More than 119,000 Children to be disappeared in Florida

[soup]

Over 119,000 children on a waiting list for medical insurance just doesn't look good, especially in an election year. Florida Republicans have come up with a 'brilliant' method to clean up this embarrassment by simply eliminating the list.

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TALLAHASSEE - For weeks, Democrats have urged Gov. Jeb Bush and Republican legislative leaders to eliminate a waiting list for a popular children's health insurance program.

Senate Republicans want to do just that, but not the way Democrats had hoped.

Under a plan to be unveiled today, the state no longer would maintain a waiting list for the Healthy Kids program. Children who can't enroll would simply try again later.

>snip<
The image of tens of thousands of children waiting to get health insurance because lawmakers capped enrollment last year has been a sizable political headache for Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican-controlled Legislature.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/02/10/State/Deeming_waiting_list_.shtml

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*POOF - gone, what could be easier? no list - no problem

Source:
Estimated KidCare Waiting List: 119,200
http://www.healthykids.org/

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January 22, 2004

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush boasts about providing health insurance to a quarter-million poor children since 1999, but his success is clouded by a new political liability: 100,000 kids stuck on waiting lists.
>snip<

Democratic legislators dusted off an obscure state law Wednesday and demanded a special legislative session on the issue. In effect, they will force Republicans to decide whether to spend $23-million more in state this year to eliminate the waiting lists through June.
>snip<

The Democrats' message in Florida dovetails with the national party's attacks on the governor's brother, President Bush. The availability and affordability of health care coverage is a theme that will reverberate throughout this election year as Florida plays a key role in deciding who wins the White House and chooses a successor to retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.
>snip<

The action brought rebukes from Republicans.

"I think any time there is a situation where people are usurping the power of a presiding officer is dangerous, and I would predict it would be awfully difficult to get the numbers necessary," said Senate President Jim King, R-Jacksonville.

"They're playing politics with children," said Rep. Allan Bense, R-Panama City, who is expected to be the next House speaker. "Do we call special sessions every time there's a perceived need by the Democrats? I don't think so."
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/01/22/State/Fight_looms_over_kids.shtml
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***Mods note: Hope this isn't posting too much of the article, these quotes need to be seen.

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119,000 children vs. 27 electoral votes

If jeb looks good, hey, *jr looks good. If jeb looks bad - well, that just ain't going to happen

[NeonLX]

1. That's your compassionate conservatives for you. nt

!

[soup]

5. No children waiting for health care coverage

AND a tax cut. Florida's looking good for 2004, hey?

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Gov. Bush Proposes Tax Cuts In $55.4 Billion Budget
POSTED: 3:42 p.m. EST January 20, 2004

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush proposed $131 million in tax breaks Tuesday as part of a budget plan that raises state spending by $1.4 billion.

The governor's $55.4 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2004-05 comes in an election year when his older brother may need Florida's 27 electoral votes to stay in the White House.

"Lowering taxes spurs investment and growth in Florida," Bush said before announcing that he plans to cut a tax on stocks and bonds by $91 million and to give Florida shoppers a sales tax holiday worth $40 million before school starts.
news4jax Google cached article

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:long string of expletives deleted:

[camero]

2. But they can hold 3 special sessions on medical malpractice

People are too stupid here. They should have kicked these bums out a long time ago.

[Bandit]

3. Florida seems quite adept at purging lists.

That is one thing they do have down. :shrug:

[donsu]

4. watching Florida crumble

Florida is in terrible straits. safety nets and social services are all but gone.

just try to get help for anyone with an alcohol/drug/mental problem.

what Jeb has done to schools is criminal. CRIMINAL.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. If they don't exist, then you don't leave them behind, right?

I think I understand now what the slogan meant.

[tom_paine]

7. Now THAT'S a Soviet-style solution

For guys who supposedly hate the Soviets, the Imperial Family emulates them whenevr possible.

Now Putin is emulating the Imperial Family. Bye-bye, brief Russian taste of Liberty. It's a shame it didn't take Putin as long to dismantle your fledgeling democarcy as it's taking the Imperial Family to dismantle Amerika's.

Though we will eventually both wind up in very much the same place...

[Katarina]

8. Bah!

Healthcare / smealthcare. Who cares about something so unimportant! Get with the plan folks! Where are your priorities?

(/sarcasm)

We're too busy making sure flags are displayed in every classroom in the state.

(snip)A bill approved last week by the Senate Education Committee requires American flags to be front and center in every classroom in every Florida public university and school.

Never mind that a lot of them already have some kind of flag or poster, this can no longer be left to choice or chance. Never mind that only two years ago, the Legislature required a flag in front of every school. You can't have too many flags, and not dinky ones, either, the classroom flags are required to be, at least, 2-by-3 feet.

And then there is this kicker...

Now this would be an unobjectionable, if hollow, bit of election-year posturing except for one small detail. The superpatriots in the Florida Senate are refusing to pay for the flags. They want to slip the bill to local schools.

Yes, they want to require flag flying. Yes, they want to tell classroom teachers how big their flags should be and they want to ensure they are displayed prominently and not on top of a file cabinet somewhere. And especially they want to run television commercials saying vote for the guy who made sure there was a flag in every classroom.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/03ColFootnote.htm

And here is a link to the bill http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/view_page.pl?Tab=session&Submenu=1&FT=D&File=sb0612.html&Directory=session/2004/Senate/bills/billtext/html/

I'm beginning to believe that my home state is beyond help. Children with no healthcare, overcrowded schools and no money to build more, superintendents and school boards getting raises and teachers having to buy their own supplies and we are worried about every classroom having a freaking flag. I feel like I could just lay down and say "I QUIT!" I'm ashamed of my state. :(

[soup]

10. I hear ya, Katarina.

Sometimes the crap is coming from so many different directions and on so many levels, there's just no keeping up, let alone keeping sanity intact.

flags! gee, what a great idea.

Excuse me for a moment while I go bash my head against the wall.

[camero]

11. I was gonna e-mail my rep

But I'm too angry right now. Don't wanna get sent to Gitmo just yet.

[soup]

12. Getting ready to do the same.

Write - and pack.... (I'll see ya there.)

[camero]

13. I was gonna ask what they were smoking.

Must be good.

[central scrutinizer]

9. Hey, it worked for the unemployment numbers

Simply don't extend the benefits, then when unemployed workers run out of benefits, but still don't have a job, they simply fall off the back of the bus and - voila - unemployment is down!!!