I’m going to comment rescue myself from today’s Open Thread, because this deserves its own post. (And yes, all caps were necessary.)
This “fiscal conservative” lie can no longer be tolerated:
“On the Senate floor Thursday, while arguing that the $1.5 trillion tax cuts bill that his committee has shepherded to the floor is good policy, Sen. Orrin Hatch said the nation can’t afford the Children’s Health Insurance Program unless other spending cuts are made.”
Here are Hatch’s words:
“But let me tell you something. We’re going to do CHIP, there’s no question about it in my mind. It has to be done the right way. But we—the reason CHIP is having trouble is because we don’t have money anymore. We just add more and more spending and more and more spending, and you can look at the rest of the bill for the more and more spending.
[…]
I happen to think CHIP has done a terrific job for people who really needed the help. I have taken the position around here my whole Senate service. I believe in helping those who cannot help themselves but would if they could. I have a rough time wanting to spend billions and billions and trillions of dollars to help people who won’t help themselves, won’t lift a finger and expect the federal government to do everything. […]
Unfortunately, the liberal philosophy has created millions of people that way who believe everything they are or ever hope to be depend upon the federal government rather than the opportunities that this great country grants them. I’ve got to say I think it’s pretty hard to argue against these comments, because if you look it over, for decades now, we have been spending more than we have, building more and more federal programs, some of which are lousy, some of which are well intended, and some of which are actually good like the CHIP program.” [emphasis added]
HE’S TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN!
The “deficit hawk” now has a spot next to the T-Rex in the Museum of Natural History. Actually, it should be placed next to the unicorn, since both are fictional creatures.
That’s like reading an obituary for American Democracy.
We also see Senator Hatch working the resentment politics again. Because parents have to work to get CHIP — it is for kids whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid.
I worked with a person who has her two children in the chip program. The father of her youngest who will turn 4 in January, lives with her. Both have jobs, making good money. She had the basic health coverage from the state thru her job and could have covered her children by paying for it. Instead she continued to use one of her relatives address on everything and never admitted she was living with the father of the youngest and that together this would disqualify her from chip. They both had other income from side jobs they held as well. I am all for helping those that truly need it. I go out of my way to help needy as often as I can. But seeing what some get away with working the system and getting away with it even with the employer knowing and allowing it to continue, is what the system needs to fix. Make sure the ones who are truly in need of assistance are getting it. Oh and the employer pays for her insurance, she was not paying any of it. And it was a state agency that runs strictly on taxes collected from residents. Having worked in government for total almost 7 years and seeing what is done with tax dollars was very enlightening. Was vocal about it and stated more than once that I was glad my career was not in government or I would have not lasted. Everyone one should find out for themselves what goes on. Start volunteering and have your eyes opened. That is how I started after my 35 year career ended. And I was only working to pay for my 850.00 a month cost for my own insurance, clearing less than 100.00 in a two week part time position for 10.00 an hour after even 4 years doing more responsibility all the time. Even after having to bail them out when their W2s were handed out incorrectly twice and then was asked to fix them because that was part of my 35 year career. Then they cut my hours meaning I had to write them a small check every two weeks to continue paying for my insurance. I was so stressed it was causing more health problems so I quit. Am now volunteering for a non profit that helps children that I have been involved with since since 2010 doing without insurance with no income coming in from August until November when I started collecting my SS and now waiting Medicare to kick in in next year when I turn 65. And the non-profit I am volunteering for had their Grant money lowered and had to move to a smaller office. They are underpaid but stay to help the children. I am more upset that the money was cut by Delaware government for this and other non-profits that I know really are trying to help these children. Delaware residents who have it in their hearts volunteer their own time to spend with these children to try to help them. It is rewarding but not enough care and step in to help. I am very fortunate that everything I have is paid for because I exhausted my retirement paying out over 70,000. Since 2008 just for medical insurance after the company I worked for was bought and all finance jobs were eliminated. The rest of my retirement was what I lived off of lasting through this year. Because I had to use my retirement I didn’t qualify for even the affordable care act because no one would listen. I am not bitter, it wasn’t worth fighting. But until you really stop fighting each other and blaming everyone else, but instead of waiting to see who else in politics steps up with more promises and lies, volunteer, find out for yourself and do what you can for a child in need. Go in the schools, talk to a child being bullied talk to the bully try to help, sometimes they just need to know someone cares and will listen. One child at a time.
Concerned,
Medicare-for-All would fix this.