Oct 13 2007
The Right Keeps On Their S-CHIP Of Fools
Left and right and imploding in this country. The erroneous claims of the right about the S-CHIP family were, erroneous. The Frosts did not live in a $400,000 home. They lived in a home they paid $55K for, which was the extent of their buying power. Not the $400K. They did not py nearly $50K a month in private schools. They paid $500 a month and the rest was subsidized by schools and state. They did not own a business. They still own the commercial property and gain some rent from it – part of the $45-50K a year income. The Frosts were not wealthy poseurs.
They could not liquidate these assets to pay for the medical bills that arose from brain injuries in two of their children from an accident. It would not cover the bills and only would put them MORE on the public dole. They pay their taxes and they qualified for the S-CHIP program. They qualified. The far right needs to come to grips with this – they qualified.
Now we learn they own three cars. My guess is they did not pay for them. My guess since one (the husband I believe) is of wealthy background they are partially or completely paid for by his parents. This is a common way for parents to help out their kids and grandchildren. It is a gift that is practical. But now we have the far right thinking their foolish mistakes will be vindicated because the Frosts have three cars! And some are writing songs about the Frosts – further poking fun at neighbors in need whose only sin was telling their story to America.
I have two songs for the right, First
Fools to the left of me, Jokers to the right
Here I am , stuck in the middle with you
Second, and more to the point:
Ship of fools on a cruel sea
Ship of fools sail away from me
It was later than I thought when I first believed you
Now I cannot share your laughter, ship of fools
What the Frosts endured is not a joke but the worst fears of any family. And people who dismiss or belittle only show a callousness we need purged from political debate. They keep sailing, that ship of fools.
Terrye
I, for one, wonder why you are so passionate about the Frosts’ cause. You have gotten into actual fights with people on JOM and here about them. Why? I don’t really care that much. I think these people gamed the system but a lot of people do that. I have just pointed out that these people are not any where near the poverty line and I doubt that they would ever get there due to family connections. I just think if these are the guidelines then they need to be changed. Certainly their house should not be in the equation although Medicaid which deals with poorer people demand all assets except a joint house but if the house is owned by the person involved they take the house also or at least force the person to spend down to poverty level before they kick in.
AJ, I understand what the program is for. I am saying it is wrong for the government to allow people to keep so many assets and still be in the program. I had a friend about 10 years ago. Single mother with one toddler. She made $5.00 an hour and had a rattle trap car to get back and forth to work so she got food stamps. She got a raise of .50
an hour which disqualified her for food stamps because she had the car. Someone like this is more worthyof help than yuppies who won’t work and pay their own way. The Frosts, by working only part time, keep their income to eligible level. This is not helping someone keep out of the poverty level. This is letting someone get something for nothing.
Maybe I am old fashioned but during my working life the only hand out I got from the government was 2 weeks unemployment.
BarbaraS,
You are just not thinking this through. If the sell their house and cars then we the taxpayers will be paying for the housing and food and transportation and medical bills. Sorry, but that is just idiotic and not a conservative solution. Assets makes sense on long term monthly stipends like Social Security. But on a one time medical emergency making them permanent welfare users is NOT what to do.