October 8, 2007 2:58 PM

The Right-Wing Is Just Scary

Via Think Progress:

Two weeks ago, the Democratic radio address was delivered by a 12-year old Maryland boy named Graeme Frost. Graeme told his story of being involved in a severe car accident three years ago, and having received access to medical care because of the Children's Health Insurance Program. He said:

If it weren't for CHIP, I might not be here today....We got the help we needed because we had health insurance for us through the CHIP program. But there are millions of kids out there who don't have CHIP, and they wouldn't get the care that my sister and I did if they got hurt....I just hope the President will listen to my story and help other kids to be as lucky as me

.

The right-wing immediately condemned Democrats for daring to put a human face on the SCHIP program at a time when Bush was proposing a "diminishment of the number of children covered." Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) -- who has posed with children to advance his own political agenda -- claimed Graeme was being used "as a human shield."

Conservatives have more recently turned their targets on young Graeme Frost himself. A poster at the Free Republic propagated information alleging that Frost was actually a rich kid being pampered by the government. Among other bits of information, the post by the Freeper "icwhatudo" asserts that Graeme and his sister Gemma attend wealthy schools that cost "nearly $40,000 per year for tuition" and live in a well-off home.

That's how one side fights against healthcare children. The way the other side -- our side -- fights is by supporting organizations like Families USA, a recipient of Working Assets' members' contributions, who put a human face onto a human problem.