As you may recall, Congressman Tim Walberg voted against re-authorizing funding for children's health care (twice), a move that has brought the congressman considerable (and deserved) criticism.

I mean, let's be serious here. The man voted against helping children in a bill supported by the insurance industry and the AARP, and he tries to say that he voted against it because it was "socialized medicine" and a "nanny-state" and hurt senior citizens. This was a chance to help children in need, and he blew it. But it's never about doing the right thing for Tim Walberg. It's about doing whatever the Club for Growth tells him to do. So, it was a dumb move on every level.

That's why I was very pleased to see that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is going to be running a series of ads in the districts of vulnerable Republicans who voted against the bill. (Thanks, lpackard.)

Here's the radio ad that's running in the 7th District:

Text of the Ad, "Simple Choice," Against Kuhl and Walberg Follows
"Nearly 700,000 children here in New York risk losing their affordable, quality health insurance, while Congressman Randy Kuhl receives his health care at taxpayers' expense.

"With the State Children's Health Insurance Program – SCHIP – set to expire, Congressman Kuhl has a choice to make.

"Continue to stand with President Bush or with American children.

"SCHIP will expand health care coverage for nearly 10 million children, and is funded by a 61 cent increase in the tobacco tax.

"Congress and 49 governors from across the country support SCHIP.

"Yet President Bush threatens to veto it SCHIP and Congressman Kuhl stands with him –instead of kids.

"Congressman Kuhl has a simple choice: give 10 million children the health care they need or turn his back on those children.

"Call Congressman Kuhl [Walberg] and tell him to stand with kids, NOT George Bush."

Disclaimer:
Paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, www.dccc.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.

Obviously, with Walberg's name instead of Randy Kuhl (and, I hope, with Michigan data instead of New York). There's also a robocall running:

Robo Calls
In addition to radio ads, the automated calls will made in each of the targeted districts (with the exception of NJ-03) encouraging constituents to call their Republican Member and support children's health care. Lisa Matzenbach, a mother of a chronically ill child on SCHIP, recorded the calls. Lisa and her daughter live in Joe Knollenberg's district. The text of the call follows:

"I am Lisa Matzenbach calling on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

"My daughter, Liane, has a chronic illness. Even though I work full time, I can't afford her care without SCHIP – the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

"Congress recently passed legislation to provide SCHIP health care to over 10 million uninsured American children.

"But, Congressman Joe Knollenberg and President Bush are against providing more than 118,500 Michigan children access to the health care they desperately deserve.

"Please call Joe Knollenberg at (248) 851-1366 and tell him it's time he put our children first."

Again, with Walberg's information, not Knollenberg. I'm not normally a fan of robocalls-- as Sharon Renier learned, they can be used against you as a nasty campaign tactic and they can be kind of annoying. Still, it names the organization-- the DCCC-- at the start of the ad, so that's something.

Regardless of tactics, I'm glad to see them bring up this issue. Walberg is just plain wrong on it (for a refutation of the Bush-Walberg version of the story, click here), and he's on the wrong side of popular opinion as well.

By the way, if you want to read one local SCHIP related story, be sure to check out this article from the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Labels: 110th Congress, DCCC, Health Care, Issues, Tim Walberg