Sen. Kerry op-ed: Putting kids first

[paineinthearse]

No link, requested of and received by email from THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE (N. Adams, Massachusetts), where Senator Kerry visited yesterday.

Posted in full because 1) it is from my Senator and 2) I requested and received permission to do so.

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Hello,
I'm not sure why it isn't on the website. Here is a copy of it I
pulled from our archives...
CM

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Publication: Daily Category: OpEd
Pub. Date: 6/3/05 Last Modified: 09:01:53 AM on 6/3/05
Pub. Page: 13 A Created: 09:01:53 AM on 6/3/05
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Putting kids first

By John Kerry

WASHINGTON

YESTERDAY I traveled throughout Western Massachusetts, and met many
seniors who chose to retire to the scenic Berkshires. Not
surprisingly, many residents were upset that the administration still
refuses to negotiate cheaper prescription drug prices, or to allow
reimportation of safe, affordable medicine from Canada. Certainly we
are all concerned about the president's campaign-style push to
privatize Social Security.

But I was struck by how many seniors told me that, as much as they
struggle with their prescription drug costs, they're more concerned
about their children and grandchildren. They're putting they're
families' needs ahead of their own. Nothing pains grandparents more
than seeing their children struggle to pay ever-increasing doctors
bills, and their grandchildren suffer without the health care they
need.

The sad truth is that Washington turns a blind eye as 11 million
children in America -- 118,000 in Massachusetts alone -- go without
health insurance. Over 7 percent of Massachusetts two-year-olds are
not immunized. One-third of kids with asthma suffer without proper
medication. In the wealthiest nation on the face of the earth, that
simply shouldn't be the case.

In Congress I have proposed a Kids First bill that would insure every
American child. Since I introduced my bill in January, more than
500,000 people have signed up to be citizen co-sponsors and thousands
more have called in to give their personal testimony about why
insuring every child is so important. This change is long overdue.
Insuring every child won't require big tax hikes or new bureaucracy.
In fact, we can provide health insurance coverage for every kid in
America if we simply roll back the president's tax cut for
individuals making over $300,000 a year. It's hardly a tough choice.

The benefits to all of us would be numerous. It would reduce
avoidable hospitalizations by an estimated 22 percent. Children
enrolled in public health insurance programs rate 68 percent better
in measures of school performance than those without coverage. And
the long-term cost savings, not only in health care, but in
education, job training and reduced stress on our families, are
incalculable.

The government can't raise people's kids; nor should it. But we can
re-establish a national responsibility for children's health care by
building a strong partnership with the states, which are responsible
for running the health care systems, and with parents, who are
responsible for raising healthy kids. Instead of dumping the problem
on cash-strapped states, my proposal offers states a new bargain: the
national government will give Massachusetts immediate fiscal relief
in exchange for a commitment not only to cover all kids, but to make
sure they get the coverage they're eligible for. That means cutting
the current red tape that results in the huge gap between the kids
who are eligible and those who actually get covered. Under my plan,
Massachusetts will save almost $220 million per year.

We need a new bargain with parents as well. We should help them buy
employer-sponsored coverage where it's available. And we will allow
parents who don't normally qualify for public programs to buy
coverage for their children at cost.

Parents' side of the bargain is to take advantage of these
opportunities to get their kids covered. If they don't, they will not
be able to claim the child tax credit on their federal tax returns.

In an era when politicians like to use the word "values," insuring
kids is a test of who just talks about family values and who really
values families. It's long since time we give every child a healthy
start in life. We don't need to expand government; we simply need to
fulfill commitments we have already made. We don't need Washington to
do more than it should; we simply ask Washington to do its fair share
in partnership with the states and with parents.

When it comes to getting kids health care coverage, it's a promise we
can afford to keep -- and one we cannot afford to break.

John Kerry is a senator from Massachusetts.

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[TahitiNut]

1. "They're putting they're families' needs ahead of their own"????

Has the whole fucking country lost IQ points and become illiterate? (Geesusefffingkeerist!) :puke:

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

2. You have no idea.

I have given up. But JK? JK? Does no one read this stuff before it goes out? Where were the paper's own editors? :-(

[kerrygoddess]

3. It's called trusting spell check

People use spell check on WORD and rely on it far too much. Run that paragraph through spell check and it passes. It's not gramatically correct but it passes.