Is There No Intelligence Left in the Democratic Party?

Scarecrow at FireDogLake asks a different question:

The Republicans in Congress have argued that if a 12 year old expresses a view on a public issue, he and his family are “fair game,” allowing the meanest of their supporters to investigate his family, expose their personal finances, publish their addresses and phone numbers (thus implicitly inviting right wing morons to harrass and intimidate these people).

But why shouldn’t that child or any of America’s millions of uninsured children be allowed to speak on this issue, let alone without intimidation? The issue is whether America should expand a workable program that provides health care for children whose families don’t have insurance. Millions of families don’t have insurance but their kids could get necessary health care under SCHIP. Why isn’t any child who receives care under SCHIP entitled to tell Americans that SCHIP deserves America’s support?

So exactly what it is about expressing such an opinion that turns this child or millions like him and their families into “fair game” for mean-spirited attacks, invasions of privacy, public exposure and threatening intimidation?

The issue is the disgusting decision by Democratic political strategists to use a child as a hammer to pummel Bush's decision (for whatever reason) to veto the bill. Once again, they attempt to utilize the absolute moral authority of some victim to demonstrate how heartless our President is instead of debating the merits of the bill.

What really insterests me is why the Democrats are so stupid as to use this particular child in their campaign instead of one the Republicans could never have attacked? Why not find one of the millions of inner-city children with medical problems that don't have medical insurance?

Why?

Because, most likely, those children are already covered by SCHIP. This expansion wouldn't help at all. Instead they parade out a child who's family exemplifies the reason most conservatives are against the legislation in the first place; families that can afford health care but choose not to for whatever reason. It is unfortunate that this child is involved in the debate but the Democrats pointed the laser on him and his family. Of course, this is the family that will be used to fight back.

It is just a shame that the American political system seems incapable of logical debate and needs these show-pieces in the first place.