Bush vows to veto bill that will insure 3.3 million uninsured children

[BurtWorm]

If it's for the common good--stem cell research, ending the war, insuring the uninsured--Bush will stamp it out before it has a chance to live.

Heartless bastard! *Illegitimate* heartless bastard, to boot!


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/18/AR2007071801434.html?hpid=topnews

Bush Rejects GOP Appeals to Compromise on Health Bill

By Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 18, 2007; 6:04 PM

President Bush today rejected entreaties by his Republican allies that he compromise with Democrats to renew the popular State Children's Health Insurance Program.

The president objects on philosophical grounds to a bipartisan proposal to expand the program, known as SCHIP, by $35 billion over five years, saying that would expand it beyond its target population of low-income children and enlarge the role of the federal government. He has proposed $5 billion in increased funding and has threatened to veto the Senate compromise and a more costly expansion of the program being contemplated in the House.




"I support the initial intent of the program," the president said in an interview with The Washington Post following a factory tour and discussion on health care with small-business owners in Landover. "My concern is that when you expand eligibility . . . you're really beginning to open up an avenue for people to switch from private insurance to the government."

The 10-year-old program, which is set to expire Sept. 30, costs the federal government $5 billion a year and helps provide health coverage to 6.6 million low-income children whose families do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford insurance on their own. About 3.3 million additional children would be covered under the Senate Finance Committee proposal developed by committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Republican Sens. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa) and Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), among others.

Grassley and Hatch this week implored Bush to rescind his veto threat.

...

[indepat]

1. Can't be concerned about children not having access to medical care when so many crony contractors'

mouths need to be fed green stuff.

[pinto]

2. SCHIP is funding the future. It's a good program and worth the funds.

Agggh.

This says it all, in (R)-speak:

"My concern is that when you expand eligibility . . . you're really beginning to open up an avenue for people to switch from private insurance to the government."

[sandnsea]

3. This is an SCHIP renewal??

I did not understand that, I thought it was just additional insurance. Oh I'd like to see Bush veto SCHIP, talk about the final end of the Republican Party.

Democrats shouldn't have raised the cigarette tax so much though. They need to come up with a new tax scheme. Something that would hit the big box stores since they're the ones having their labor costs subsidized with this program in the first place.

[Wiley50]

4. Is Everyone Aware that This Bill would be Funded by 57 cent/pack tax on cigarettes

I'm all for this bill
I want to help kids

But, how about taking the money from the super rich's tax break, instead?

Yes it's a nasty, unhealthful habit
But, in my case
I've been smoking for 35 years and I've tried to quit a thousand times
and in every way available
I'm resigned to the fact that I will smoke until I die

Tennessee just raised the taxes 50 cent/pack the first of this month
so, if this bill passes, in this form, that's a $1.07/pack increase on me

Why do they have to finance these things by "sin taxes"

Being a billionaire these days is a much bigger sin

[BurtWorm]

6. I also think it's a bad idea to tax smokers for other people's health care

Taxing cigarettes is the king of regressive taxation. Being an undertaxed billionaire or millionaire is, I agree, a much worse sin than being a cigarette addict.

(But...the tax on NYC smokers *was* one of the factors that helped me quit and stay off cigarettes permanently. May you find your own way to freedom.)

[shraby]

5. If the republicans are so concerned, maybe they

should put override on their agenda.