CHIP and Nobody

As of this writing, CHIP, the health insurance program that covers used to cover almost 9 million children in this country, insuring health care for the most vulnerable citizens who were not going to get it any other way-- that program has gone unfunded by Congress for months, with the states' ability to keep it going slowly but surely dwindling to nothing. Congress has been busy, y'know, trying to create a trillion dollar hole in the economy.

This is the worst kind of dereliction of duty. This is the worst kind of abandonment of an ever-growing sector of our society that so badly needs our help.

So I want to be clear about this.

Nobody in Congress-- nobody-- gets to talk about the "sanctity" of human life while they allow 9 million poor children to go without health insurance. If you believe life is sacred, than help protect the 9 million lives that are here.

Nobody in Congress-- nobody-- gets to talk about how we need to pursue charters or vouchers or some other education reform in order to promote "equity." If you care so much about equity, then make sure that 9 million children have equal access to health care.

Nobody in Congress-- nobody-- gets to talk about how we're pursuing a policy "for the children." If you want to do something "for the children," then get 9 million poor children some damned health care.

Nobody in Congress-- nobody-- gets to talk about how children just can't wait one more minute to upend the educational system so that they can be saved from the terrible, awful, no good, bad public school system. You know what can't wait one more minute? A child who's sick and has no damned health insurance.

Please, Congress-- wake up and do at least some small portion of your damned jobs. Health insurance for poor children is a bipartisan no-brainer. Get the hell to work!