Rocky has so far saved the Children's Health Insurance Program from being swallowed up by the mysterious but probably pretty crappy health care to be forced on poor families in the new health care system's 'health insurance exchanges'. He has got Reid's bill to preserve CHIP till 2019! Not that it was just Rocky. Good on yah to Marian Wright Edelman too, and the Children's Defense Fund, who are fighting for CHIP and children too. And Cynthia Tucker:

. . . the [new health insurance] exchanges might easily be more expensive. Yes, many families would be eligible for subsidies; but there is no guarantee the policies for their children would be as affordable, or as comprehensive, as they are under the CHIP programs.

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It is frankly disgusting but perhaps not surprising that not one major pwoggie blue blog is even covering this story, the fact the House health bill axes CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program. I'm not even talking about giving it major play, the big blogs are fucking disappearing this story. I've just visited Dailykos and TalkingPointsMemo, MYDD (other than mytwo non-front-paged articles (where you can inform yourself further on the issue's complexities)), nothing. Firedoglake, nothing. Found nothing at huffpost's admittedly vast site. Firedoglake's Daily Health Care News – 11/6/09, 11/5/09, nothing. This for a program that was used aggressively in 2007 and 2008 to hammer President Bush for his heartlessness? How soon we 'forget' or change our priorities depending on Democratic Party uber alles?

The only place discussing the House Bill's repeal of CHIP is the Washington Independent, where Mike Lillis has another insightful piece today. It is a reasonably balanced piece, and no one is denying this is a complex issue. But we should discuss the death of CHIP, not silence any discussion. Right? Here's a piece of the article, but you really should read the whole thing:

The $894 billion health reform bill working its way toward a House vote this week would repeal the Children's Health Insurance Program, shifting some low-income kids into Medicaid and others into private plans that would both cost more and guarantee fewer benefits. Which program the youngsters tumble into hinges, not on need, but on the state where they live - a design some advocates call "the lottery of geography."

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This one's been up for a while at dKos and CCN. But finally here it is.  Mike P

Despite the fact that John Edwards' main claim of success while in the Senate, The Patients' Bill of Rights, never actually was enacted, and the fact that Hillary has plenty of change to run on, Edwards still claims that she defends the status quo against change.  It is noteworthy that in spite of all the successful work Hillary has done in support of the Children's Defense Fund and a longstanding friendship, CDF Founder Marian Wright Edelman says Hillary is no friend in politics. (link)  

Are Edwards and Edelman being realistic?  Or does Hillary really have the record of change to back up her claims of being best able to bring change?    As I wrote here, my overall take on Hillary is that, though not perfect, the seeming duality of her personality is explained thusly: Her intention is to do as much good as she can given the circumstances she has to work with.

Read and decide for yourself:

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