Doug Grow - Autistic Republican Kids Should Get No Treatment
Posted by Andy on October 30th, 2005
Doug Grow, Strib hack, seems to believe that Republican children don’t deserve equal medical treatment. In a story about Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey, Grow harps on Carey’s autistic son’s treatment. Grow implies that since Carey is a self-described conservative, and a Republican advocating against bigger government, that he should not get treatment for his son.
It’s so easy to have a philosophy. But so hard to live it.
Take the case of Ron Carey, who became chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota in June because many party activists feared that Gov. Tim (No New Taxes) Pawlenty was becoming too big a spender.
It is, said Carey, a wonderful program. His child — and the children of many others — have made huge strides through the work of the people at the center. Children of all economic backgrounds are welcome.
That’s great.
But isn’t there a conflict between Carey, the leader of a party so resistant to government spending, and Carey, the parent of a child who benefits from public spending?
Grow proves that he does little more than accept the DFL assertions that Republicans are evil, and seek to abolish State government. Republicans and fiscal conservatives do not seek spending cuts at all costs. We seek a smaller more responsible government that can help those in need in the best way possible, like autistic children. But we do not believe in creating a system of state government where there is everything for everyone. The most effective way to do this is by reducing taxes, in order to make the government prioritize spending to where it is really needed, not where certain people want it to go.
So should Carey let his son go untreated? That is what Grow seems to be getting at. I know first hand how the proper treatment can help an autistic child since I have a member of my family who is autistic. Should that child go with out treatment since I am a Republican?
I understand that most of us live contradictory lives. Many of us who claim to be environmentalists drive pickup trucks. Many conservative farmers are happy to accept their subsidy checks. Many supporters of the war in Iraq don’t encourage their own children to join the military.
But most of us aren’t in Carey’s shoes. We don’t lead political movements so resistant to public spending.
Grow, since you take to the pages of a big market newspaper to change the world you live in, should be held to the same standard as politicians. (You’re doing the same thing)
To me this looks like yet another attempt to criminalize politics, well, Republican politics. Grow seems to believe that if one is Republican, they must live in a separate world. He seems to follow the line of liberal reason where this is the DFL’s state, and if Republicans don’t like it, they should leave. That Republicans shouldn’t use mass transit. That Republicans shouldn’t use public education. That Republicans should not support any public assistance of any kind, and MUST make sure that they do not use anything that has received public money. He seems to think that Republicans should be isolated from the rest of society.
Carey says spending on such programs as those offered by the Minnesota Autism Center define the whole notion of “compassionate conservatism.”
“Government by nature is not bad,” Carey said. “It’s abuse that’s bad. It’s waste that’s bad.”
Get it yet Grow? There is waste in government, and Republicans just want to get to the bottom of that.
Carey said that having an autistic child “has made me a better person. But it hasn’t changed me from being a conservative Republican.”
That’s what liberals don’t get. They assume people like Carey are not human since they don’t miraculously become flaming liberals since he has a child with above average educational needs. Similar to Grow’s earlier statement where he implied that if you drive a pick up, you hate the environment.
People like Grow are doing nothing for the political discourse in Minnesota. He skirts the entire argument he brought up. this has nothing to do with Carey, his son, or the autism center. This is all about the fact that Republicans and Democrats have a completely different vision of what Minnesota’s government should look like. Republicans want a government that is mall and can effectively assist or protect the people that truly need it. Democrats want a Government with out Republicans in it, so they can create their utopia.
Their goal is the nanny state. where you can only do what the government says. You cannot speak ill of the government, and the government is god. They do not believe that government can be too big (except for the military and defense) and that no one should even question the government.
It is sad that Grow feels the need to bring Carey’s son into this, but if you can’t out debate them, drag their innocent children into the public eye for little more reason than hoping that your opponent will back off in the interest at protecting their family.
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October 30th, 2005 at 11:25 am
Grow is right! Yes, he has the answer.
Well, 1/2 the answer. I’ll be happy to meet him 1/2 way on this one!
From now on, those of us who don’t believe in big governement spending, shall not be able to to make use of big government programs. But we also get to choose to opt out of paying our portion of big government taxes.
October 30th, 2005 at 12:12 pm
One nation. One State. Not 2. Not one for us, one for them.
Are you really saying that Republicans are hypocrits if they use these programs for their autistic kids?
So every Republican that has a kid in public school is wrong to do so? You’re right, they should let their kid be uneducated & dumb on principle.
October 31st, 2005 at 1:27 am
I have little good to say about Republicans these days. After prescription drugs, outspending the Democrats, spending all their time in power worrying about the day they will lose it…
On this issue would I infer that someone who doesn’t believe in big government but uses it is hypocritical? No - we’re stuck with what we have.
But we are two nations. Liberals hate all this country stands for and wants to remake it into a socialist, Euro nation where wealth is scorned as much as religion. We are two nations. We just haven’t split yet because there is no easy terratorial divide.
October 31st, 2005 at 7:18 am
We are one nation. Period.
Maybe you’ve given up the fight against the leftist commies, but you’re in the minority.
It is incredibly sad that you think Carey should allow his kid to suffer in order to prove his conservative credit with you.
Yes the Republicans have been bad stewards of fiscal conservatism, but keep this in mind, the Democrats would have spent more. It doesn’t make it right, but don’t forget that if you turn into a crybaby and stay home, the very commies you fear will take over.
October 31st, 2005 at 12:24 pm
I did not say I think Carey should allow his kid to suffer. I said “No” I don’t think it’s being hypocritical.
I haven’t given up the fight against lefties nor have I stayed at home.
We are one nation in name only. The lefties have such hatred for America - self hate, hate for our history (we’re just imperialists forcing our beliefs on others with our might), hate for our founders (bunch of slave owners), hate for anything outside their elitist, socialist views, that you can’t call them Americans anymore. This isn’t simple dissent - they hate us. And they are willing to take over at all costs.
They are willing to lose the war in Iraq simply to win a few elections at home. That sounds more like treason than the acts of an opposition party. They have almost full control of the media (don’t forget TV, film and music) at their disposal and make full use of it everyday, journalistic integrity be damned (Rathergate) because the ends justify the means.
They’re fighting a cold war with us every bit as real as old first cold war. If our side has to give ground (increase spending, grant new entitlements, Pawlenty’s new tax) while we control the House, Senate, and White House, how can we stop them? When you try to appease them, they spit in your face (Bush gives $15 Billion to Africa, libs out of nowhere say it should be $30 Billion).
I’ve had screaming matches with my leftist mother and I know other conservatives who have experienced the same. Friends and family are split. I find very few on the other side willing to talk. Most just want to repeat what they’ve heard from other lefties, but have no depth for debate. So they get angry instead. That’s fun.
When do conservatives get rewarded for getting Republicans elected? When do we privatize PBS, cut off the NEA, close the Depts. of Agriculture, Energy, Education, etc.? Did our strategy of making the tent bigger backfire? We won more elections with ‘moderate’ candidates and are stuck with an agenda of slow retreat? Again, am I implying we should stay at home? No. But I do advocate fighting like hell. For example, if Alito is filibustered, then we should move to change the rules on judicial filibuster because they damn well will when it’s their turn.
October 31st, 2005 at 11:47 pm
My apps for misconstrewing.
Kudos & dittos on most of the rest of the comment.