William G. Horter – 10/19/07

This page was last updated on November 4, 2007.

No sense of shame; William G. Horter; Beaver County Times; October 19, 2007.

Yet another Bush-bashing exercise by Mr. Horter.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“In reply to letter writer Sally Cripe (‘Toeing the liberal line,’ Sunday), who says she is so proud of President Bush for vetoing the SCHIPS [sic] bill and thereby denying some 10 million children health care:

[RWC] Below is what I wrote in a comment I posted on the Times website in response to a similar letter. It also applies to Mr. Horter.

“Why does Ms. Delanko apparently believe its OK for parents to dump their childrearing responsibilities on their neighbors?

“I’m sure it was an honest oversight, but Ms. Delanko neglected to mention President Bush is fine with reauthorizing the current SCHIP program. The current program helps with healthcare for children of the poor not poor enough (up to 200% of the federal poverty level and allows states not to count certain income) to qualify for Medicaid. Incredibly, SCHIP also covers some parents. What Mr. Bush opposes is expanding the program beyond the poor and increasing the max age for covered children beyond the current 18. The current House version would triple federal SCHIP spending to $15 billion/year and the Senate version would increase it to 2.4 times the current level.

“At one point the proposal included families of four making more than $80,000/year and increased the max age for covered children to 25. Make no mistake about it; the proposed SCHIP expansion has nothing to do with “the children” as proponents would have us believe. It’s all about gradually implementing a taxpayer-funded, government-run healthcare system for the U.S.

“While I believe President Bush should veto the SCHIP expansion, I’m disappointed in him – and all elected Republicans – for not letting the SCHIP program expire on schedule.

“Do I believe people who need help because of unforeseen circumstances should get it? Of course, but via private charities funded by voluntary contributions.”

“I’d bet she is also proud of Bush for his attack on Iraq that has been such an albatross around our neck, incurring some trillion dollars in debt. Iraq, which had nothing to do with Sept. 11, 2001, and never attacked or threatened us.”

[RWC] I wonder if Mr. Horter wrote letters bashing Bill Clinton for his military action in the Balkans. As a reminder, no one in the Balkans ever “attacked or threatened us.”

“As the guy at a congressional hearing once said to U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy, ‘Have you no shame, madam?’”

[RWC] The “guy” was Joseph Welch (an attorney for the law firm Hale and Dorr) and Mr. Horter misquoted him. Mr. Welch said, “Have you no sense of decency, sir?” Yes, I am nitpicking.