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Title: The Genesis of the Smears (JOHN COLE ASKS ABOUT FREEPER ICUWHATUDO)
Source:
John Cole's Balloon Juice
URL Source: http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=8849
Published: Oct 11, 2007
Author: John Cole
Post Date: 2007-10-11 14:47:37 by aristeides
Keywords: None
Views: 3156
Comments: 176
The Genesis of the Smears By: John Cole October 11, 2007 at 12:53 pm Appears to have been an aide to Mitch McConnell, according to the Communists at ThinkProgress: On Monday morning, Don Stewart sent an email with the following text to reporters: Seen the latest blogswarm? Apparently, there’s more to the story on the kid (Graeme Frost) that did the Dems’ radio response on SCHIP. Bloggers have done a little digging and turned up that the Dad owns his own business (and the building it’s in), seems to have some commercial rental income and Graeme and a sister go to a private school that, according to its website, costs about $20k a year ‹for each kid‹ despite the news profiles reporting a family income of only $45k for the Frosts. Could the Dems really have done that bad of a job vetting this family? In the email, Stewart attacks Democrats for allegedly doing a bad job “vetting this family.” That effort to blame Democrats for the smear campaign seems to have swayed some reporters, as CNN this morning claimed that the real story is that “the Democrats didn’t do as much of a vetting as they could have done.” What is so surprising about all of this is not that all of the stuff in the leaked email has turned out to be completely false- that is just amusing. What is surprising is THE SPEED with which the “citizen journalists” ran with this, and echoed everything the leaked email did- just like good little soldiers. It was viral in no time. I would not be surprised if Malkin, Limbaugh, and some folks at the NRO were not in the coterie of ‘reporters’ this was emailed to, nor would I be surprised if they got it from a friend of a friend (despite pretending to be different from the beltway crowd, all of the above are insiders to the Washington game, despite their protests otherwise). I’d like to know a little more about the freeper who ran with this in the first place, giving Michelle and others their “in” to run with the story without having to be the ones to take the blame for doing it. Who is icuwhatudo? What is her/his real identity? How is this person connected to the McConnell aide or the reporters who received this list. Or was it just a coincidence? If I prided myself in being a citizen journalist, those are the questions I would be asking. And does anyone have any pictures of his living room?
ThinkProgress has obtained an email that congressional sources tell us was sent to reporters by Sen. McConnell’s communications director Don Stewart.
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#89. To: scrapper2 (#66)
Apparently to some here, there aren't supposed to be any negative consequences for not purchasing a personal injury/medical care rider on your auto insurance policy when you could have clearly afforded it. And apparently this also isn't supposed to be pointed out when you allow your children to be used in a partisan radio spot on the topic of medical coverage. Go figure.
We should start a band called TOS1 and sue everyone infringing. That or laugh at them.
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
And your proof of this is? Nada.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
No one is ever as wrong as a reactionary with a total inept grasp of the facts. You want them to be guilty of something, so you smear and smear and smear. It's pathetic. They qualified for the SCHIP, their kids would be living in a gutter without it, and you think anyone who supports the program is Leninist. Pathetic. Just totally pathetic Maryland does not have a means test. Maryland does not consider assets as part of the family's financial level. If the Frosts lived in another state that had means tests and considered property ownership and other assets into the computation of "need", the Frosts would have failed. Maryland had lax laws - the intent of the 1997 SCHIP legislation was specifically to focus tax dollars on providing health care for impoverished children and teens. Unfortunately the SCHIP program gave flexibility to individual states on what rules they used to dispense that money - means testing was not required to be administered but it should have been - and that's why SCHIP has been abused so much by state officials and the program has moved far away from the original intent. In fact, because of all these abuses and having really poor kids NOT being enrolled in the SCHIP program as was intended, ( 500,000 of them is a lot of poor kids being forgotten) in 08/07 the Dept. of Health put its foot down and stipulated that before states could dole out their SCHIP funds to people beyond 250% of poverty, they would have to FIRST enroll 95% of children below 200% of poverty. What does that tell you? The Frosts got lucky. In Maryland there was no means-testing, assets are not counted, only annual income is considered. It doesn't mean the Frosts deserved to access the funds designated for poor children considering the amount of equity they had. And no one with an iota of common sense would consider a family who owned 2 properties and an SUV etc - a highly appreciated residence - as well as a commercial property valued at $160,000 - to be poor. That's not spin - that's common sense. I'm not smearing anyone. I relate facts. You are the one smearing - and your focus is me because the only way you and your compadres can hope to recover from this giant disaster of a photo op to promote expansion of SCHIP is to blame evil reich wingers and anyone who doesn't wail whoisme about the mess the Frosts brought on themselves. Socialists like you were so so close to pulling off universal health care you could taste it - step 1: just expand SCHIP and buy votes of middle class voters with "we love children" sloganeering step 2: when the Dems get elected, go for the whole 9 yards - VA medicine for all. Yes! How good does it get? But unfortunately the Dem Party hacks did not do their homework very well and they ended up picking a family with considerable assets who made some irresponsible decisions and shazam, step 1 backfired. Back to saving step 1, albeit the photo op picture is now in tatters... Did you know that Dr. Ron Paul (obgyn) voted "no" to re-authorize/expand SCHIP? Is Dr. Ron Paul an evil reichwinger who hates children, too?
My proof of this is the value of their house. You just don't think anyone should ever have to liquidate an asset to take care of more immediate needs.
I keep vowing to drop out of this discussion and then jumping back in - are you saying one should give up their home to pay for possible future, currently non- existing medical needs? lose the home to pay for medical insurance? or are you saying when their children were injured they should have lost their home?
And apparently this also isn't supposed to be pointed out when you allow your children to be used in a partisan radio spot on the topic of medical coverage. Go figure. Thank you for your common sense remarks. Ping to All.
Peter Graves warned against it in a dream...
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
It ain't like there were twelve of them crammed into a 2 room shack. Are you telling me they had to have a 3000+ sq. ft home? Are you saying this family couldn't downsize by 1500 feet and get out from under their house payment?
CHIPS is funded, if not totally by cigarette or tobacco taxes, has a large chunk of it funded by smokers who are NOT children nor the parents of these kids. I know all about insurance having skyrocketed. I know what happened with my insurance. I also know about how people make choices. I know I did when I was a mother with small kids. I lived on popcorn and jello for a week or so in order that my kids got the nutritious foods. BFD.....you do what you have to do--unless of course, you want the nanny state taking care of cradle to grave. I know what the VA system has done to veterans and their families. I read what happens in Canada. I know about the 12 - 20 - 30 million aliens flooding the nation here who use up valuable dollars. I've read about Oregon's only paying for certain things.......the list gets reduced all the time as to what they can afford to do. Get government out of the business and see what happens. Get the illegals out of here and see how costs get handled.......hospitals, doctors, clinics, etc., have to make up the non-payers with payers. And when the feds quit demanding that every insurance policy cover pregnancy or warts on nipples or whatever the hell they demand next, premium rates will go down. Women who have gone through menopause don't need prenancy coverage. If I want mammogram coverage, I can have it included in the policy I buy. If I want mental health care, likewise. What will happen when this universal care comes thru is this.........the interest on the national debt is taken care of first........then there will be this monstrous entitlement.......then there will be nothing left. For sure we won't be starting any wars, cause there would not be a way to fund them. When you have a government that makes it a part of law that you can't import drugs because they are cheaper, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. And you want this same government to handle YOUR health care? Or your kids? Or grandkids? Thank you for your EXCELLENT post, rowdee. Pinging everyone to read rowdee's insightful post. A voice of wisdom and experience rings through loud and clear! You go, girl!
I thought they bought it for 55k as a rehab, and did the work themselves. they can downsize size-wise but they aren't going to find a much cheaper house, I wouldn't imagine.
You don't think they could have sold a rehabilitated 3040 sq.ft house purchased in 1990 for 55k, for enough to pay cash for a 1500 sq. ft. house in 2003? Are you serious? They could have done that and put cash in their pocket (preferably into a medical rider on their auto policy).
And then they live where? Jesus. I can't deal with the stupidity here anymore. What, do you all have mansions? They sell their house to pay medical bills, and then they LIVE FUCKING WHERE? Idiots. Haters. Thugs.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
Pinging everyone to read rowdee's insightful post. A voice of wisdom and experience rings through loud and clear! You go, girl! Yeah, you go, riot grrrrrrls. When you invent a time machine, let me know, you thugs. You have no idea what $45K a year means in a large city. It's near poverty. Were these people on welfare? Nope. You use that against them, claiming they got preference in scholarships. You're a bad person. Not deluded, bad.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
I have had enough. Scrapper is just a nut, and anyone listening to her is crazy too. She's a hatemonger, and I am fed up. This is my last post on this thread. Arguing with Goebbels is senseless.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
You lost. Noted! :)
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
Anecdotes are worthless. Did the rest of the Dems vote to tax prescriptions? HAHAHAHA, they did not. So just because one nut did something, don't claim they all did, which is what you did. Unless, of course, you can prove the Dems voted for it. Which is ridiculous.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
They could have done that and put cash in their pocket (preferably into a medical rider on their auto policy). whatever, yeah, of course they could have. we could all cram into the smallest space we can breath in and pour our money into the insurance industry, just in case. I don't want to argue, really - I just feel like there are people who see what could be their 'dream home' with some sweat equity, and they go for it. they could see it as an investment rather than a home, and that's probably more sensible, but less exciting. it's becoming more clear that only the wealthy are entitled to a little excitement, the rest are villians if they veer off the sensible track.
Sorry, I'll put down the fucking machine gun now and let them move. Feel better?
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
Where do they live? Ever heard of renting a house or an apartment or condo or townhouse? Geeze.....people do that all the time. Or do you believe people are entitled to own a home just because they want to? Is your name Bobby? That's my stepson's name and you sound so much like him, its eerie. When he got married, immediately Pop and I got a call to give him/them money.....they wanted a bedroom set, a china set, a color tv, and they had just gotten a new car. Hells bells, we had been married a good number of years and didn't have CHINA or a frickin COLOR TV set. But he was 'entitled'.........or so he thought. Damned if he didn't have to learn that if he wanted something he had to find a way to get it--like get a job, so that he could have credit, blah blah blah.
Thugs? ROTFLMAO! The only 'thugs' on this thread is someone demanding that we all go along with feeble gubmint stealing from the citizens to pay for the bad choices others make. Using the full force and effect of the gubmint to force working people to 'fork over' so bad choice makers don't have to 'feel bad' or whatever one wants to say.
Since peyote doesn't grow here in Indiana, next time I feel like tripping my brains out it's your responsibility to see that I'm supplied with requisite materials, ok? Why, you ask? Because I've decided it's too much a burden to attend to my own needs, wants, and desires. If you refuse I'll accuse you of signing my death warrant, and I know how to fake a photocopy!
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
I'm talking about in 2003 before they had any medical bills. Let's put it this way: you go down to your State Farm, All State, whatever agent, and ask them how much it would cost to put a medical rider on your auto policy. Come back and tell us all how much, and then we can continue the debate. You probably don't want to do that though because it's not as much fun as name calling.
b. The Frosts also said that they recently have been denied private insurance coverage three times because of pre-existing medical conditions. a. You are into tall grass territory with your latest accusations. I used to think you were better than this, robin. Fyi, I have ZERO association with any reichwing group or blog and I don't belong to any GOP secret forum poster aggitator club. I haven't even looked at Malkin's blog to read what she said or didn't say and I don't listen to fat Pills Limbaugh that's for sure - you otoh seem obsessed with everything they say or write - which seems odd to me frankly. As for attack tactics on other posters here - give me a friggin' break - that's a lie - I admit I frequently use irony, humor to poke fun at silly nonsense but you and Mekons and aristeides have been nothing short of MALICIOUS to me - you 3 have taken turns insulting me left and right in a very mean spirited fashion - calling me unschooled, stupid, evil, dispicable, a mental case, on the Dark Side. The absolute kicker has been the latest whisper campaign you and your compadres have started - that I'm a "mole." As for your unsubstantiated observation that " leading more than one moderate poster here to speculate about your motives." Yes, right, let me guess - those more than one "moderate posters" are you and Mekons4 and aristeides - the 3 Amigos of Bolshevik Utopia Land. Perhaps you think it's been easy to stick to my convictions these past few days with the pack of you trying to bring me to heel with your uncivil tongues but fyi - not that you care - it has not. But I have endured this gang up on one because I know I'm right. And I'm not going to allow myself to be brow beaten to say otherwise. This is a political discussion board to celebrate free and independent thinking and I refuse to be cowed into groupthink The Frosts own their mess due to a series of irresponsible and negligent decisions. The reichwingers' tactics are distasteful but they did not get into the picture until the Frosts came out of the shadows to center stage and in front of the microphone. The Dem Party hacks used this child for a photo op so they are no more "pro-children" than the GOP are. Cynicom and rowdee are right when they say both political parties are looking for an angle to get into power or to stay in power. b. You keep flogging this story about the Frosts being denied insurance because of pre-existing brain injuries as though that's supposed to rehabilitate them into perfect parents who adequately protected their dependents in 2004...it doesn't. This late 2007. If anything this proves how the negligent and irresponsible decisions of Mr. and Mrs Frost in 2004 - by choosing not to establish an HSA and to buy a high deductible catastrophic insurance plan and a medical benefit ryder on their auto insurance - has created difficulties today. This is what happens when you have "other priorities" and you have a family and through caution to the winds. Insurance companies are not going to take on this family of accident victims without charging a high premium - at least initially -to compensate for the projected costs of the long term medical care. They are going to pay a high premium now because of their negligent decision 4 years ago, but they will get insurance.
Yeah, because 1500 sq. ft is such a tiny shack. In fact it ought to be a law that no one has to live in a house under 3000 sq. ft.
If antedotes are 'worthless' why did you bring up your child your daughter {I believe that was on another thread]?
I think it's funny when people call me any of those.
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
Is it easy to get here in Idaho? Does it grow in cold climes? Or is it manufactured? What do the pharmacists call the stuff?
Since when is a car accident a bad choice? The Frosts have been denied coverage 3 times, because their children have suffered permanent damage from a car accident. Once their children are 65, the govt will take good care of them, until then they must become poor enough to qualify for govt Medicare for the poor; at which point they will no longer be productively working. SCHIPS was created to help families just like the Frosts. A family of 6 on $45K-50K who cannot obtain or afford health insurance. Would you prefer the Frosts turn their children over to the courts? That would certainly cost the taxpayer more and destroy the children's lives. Or they could move to any country in Europe. After what the GOP hate machine has put them through, I wouldn't blame them if they did.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
How should I know, just gimme gimme gimme!
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
It isn't. The bad choice came before the accident when they didn't put a medical care addendum on their auto insurance policy. What's so hard to grasp about that? How can you expect people to make responsible choices like budgeting for auto medical coverage when then are no negative consequences for taking the irresponsible route of letting the taxpayers take the hit? This is the same mentality that leads banks and subprime borrowers to make stupid choices. "The government will bail me out tomorrow, why worry about today?"
I refuse to buy into the emotional issues either side is dredging up, the fact is that I should not be taxed to pay for anyones healthcare, whether they are pathetic little American children, Mexican truck drivers, or Chinese hookers.
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
So being in a car accident and being denied health insurance 3 times is irresponsible? Working, paying taxes, trying to start a business, paying your bills for six people is negligent? You really need to try reading some of the obnoxious remarks you've made to the reasonable and moderate posters who tried to help you see this subject from the facts. That you were mistaken as a member of the GOP hate machine by aristeides should tell you how far you have drifted from civil and reasonable discourse.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
That was no guarantee anyway! Insurance companies can decide not renew a policy. And they can deny coverage of certain areas even if you have it. A family of 6 living on $45K cannot pay $1200 a month for health insurance. That was the last quote they had.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
If I may... You are 100% correct in your priorities of how to spend my money once it's taken from me. I'm still arguing that it should not have been taken from me.
" Junk is the ideal product... the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." - William S Burroughs
I understand this viewpoint up to a point. Consider that we pay taxes to destroy Iraqi families, and to Israel to bomb Gaza and Lebanon. Yes, the system is screwed. If every American over 65 receives Social Security payments and Medicare then children caught between poverty and the ability to obtain and afford health insurance should be eligible too. It's about being part of an advanced civilization, otherwise you will see families like the Frosts begin to fall apart and end up truly in poverty and receiving Medicare - at greater taxpayer expense.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
Robin, c'mon......You get insurance BEFORE the need arises; not after. Whoever heard of a house getting flooded and then running out and buying insurance to cover the damages?
In utopia, it will be better. It will take a lot of planning though, keeping a civilization but not bothering anyone.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
What was no guarantee? Are you telling me State Farm wouldn't sell these people a medical rider on their auto policy in 2003-2004? That's nonsense. A family of 6 living on $45K cannot pay $1200 a month for health insurance. That was the last quote they had. I'm not even talking about full medical insurance. I'm talking about just coverage for car accident injuries and it doesn't cost anywhere near $1200 a month.
Health insurance providers can refuse to renew policies. When the Frosts last checked, coverage for their family of 6 was $1200/month. Well beyond their means. And even if you have health insurance, they can refuse to cover necessary therapy and even life-saving procedures. That's what "Sicko" and "The Rainmaker" were about.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
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#90. To: rowdee (#88)
#91. To: SmokinOPs (#89)
when you could have clearly afforded it.
#92. To: Mekons4, All (#69)
(Edited)
Spin, Spin, Spin. They made under $50,000 and the law was that access to SCHIP was limited to 200 percent of the poverty rate, in this case about $56,000 for a family of six. You just don't like facts, you prefer saying they should have bought your fantastical insurance plans. Just try raising 4 kids on $45 K and then explain to me where the $500 a month for insurance comes from.
#93. To: Mekons4 (#91)
And your proof of this is? Nada.
#94. To: SmokinOPs (#93)
My proof of this is the value of their house. You just don't think anyone should ever have to liquidate an asset to take care of more immediate needs.
#95. To: SmokinOPs, All (#89)
Apparently to some here, there aren't supposed to be any negative consequences for not purchasing a personal injury/medical care rider on your auto insurance policy when you could have clearly afforded it.
#96. To: scrapper2, SmokinOPs (#95)
there aren't supposed to be any negative consequences for not purchasing a personal injury/medical care rider on your auto insurance policy when you could have clearly afforded it.
#97. To: kiki (#94)
I keep vowing to drop out of this discussion and then jumping back in - are you saying one should give up their home to pay for possible future, currently non- existing medical needs?
#98. To: rowdee, All (#78)
What the hell question is that? Elderly pay for insurance premiums--comes out of their checks automatically. The feds may have paid $50 billion, but the elderly are making up the difference--they pay for the premiums for the insurance, with few exceptions based on very low incomes. [How this guy has any idea how much they spent for a fiscal year only technically closed 12 days will be interesting to learn, I'm sure].
#99. To: SmokinOPs (#97)
It ain't like there were twelve of them crammed into a 2 room shack. Are you telling me they had to have a 3000+ sq. ft home? Are you saying this family couldn't downsize by 1500 feet and get out from under their house payment?
#100. To: kiki (#99)
I thought they bought it for 55k as a rehab, and did the work themselves. they can downsize size-wise but they aren't going to find a much cheaper house, I wouldn't imagine.
#101. To: SmokinOPs (#93)
My proof of this is the value of their house. You just don't think anyone should ever have to liquidate an asset to take care of more immediate needs.
#102. To: scrapper2 (#98)
Thank you for your EXCELLENT post, rowdee.
#103. To: All (#102)
#104. To: Mekons4 (#103)
This is my last post on this thread.
#105. To: rowdee (#86)
#106. To: SmokinOPs (#100)
You don't think they could have sold a rehabilitated 3040 sq.ft house purchased in 1990 for 55k, for enough to pay cash for a 1500 sq. ft. house in 2003? Are you serious?
#107. To: Mekons4 (#102)
You have no idea what $45K a year means in a large city. It's near poverty.
#108. To: Mekons4 (#101)
#109. To: Mekons4 (#102)
When you invent a time machine, let me know, you thugs.
#110. To: rowdee (#108)
#111. To: Mekons4, scrapper2 (#101)
And then they live where? Jesus. I can't deal with the stupidity here anymore. What, do you all have mansions? They sell their house to pay medical bills, and then they LIVE FUCKING WHERE?
#112. To: robin (#60)
a. You have indeed agreed with and supported the GOP hate machine's fury against one family, you have even copied it. And, you have engaged in many angry posts that often attack the poster, tactics we are familiar with especially when combined with carbon copy GOP hate machine disinfo; leading more than one moderate poster here to speculate about your motives.
#113. To: kiki (#106)
whatever, yeah, of course they could have. we could all cram into the smallest space we can breath in and pour our money into the insurance industry, just in case.
#114. To: Mekons4 (#105)
#115. To: scrapper2, robin, Mekons3, aristeides (#112)
You 3 have taken turns insulting me left and right in a very mean spirited fashion - calling me unschooled, stupid, evil, dispicable, a mental case, on the Dark Side.
#116. To: Dakmar (#110)
#117. To: rowdee (#109)
to pay for the bad choices others make
#118. To: rowdee (#116)
#119. To: robin (#117)
Since when is a car accident a bad choice?
#120. To: robin (#117)
Since when is a car accident a bad choice?
#121. To: scrapper2 (#112)
The Frosts own their mess due to a series of irresponsible and negligent decisions.
#122. To: SmokinOPs (#119)
It isn't. The bad choice came before the accident when they didn't put a medical care addendum on their auto insurance policy. What's so hard to grasp about that?
#123. To: robin (#121)
#124. To: Dakmar (#120)
#125. To: robin (#117)
#126. To: Dakmar (#123)
#127. To: robin (#122)
(Edited)
That was no guarantee anyway! Insurance companies can decide not renew a policy. And they can deny coverage of certain areas even if you have it.
#128. To: rowdee (#125)
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