Posted on 10/09/2007 9:19:16 AM PDT by icwhatudo
Hello everyone, its been an interesting few days. I had no idea my post about the family used by democrats to push for expansion of the S-CHIP program would cause such a stir. There have been many questions and comments raised about me and my simple Google research that I thought I'd deal with them all on this post if it's ok with the Mods.
My interest in the S-CHIP issue came about because of the way it's portrayed in the media. President Bush's veto was of an EXPANSION of this health insurance program to include higher income families. It would not cut the program, (in fact Bush wants to increase funding), nor would it cause the Frost family to lose their coverage under it.
The Frost family choose to allow their son to give the democrat radio response to the president's veto. They choose to put their family story, picture of their home, and income information in the papers for all to see. Now that I look into the facts of that same story I'm accused of "invading their privacy" or "attacking a 12 year old boy". Could someone from Daily Kos, Think Progress, or Democratic Underground please cut and paste the part of my article that attacked the 12 year old boy?
The Baltimore Sun article about the family mentioned that the son attended Park school. I knew this was an expensive private school so I began to wonder why someone who could send their child there would need others to pay for their health insurance. It led to my use of Google to find out if there was information that the Baltimore Sun left out of the article. All the information I found I linked to in my post.
After posting my article a number of Freepers started emailing the story out to local papers and other blogs, talk show hosts, etc. It really exploded when Mark Steyn of National Review Online posted about it. From there it spread through the blogs including Michelle Malkin and even made it on the Rush Limbaugh's show. Last night ABC news online posted about the "firestorm in Washington" it was causing. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was accusing GOP leadership aides of "pushing falsehood" and complained that Republican staffers where passing the information out to reporters.
Left wing sites have begun to hit back, questioning my information. Many are linking to these 5 points from Thinkprogress.org that I will comment on:
"1) Graeme has a scholarship to a private school. The school costs $15K a year, but the family only pays $500 a year."
For all the claims my research was poor...where's your link? $15,000? From my link to the schools tuition page:
Tuition for 2007-2008
Lower School $19,530
Middle School $19,530
Upper School $21,080
Where did you get your information the family was paying $500 per year? Was this from the talking points memo you got from Harry Reid spokesman Jim Manley? Did he tell you how long they’ve had those scholarships? Any idea why the tenant in the commercial building they own, Mike Reilly (who has known the Frosts for 10 years) said See "Update 2:50pm"it was his understanding the children’s grandparents paid the bill?
We can debate the amount they are paying, or the amount the grandparents are contributing, or the amount that is earned through scholarships but the fact remains the family is paying to send their child to a private school while asking others to pay for their health insurance. Are you claiming otherwise?
"2) His sister Gemma attends another private school to help her with the brain injuries that occurred due to her accident. The school costs $23,000 a year, but the state pays the entire cost."
Again no link but I heard this as well. It was why I stated in my article that: "His sister Gemma, also severely injured in the accident, attended the same school PRIOR to the accident"
Its funny how the left wing echo chamber is seizing on this point to somehow show my information was bad. That somehow I was saying she was still attending the Park School. Will you concede that my statement "His sister Gemma, also severely injured in the accident, attended the same school PRIOR to the accident" is 100% true? At the time they choose to not purchase health insurance, prior to the accident, at least 2 of their kids attended Park school.
"3) They bought their “lavish house” sixteen years ago for $55,000 at a time when the neighborhood was less than safe."
Your information is incorrect (and again fails to provide a link). "They" did not buy the house 16 years ago, Mr. Frost bought the home on his own on 11/30/1990. The couple was married in 1992, and it appears his wife paid him $52,500 to be added to the deed on 09/06/2005. Interesting that on the Department of Assessments and Taxation form under "Principal Residence:" it states "NO". Do they own a second home in addition to the commercial property? Also, please cut and paste from my article where I said they lived in a "Lavish house". Large house-yes, and nice kitchen from the photo.
"4) Last year, the Frost’s made $45,000 combined. Over the past few years they have made no more than $50,000 combined.
Again no link. What is the source of this claim? Not saying their reported income was not as you state, but as Mr. Frost set up a LLC would you concede its possible that reported income could be different than actual access to financial resources? Maybe those more familiar on why people set up LLC's can tell us what creative things can be done with finances this way.
"5) The state of Maryland has found them eligible to participate in the CHIP program."
Exactly! Thanks for making my point. Even with the private school you admit they are partially paying for, even with the home that is not their primary residence, even with the LLC they set up and purchased commercial property with, even with a tenant in the building they own...they still qualify! So why then do we need to expand the program to families with even higher incomes than the Frosts?
I am also a father of 4 and I live in a waterfront house. We have 2 boats and go to the beach for 2 weeks each year. All 4 of my kids go to private school. If the S-CHIP program is expanded...WE WILL QUALIFY! I'd love to use the savings from others paying for my kids health insurance to buy a new motor for my bass boat but is that what we really want from S-CHIP?
A few other points:
Some blogs, radio shows, etc have incorrectly stated that I claimed their house was bought for $485,000 or was worth $500,000 etc. My actual quote on this was:
"The current market value of their improved 3,040 SF home at 104 S Collington Ave is unknown but 113 S COLLINGTON AVE, also an end unit, sold for $485,000 this past March and it was only 2,060 SF."
I found a similar (actually smaller) home a few doors down that recently sold for $485,000. A Freeper early on in my original post linked a zillow estimate of $360,000. The taxation page assesses the home at $263,140 and we all know assessed values for taxes are lower than market price(at least in Maryland). Are there cheaper homes in the area that have not been renovated yet? Sure, but lets not miss the point here. This is not a family of renters, they own not only a 3,040 SF home but a commercial property as well. I'm not faulting them for it, I'm not trying to say they are rich, I'm trying to make people aware of what types of families are CURRENTLY covered by S-CHIP so we can honestly debate if the income ceiling should be raised.
Hmmmm, I really could use that new bass boat motor and the kids really would like a Nintendo Wii ... maybe I'll change my position.
I posted earlier a comment about seatbelts; they are required in Maryland. The brief description of the accident wherein the children were injured seems to indicate that they became projectiles and incurred most of their injuries because of that fact. Now that the family has chosen to become public figures, I think the public deserves to know if we had to pay for their injuries because of their mother’s negligence.
My husband and I together make over 130k a year, but here where we live (PA) my daughter is eligible to have medicare and durable medical equipment paid for (she is only deaf). We have thus far not taken advantage of the program, although I’ve been urged to (by a pediatrician).
The Dems don't want to have debates or discussions...they want to issue ultimatums. This is no different than rolling out injured vets to criticize the war.
Didn't read your posts, have no background information...but the RATS and the boy's parents decided to insert him into the debate; he's fair game.
Shame on them for politically pimping a 12 year old boy. Every time I see a Kennedy-Blank bill (insert RINO Senator of choice) or hear W talk about his good friends the RATS, I think about stunts like this.
I salute you.
I think we need to add seven counts of Income Tax evasion. Each, for mom and dad.
Now, that is interesting! The Frost’s may have opened a can of worms they wish they hadn’t!
Nice post!
Right, so the question becomes, “How does this guy afford his mortgage, car payments (if any), plus almost $40,000 in annual private school tuition on a combined $90K ish.
Congratulations and Bravo Zulu!
Your action again proves that liberals can no longer on a large scale and get by with it, even with misrepresention like this poor little 12 year old.
As Rush, Sean, Mark and local conservative talk radio show hosts continue to expose the lies, the internet conservative site go even deeper re the lies.
Regardless of hwo bad the neighborhood was, that was the median price for a home in Baltimore around 1990:
In Baltimore, median household incomes rose from $24,045 in 1990 to $36,031 in 2006 in the Baltimore City-Towson area. But median home prices in that same area went from $54,700 to $126,400, according to census data.
http://www.examiner.com/a-932132~Gap_between_incomes__home_prices_may_contribute_to_slow_market.html
Also:
http://real-estate.nextag.com/propID_10059963/104-S-Collington-Ave/Baltimore/Maryland/homes-html
Outstanding.
Simply outstanding.
Good point...Al Qaeda does no less.
Thanks - that was an excellent summary.
the public deserves to know if we had to pay for their injuries because of their mother’s negligence.
.
Driving too fast for road conditions at minimum, the accident report should clear up some questions, but being there’s Democrats involved...
Thank you for starting this. The liberals want to make all children dependents of the state by providing taxpayer money for what their parents can already afford to provide.
” I have a child in private school,I have a house on 2 acres, I have income from natural gas and oil wells, I have a stock portfolio,I have farm income, I want a government subsidy for health insurance.”
I want to be adopted!
Will work for botox!
Uh, yer welcome, I guess. I was only funnin' ya'll, as Hillary would say, "ya know", but I appreciate being the catalyst for a rant against the lefties.
Great Rant.
I've cited your stuff in the things I maintain and send to others.
An honest and open debate is what is needed, and using children to attempt to perform an end run around these is shameful.
As a disabled person, I am FORCED to be on medicare because the way the rules are written, my private disability insurance insists on it.
Medicare pays faster than private does. Perhaps I am being cynical, but that may be motivation. But you may find yourself in a situation where private won’t pay for something that is needed that Medicare will.
That being said, I truly resented going on Medicare as primary when I had paid with blood sweet and tears for Private.
What a racket!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.