months. The family relied on S-CHIP for their kids' catastrophic medical needs. The Frosts are self-employed, with four children and an income of about $45,000 a year.
The right-wing media, including bloggers and the always full-of-shit Rush Limbaugh, have been tearing apart this kid and his family, trying to claim that they're a bunch of government freeloaders. A lunatic named Michelle Malkin (who occasionally subs for the equally full-of-shit Bill O'Reilly) has even stalked Frosts at home to expose their supposed affluence. The family's address and phone number has been posted online and they've had to deal with a deluge of hate mail, including death threats. There's been evidence that Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell has been involved in smearing this kid and his family, too, so it's not just some random bloggers and windbags.
What this is all bringing to mind are those heady days after the 2004 election when just about every conservative I knew online was clutching her hanky over how "mean!" liberals and Democrats were being about the election. Oh dear, their tender feelings were so hurt!
What's going on with Graeme Frost is the definition of "mean," not to mention cruel, spiteful and completely inexcusable. And sadly, it is the true face of the modern conservative spirit.
To read more about Graeme Frost and "compassionate conservatism" in action:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.frosts10oct10,0,7719719,full.story
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/10/11/is-there-any-decency-left-in-the-republican-party/
Despite strong bi-partisan support, the president recently vetoed an expansion of something called S-CHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program), which would have extended healthcare coverage to about four million kids from moderate-income families. Last week, the Democrats invited a 12-year-old kid named Graeme Frost to speak in support of the program. See, Graeme and his little sister were involved in a horrific car accident and were in the hospital for five months. The family relied on S-CHIP for their kids' catastrophic medical needs. The Frosts are self-employed, with four children and an income of about $45,000 a year.
The right-wing media, including bloggers and the always full-of-shit Rush Limbaugh, have been tearing apart this kid and his family, trying to claim that they're a bunch of government freeloaders. A lunatic named Michelle Malkin (who occasionally subs for the equally full-of-shit Bill O'Reilly) has even stalked Frosts at home to expose their supposed affluence. The family's address and phone number has been posted online and they've had to deal with a deluge of hate mail, including death threats. There's been evidence that Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell has been involved in smearing this kid and his family, too, so it's not just some random bloggers and windbags.
What this is all bringing to mind are those heady days after the 2004 election when just about every conservative I knew online was clutching her hanky over how "mean!" liberals and Democrats were being about the election. Oh dear, their tender feelings were so hurt!
What's going on with Graeme Frost is the definition of "mean," not to mention cruel, spiteful and completely inexcusable. And sadly, it is the true face of the modern conservative spirit.
To read more about Graeme Frost and "compassionate conservatism" in action:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.frosts10oct10,0,7719719,full.story
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/10/11/is-there-any-decency-left-in-the-republican-party/