Steve Benen’s annoyed with GOP cynicism about children:
With time running out before a government shutdown, House GOP leaders added a six-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program to their stopgap spending bill, along with a series of tax breaks intended to undermine the Affordable Care Act. The House Republican leadership published this stunning tweet yesterday:
“Children’s lives are at stake. It’s time for our friends across the aisle to stop playing games with CHIP funding.”
It followed House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) telling reporters that it’s “unconscionable” for Democrats to oppose CHIP funding. Several GOP lawmakers held a press conference accusing congressional Dems of failing to support “American children.”
I’ve been following politics for quite a while. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen political tactics this cynical.
The appropriate response? Here’s my take on turning my opponent’s Check! into my Checkmate! of them.
Mr. Speaker, your attempt to destroy the Affordable Care Act, replacing it with nothing, would harm far more children than a short delay in continued funding of the CHIP program. We will not condemn the poor children of America to inferior health care simply to satisfy your ideological posturing.
And then mail that response to every single household in the Speaker’s district. If he protests, invite him to return the favor – while noting that the Democrat’s are proud of their policies and tactics. Why isn’t he?
