A few weeks ago, Democrats paraded out 12 year-old Graeme Frost as the poster-child for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)—a program that covers healthcare for children of low-income families.

"The unspoken truth is that this bill is simply a first step towards universal healthcare." -Glenn Beck

As Graeme read the Democrat’s weekly radio address that Saturday, he told the nation about the tragic car accident that had put him in a coma. Then he said the magic words, “if it weren’t for (SCHIP), I might not be here today.”

The whole carefully orchestrated event would’ve been perfect, if it weren’t for one teeny-weenie little problem: Graeme Frost isn’t really that poor.

His parents, who have four children, make about $50,000 a year and live in a home that has appreciated over 400% since they bought it. Sure, the Frosts may not exactly be the Rockefellers, but they’re not the Cratchits either.

Some right-wing bloggers have mercilessly ripped this family apart—and as an evil, heartless, conservative, you probably expect me to do the same. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but the truth is that it’s not the Frosts’ fault—it’s the fault of the brainiac politicians who made the rules. In Maryland, where the Frosts live, the program only looks at your income, not your net worth. Technically, you could win a million dollar lottery jackpot, put it in the bank, live off $45,000 a year in interest, and still qualify for SCHIP. What a great country!

Unfortunately, the insults and personal attacks have distracted everyone from what this debate is really all about: expanding the program to the middle class (in some cases so dramatically that children in families making $83,000 a year would be covered. Only a vote-pandering politician would still consider that “low-income”). They’ve also distracted everyone from something else: Graeme Frost was covered by SCHIP—the system worked!

Later today, the U.S. House is expected to vote on whether to override President Bush’s veto of a ($35 billion dollar) expansion of the program. But remember, the keyword is “expansion.” No matter what happens today, neither Graeme Frost, nor any other child currently on SCHIP will be forced off of it.

The unspoken truth is that this bill is simply a first step towards universal healthcare. It starts with the poor children, then moves to middle-class children, then to the elderly, and then, before you know it—poof!—everyone is covered. And guess who gets the privilege of paying for all that? You do! So remember, despite what the SCHIP cheerleaders say, you don’t have to choose between helping poor children or being an “evil” conservative—you can actually do both.