Paul Simon: A Message to Republicans Who Voted Against the Children's Health Bill

[marmar]

from HuffPost:




Paul Simon
A Message to Republicans Who Voted Against the Children's Health Bill
Posted October 16, 2007 | 10:25 PM (EST)



My name is Paul Simon.

I earn my living by writing and singing songs. It's a very old and low-tech profession that feels increasingly age-appropriate. I am honored to have the opportunity to express my opinions concerning SCHIP.

I am the father of four healthy children, knock on wood, but if they get sick or need medical attention I don't knock on wood; I take them to a doctor whose care and attention I am, fortunately, able to afford. Millions of American children do not receive the same medical care. They are uninsured.

Twenty years ago, I co-founded The Children's Health Fund with Dr. Irwin Redlener. Our organization provides mobile medical units with doctors and staff to serve the pediatric needs of poor communities across the United States. In the twenty years since we began, we have grown incrementally, but as of last year we had recorded over 1.2 million doctor/patient visits.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated a large portion of Southern Florida. Our medical units were there to help. When Hurricane Katrina lashed the Gulf Coast with an almost Biblical force, The Children's Health Fund had units working in those communities within a week. There was very little outside help -- no FEMA, no Red Cross.

But there were scores of mini-vans and trailers loaded with food and supplies from hundreds of churches around the country. I watched with wonder and admiration as the church people opened their hearts and got to work helping people on the Gulf Coast whose lives has been destroyed. They did not debate whether they could find a compromise or alternative way of helping. They opened their hearts and started to repair a dire emergency.

The president's veto of the re-authorization of SCHIP was a heartless act. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-simon/a-message-to-republicans-_b_68730.html

[Kerrytravelers]

1. "The president's veto of the re-authorization of SCHIP was a heartless act"

No truer words have been written.

[AX10]

2. Burn his CD's! Ban his music. How dare he criticize the President.

:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

I'm really a huge fan of his!

:hugs:

[FiveGoodMen]

9. "Burn his CD's" -- you mean like in Arrested Development?

There was a great AD episode in which a Christian 'record burning party' turned out quite differently after being publicized as a 'CD burning party'.

[Fridays Child]

3. k/r

[tom_paine]

4. God Bless Paul Simon for his efforts.

I had no idea he was doing that, but from his songs one could probably postulate him doing something good and nothing Bushie at all.

[DutchLiberal]

5. I have always admired Paul Simon for his amazing talent.

Now I admire him even more, because he has his heart and mind in the right place also when it comes to politics and the lives of ordinary people.

[Carolina]

6. K&R

[midnight]

7. Regrading SCHIP why is this a problem to get support for.

I can't understand why this rich country does not see it as important as an education? Another telling sign about the direction that this country is going to as far as not serving it's citizenry is the fact that Red Cross, and Fema did not set up help for the victims of Katrina! Why?

[intheflow]

8. WTG, Mr. Simon! K&R n/t