Unless you have been living in a cave, I’m sure you know about the recent veto of the popular and bipartisan SCHIP expansion. I feel it is important to bring to light how the religious right is using lies and personal attacks because they simply cannot win if they fought fair. It is a common Karl Rove tactic to attack and discredit your opponent when they are stronger on the issues and that is exactly what is happening here.

After reading story after story by the religious right attacking private citizens and democrats alike, I decided it was time to cut through the crap. You would think an intelligent person would stop saying something once it is discredited. Sadly for the religious right’s base that is not necessary as they will apparently believe anything their masters tell them.

Issue #1: SCHIP is funded by Democrats’ Cigarette Tax
Every single attack story I have read or heard lately has included this one yet not a single one of those told the whole story. The cigarette tax was originally suggested by Senator Gordon Smith a Republican out of Ohio and had broad approval by both Republicans and Democrats. So where are the attacks on the Republicans for supporting the tax or the attacks on Gordon Smith for proposing the tax? Oh right, they’re Republicans so they’re off limits.

Senator Gordon Smith on the tax. “”I have a long record of opposing tax increases, but I have a consistent record of supporting tobacco tax increases because of the strong nexus that exists between the use of tobacco products and the costs that are then borne by public health,” Smith said.” So there you go right wingers, now that you know who to attack I’m waiting to read the stories tomorrow.

Issue #2: SCHIP will Cover incomes up to $83,000
This was a lie when Bush said it and it is still a lie. That hasn’t stopped virtually everyone from repeating it though. The $83K ($82,600) number was determined when New York wanted to cover families with incomes 400% of the poverty level. The president has the authority to deny any similar requests and had already done so when he made his now (in)famous assertion.

he more realistic number is $51,625 for a family of four which is 250% of the federal poverty level. This is due to stricter state guidelines from the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Services. 11 States currently allow families of higher income and 33 allow less. North Dakota’s limit is only 140% of the poverty level or $28,910 for a family of four.

Issue #3: SCHIP is Socialized Health Care
If one of you would click on my Google Adwords for each time I have read this nonsense today (hint hint, lol) I would be a very happy man. This program is almost the polar opposite of socialized health care as it helps put millions of uninsured children onto PRIVATE HEALTH CARE. Seriously, what the hell about private health care is so hard to figure out?

Issue #4: SCHIP is meant to help the poor
Another great fallacy that our president helped get started is this crazy notion that SCHIP is to help the poor get insurance. Poor families already have a program to help with medical care, its called Medicaid. SCHIP, when established in 1997, was to help out those that make too much for Medicaid but too little for private insurance.

SCHIP was never intended to help the poor but that hasn’t stopped the right wing smear machine from pumping their base with lies which they eagerly eat up and regurgitate onto the internet.

The Bottom Line:
The SCHIP expansion promises to provide insurance to millions of children at a relatively low cost of 35 billion over 5 years. While to the average Joe that seems an unthinkable amount of money it is important to place that in perspective. Over the same time period our country has spent more than 2 TRILLION on the war in Iraq.

What does it say about our national priorities when spending a relatively small amount of money to provide health insurance for our children is less important than an optional/illegal war? I can’t speak for you but the health of our children is a much higher priority than a war that isn’t accomplishing anything.

References:
CommonDreams.org (September 23, 2007 ) War Costing $720 Million Each Day, Group Says

FactCheck.org (September 21, 2007) Bush’s False Claims About Children’s Health Insurance

Tax Foundation (March 30, 2007) Tax Fairness Would Suffer under Senator Smith’s Cigarette Tax Hike

The Oregonian (February 27 2007) Smith supports federal tobacco tax hike to fund children’s health coverage