By now you must know of the despicable wingnut attack against the Frost family whose 12 year old son Graeme delivered the Democratic radio address a few weeks ago (see Think Progress for more).
Michelle Malkin even went to check out the Frost home and business and claims that is all fair game because.....
Asking questions and subjecting political anecdotes to scrutiny are what journalists should be doing.
[...]
The newspapers don’t want to do their jobs. The vacuum is being filled.If you don’t want questions, don’t foist these children onto the public stage.
Malkin's is a completely specious argument. There is no reason for the Baltimore Sun or any other newspaper to ask about the Frost's assets because there is NO assets test for eligibility to MCHIP. (pdf) Eligibility is based on income. And according to the MCHIP website having health insurance does not necessarily preclude one from eligibilty for MCHIP...
Eligibility:
- Children under age 19, who are not eligible for Medicaid
- Pregnant women of any age
- Whose countable income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
- Children of employed parents whose employer does not offer family health insurance (NOTE: In some instances, having health insurance will not prevent you from being eligible for MCHIP. Even if you have health insurance, it's best to apply and let the case manager assigned to your application determine your eligibility)
Malkin wants that people.... "Fight your battles like adults and stop hiding behind youngsters dragging around red wagons filled with your talking points."
By all means lets fight like adults. But conducting a witch hunt of a family and their assets when they have no relevance to the program, a fact by the way which a Maryland based reporter likely knows...this is adult behavior? Adult behavior is arguing the merits of policy or programs.
If the wingnuts want no program or an assets test to the program then make that argument. Let's discuss the effects of children not having health care. Let's discuss the negative impact of assets tests upon saving and the ability of the poor or disabled to climb out of poverty or the injured to withstand an unfortunate accident. Heck even "President Bush has recognized the disincentive to save that exists in the food-stamp program and has proposed excluding retirement accounts from the asset test." So make an argument and let's see where the American people stand. Ignoring that and instead dragging an eligible family, of an existing program, through the mud is truly "hiding." That's cowardly.
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