SCHIP Veto

    In what has to be seen as the ultimate "win-win" (in the sense the dems win no matter what the repubs do on this), a large number of repubs voted against the SCHIP bill in effort to protect the president's veto.  Here, we have a program remarkably popular, surely consistent with God's command that we care for "the least of these," and yet, these folks in "god's own party" (small g intentional), are opposed.  Good title by Broder.  If you have connections with any of these pols, please contact them.

Comments

[DB]

From this article:
"Bush's adamant stand may be peculiar to him, but the willingness of Republican legislators to line up with him is more significant."

It IS amazing. What spirit moves these people? Bush bondage sounds funny but it true and evident here and is sooo lethal. It reminds me of rebelious bondage of the Hebrew people first to call for a "king". In just one generation creating, singing divine psalms while during the 3rd king's reign it's back to the pagan alters again... and him the king who was touted to be "wise" and a temple builder while committing frati(1/2)cide of sorts and enslaving the people into a system for the rich to get richer... but what to expect from the spoiled child of a former king.

[FreeInSeattle]

In the interest of intellectual honesty, I hope that you will acknowledge that Bush has called for a $5B expansion of the program to cover more children in the gap between Medicare and self-sufficiency. The congress has responded by expanding the program to include 25 year olds, families with up to $60K annual income and a special provision in NY state for certain families with up to $83K annual income.

You characterize it as opposition when in fact the debate is about the degree of expansion and there is reason to think that Bush would have supported an increase of up to $12B/year.

Your "win-win" comment is as telling as the "save the children' hyperbole being trotted out by the Dems; This smells of a political scam where it doesn't matter how much Bush had agreed to expand the program, the Dems would have overshot the target just to force the administration to veto and provide them a cheap avenue of rhetorical attack.

[Future Pediatrician]

I appreciate intellectual honesty, but it is necessary to evaluate exactly what Bush's "expansion" actually would mean. It is projected that $5B over 5 years would not be enough of a funding increase to sustain the program at current levels, given inflation and the rising costs of medical premiums. Under Bush's plan, kids who already have insurance would lose it.

The compromise bill included $35B over 5 years, or $5B a year, not up to $12B a year. Bush was also inaccurate in saying the bill would cover a family earning $83,000/yr. New York wanted to expand the bill to cover 4x the poverty limit ($82,600/yr, which isn't that much for a family of four living in NYC), but in the bill that passed only families making 3x the poverty limit would qualify for assistance. Either President Bush deliberately lied in his national address justifying his veto or he was ignorant of even the most basic details of the bill he vetoed.

I don't think the Democrats asked for more money just to make Republicans and the President look bad - they asked for more money because more is needed in order to ensure that EVERY child in this country has access to high quality, affordable health care. In trying to deny that to kids the Republicans make themselves look bad enough on their own.

[JP]

The person (DB) above is clearly just spewing FOX NOISE NON NEWS! FOX says it, and these people believe it and regurgitate it! They believe and will follow whatever BUSH, and thus FOX, say, even when they know in their hearts he is wrong. They don't want to admit who they voted for is a complete imbecile and should be IMPEACHED and IMPRISONED.
FOX NOISE... DUMBING YOU DOWN!