SCHIP for Dummies and Self-Employed Woodworkers

 
I know, I know, SCHIP isn't a very interesting topic. It's the childrens' healthcare program that Congress wants to expand using an additional $35 billion of our money. SCHIP, if memory serves, stands for Socialized Childrens' Healthcare Insurance Program. President Bush vetoed the expansion on Wednesday, stating that it would grow the program beyond low-income families into a subtle form of socialized medicine for the middle-class.

For yesterday's response to President Bush's radio address, the Democrats trotted out 12 year old Graeme Frost. Frost was badly injured an an auto accident and, thanks to SCHIP, was able to recuperate.

Using complex tools available only to real journalists (or perhaps it was just Google), freeper Icwhatudo discovered some intriguing background information on the Frost family.

The Frosts live in a 3,000 square foot home; the parents own their own design firm, and the kids are attending private school at $20 grand apiece. In addition, the family appears to not only own their home but also the building in which their business is located. But somehow they qualify for SCHIP?

Mark Steyn has the definitive linkage and savages Paul Krugman in a manner reminiscent of, --er-- well, Genghis Kahn. Gonna put some ice on that, Paul?

Thurber's Thoughts explains why SCHIP makes about as much sense as naming Hillary Clinton as Senate Ethicist.

Congress has chosen a source to pay for the bulk of their proposed $35 billion increase in the State Children's Health Insurance Program - cigarette taxes. According to numerous reports, expansion of the program (which would allow families with income up to $82,000 to qualify) would be financed with a 156 percent increase in the federal cigarette tax, taking it to $1 per pack from the current 39 cents. And this tax will impact recipients of the SCHIP program more than others. Low-income people smoke more heavily than do wealthier people in the United States, making cigarette taxes a regressive form of revenue. Nearly one-third of all U.S. adults living in poverty are smokers, compared with 23.5 percent of those above the poverty level... So we allow expansion of the program to those who are not 'low income' or in poverty by imposing a tax that impacts low income and the poor more than others. Where's the logic in that? [Ed: it's a Democratic idea. 'Nuff said?] ...Rep. Jack Kingston [said] during the House debate, "...in order to get enough money to pay for this, it would require 22 million new smokers"

In other words, Democrats want to pay for a childrens' healthcare program by expanding the percentage of poverty-stricken smokers.

In a word, brilliant!

Update: Gauis offers his plea - Why my family needs SCHIP!

Hat tips: Bizzyblog and Larwyn