GOP To Poor Kids: Better Not Get Sick

AP:

House Democrats failed Thursday to override President Bush's veto of their pre-election year effort to expand a popular government health insurance program to cover 10 million children.

The bill had bipartisan support but the 273-156 roll call was 13 votes short of the two-thirds majority supporters needed to enact the bill into law despite Bush's objections. The bill had passed the Senate with a bigger than two-thirds majority.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[sdskelton03]

The Republicans are not "blocking" anybody's health care. They are correctly (and couragously) standing firm that middle class parents should pay for their own kids health care.

SCHIP was designed to pay for poor kids health care. Even us evil Republicans are in favor of that. It's not the kids fault that their parents are poor.

I agree with the republicans that forcing the taxpayers to pay for the health insurance of someone making 300% the poverty level is absurd. In some states that is as much as $83k per year for a family of four.

It takes courage to stand up to all the vote buying the democrats (and some republicans) are doing on this.

Use my tax dollars to defend me, build infrastructure, regulate industry ect...But middle class familys can buy thier own damn insurance.

By the way, being a self employed single father who makes less than 300% the poverty level, I would be eligable for this.

[LaFeminazi]

Its graded based on status.

[levibatgirl]

The bastards just put another nail in the coffin of their dying political future.

Unfortunately at the expense of kids.

Cowards.

[JamesR.]

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/10/18/breaking-chris-dodd-puts-hold-on-telecom-immunity-bill/

[JamesR.]

oops

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=861

[LaFeminazi]

The first one is pretty good but slightly off topic.

;)

Reading some of the comments here JR, it just makes me wonder what the US is becoming. Its been nearly two years since I went home, I think I will give it a miss until 09. Its a pain anyway for ML with all the customs rigmarole.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Good work GOP, way to be pro-life. This is exactly the message you want to send while standing on the pro-life band wagon. Well done. Who do those kids think they are anyway.

[Ammobob]

Ya gotta love it!

[thegreatgiginthesky]

I know, how dare those children think that they deserve any consideration. If their parents can't afford health insurance then those children deserve to die. Also we should take this one step further and sterelize all the people who are poor or earn a salary below 60,000 a year. They don't deserve to procreate and have children.

[SunshineDaydream]

i'll tell you who two of them are - my kids. little girls. growing up fast. skye and marley. my girls.

you see, we own our own business. and our health insurance quotes were all over $2000 per month - and on top of that were outrageous co-pays and deductibles. we are not irresponsible parents, we just don't have the option of spending over $25,000 a year on health insurance. over $25,000 a year - who can swing that? ugh!

[LaFeminazi]

Here its a percentage of your income. If you are self employed every deduction and tax is detailed.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

You know what a repuke will tell you right?

Get another job or work 3 jobs. You don't deserve a weekend when you have 2 kids. Family time? why do you need family time???

[coonce]

This is one spot where the GOP agree with RON PAUL. During one of the last GOP debates, Ron said that the constitution says the PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

Guess the GOP really mean that.

Coonsey's View
http://www.freewebs.com/coonsey/

[drricklippin]

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT!

It will further drive one of the final nails in the Reagan/Gingrich so called Conservative Revolution coffin.

Who would be so stupid as to vote against health care for children? Only those into political self destruction!Big time.

The penultimate political mistake

Dr. Rick Lippin
http://medicalcrises.blogspot.com

[TJTelecaster]

We need the money to Kill Iraqi Children, not care for American children, get with the program it's what Jesus would want, Bush's Jesus, the Right Wing War Monger Jesus, you know...

[bikerdude]

Can't congress just put the bill right back on the agenda and send it up again? Does Pelosi have ANY leadership capabilities? We can't just let this die. Lets all call Pelosi and ask her what her plan is to have this bill succeed...

[WigWamWag]

The Congressional Democrats could better spend their time trying to stop the war rather than pushing for more socialist welfare programs.

The DNC will lose Middle America if it cannot move to the moderate center and forget about the radical liberals on the left who are always wanting more endless taxpayer supported government implemented handouts for the questionably undeserving.

No where in the constitution is it stated that anyone deserves free public health care.

Chant: Stop the war first, restore the constitution.

[BUSHLICKER07]

I feel sorry for your stupidity pal. You think children who need healhcare and due to reasons not their fault should not get it, you think this is socialist?
Listen asswipe, is it a handout that Bush, Cheney,Hastert and the rest of the hypocrite Repubs are "getting handouts" from the taxpayer? Are you concerned that billions of taxpayer money was being wasted on Republican pet projects from 2001-2007?

[LaFeminazi]

But ultimately, the president's demand for a far more limited extension of the existing insurance program held sway with enough Republicans. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) charged that "SCHIP stands for Socialized, Clinton-style Hillarycare for illegals and their parents."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101800095.html?hpid=topnews
--------------------

Oh I get it, it was just an anti Hillary vote, that just makes it fine.

[LaFeminazi]

Boehner called the ad "despicable," but public opinion polls show 75 to 80 percent of the nation supported the vetoed bill.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

National support means nothing to the Repukes. Bush is a liar and does not want to work in a bi-partisan manner. When he says bi-partisan it means anything but bi-partisan. What the people want is not important.

[GhostofBillHicks]

I have brought this up several times before here on the Post,so here it is one more time(Olbermann even made a reference to this FACT last night when talking about this story).
-The Congress and even the President and Cheney HAVE SINGLE PAYER GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE,so its good enough for THEM but not for the rest of us.YOUR and my tax money goes to pay for their coverage,and these A-Holes are rich and wealthy they could afford their own coverage,but they still get their EXCELENT HEALTHCARE at OUR expence.
Plus,look at the V.A.,my dad is a disabled vet, I would love to have his coverage.Thats paid for by OUR tax money too.
So when a GREEDY,HEARTLESS Congressman uses the "thats socialism" cop-out,just keep in mind just how hypocritical they are.
You give up your "socialized coverage" first,COMRADE!

[sdskelton03]

For your's and Mr. Olbermann's benefit:

Federal employeess (i.e. the President and congress) receive health care as part of a compensation package for the WORK they do for us!!

The aren't just given it. The EARN it. The same way employees of companies EARN their health insurance benefits!!

[GhostofBillHicks]

Man are you high or out of touch with reallity?This government isn't earning shit.WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR THE AVERAGE AMERICAN LATLEY..NOTHING!George Bush hasn't EARNED jackshit,there brilliance.Let me quess your one of those "educated idiots".How many companies offer health insurance and if they do,the deductable is so high it useless. Let me quess your a Fox News viewer,you think tax cuts for the ludicristly rich are good,corprate wealfare is good,$3 billion aweek for this clusterfuck in Iraq is GOOD,right?You probably think Bush is keeping you "safe"and is protecting you from the bad old terrorist by pissing them off more.I bet you also think Iran is going to get us.
This is for your benefit,you have EARNED this stupid,pretentious prick!I think Cavuto is on he can blow more smoke up your clueless ass!

[BUSHLICKER07]

They earn it? You just proved how brainwashed you truly are. So a famliy of 4 struggling to make it on 40-60k a year and not having health coverage from their company, they deserve what?
Millions of borderline poor DO NOT GET HEALTH COVERAGE!!! Are you that stupid or are you so indoctrinated that you cant use that tiny brain of yours? I know 2 families that have children with chronic diseases and they have to pay $1,750 a month for healthcare while they make only $45k a year. They cant pay for healthcare and food and housing etc. Can you get that through your freekin head! They are not covered by their company fucktard!

[Ammobob]

The President's plan would increase spending by 20%. Is that not enuff???? WTF????

Here's the excerpt:

Still, more than one-seventh of American children – a total of 9 million – have no health insurance. Of those, 68 percent already qualify for government help but aren’t enrolled: Nearly half are eligible through Medicaid, government’s safety net for the poorest Americans, and one fifth through S-CHIP, according to a Georgetown University analysis

So 6 million kids are presently eligible for the present S-CHIP, but aren't enrolled??? Is it advertising??? Marketing???? WHAT?

[Prolix247]

Ammo,
There is no funding left and the money GWB wants earmarked for the program is a reduction when inflation is factored in. It has been reported that by September 08' the money would run out if GWB gets his way. Then those costs would be transfered to the State for the remainder of the year.

GWB wants to reduce the amount of children currently covered while the Groppers want to make insurance mandatory.

Also Medicaid is for poor people, SCHIP was meant for lower to middle class parents.

Can you say indentured servitude? ANYONE???

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Well they have destroyed what was left of the middle class so they should all qualify for Medicaid now.

[Ammobob]

The funding is being used up at an alarming rate by states with 300-400% waiver qualifications. NJ has a 350% waiver. 16 states fund at 2.5 to 4 times the FPL. The standard of the original program was 200%. 60% of those covered in MI are adults.

The present program is being grossly abused while 6 million CHILDREN are uninsured, but eligible.

Fix the present program, then ask for more, not vice-versa.

[Ammobob]

S-CHIP is for the POOR, not eligible for Medicaid.

[Ammobob]

No takers???? Any one doing some FACT checking?

60% of those presently enrolled in MI are adults??????

[LIR]

SPIN. GARBAGE. BS.

[Ginzaman]

Impeach Bush and Cheney

[bikerdude]

and vote out of office the rest of those heartless bastards who vote to deprive children and reward the richest among us.

[Ginzaman]

All this is about is meoney and power. The rich white neocons, health insurance and drug companies would rather see the rest of us literally die than actually having universal health care. All federal govt. employees enjoy universal health care. Why is it that they're entitled to this? What really gets me is that a few people in Congress are actually doctors (or so they say). How the f**k could a doctor in good conscience say that universal health care is bad? Because they're rich white neocons who will fight you to the death before they'll give up any of their money and power.

[BUSHLICKER07]

I have totally lost any confidence in this great land of ours. We have gone so far downhill the past 7 years with this idiot in chief and the lapdog Repugs who follow the ahole on every vote. I really believe that the 30% or so of the country that is Republican are complete zombies. I hear them call in CSPAN and say this was for middle class families and this is socialism etc. That vast majority of this program was for families of 4 making under 62K a year for Christ sakes! And most of them make under 40K a year for that matter. Why are these hillbillies so damn stupid? They sit back and never comment on all the billions wasted and stolen the past 7 years, yet scream waste and socialism when it goes to line the pockets of Halliburton and Blackwater execs.

[RSU]

Spoken by someone surely does not believe in any form of individualism, personal responsibility, freedom of choice, fair and free market system, or capitalism.

Oh, how you'll miss it so when its gone.

How did America become so great withthout free health care before?

[BUSHLICKER07]

RSU,

You are a freakin idiot! You need to step away from the Right wing spin machine for a second punk. Every major industrialised country in the world has some sort of govt. sponsored healthcare, they are NOT all Socialist idiot. I pay more in taxes each year than you probably make numbnut, that gives me the right to demand something in return. Many like me would rather have our tax $$$ go towards healthcare for all and less to fund Bullsheet Wars.
Idiots like you who throw out that Capitalism and bogus free market crap are aholes. Free market for whom? 2% of the population, thats a free market? The idiot in cheif and his cronies have all but taken away any "free" choice we had, so stuff the FUX News talking points!

[Prolix247]

RSU,
We had what people called Social Responsibility. You know, the theory that since business gets to use the infrastructure paid for by the general population they had a certain responsibility to ensure the general population gets a fair livable wage.

Why did that change?

Also, there is no such thing as fair trade or free market. If that were the case why do we take money from people in the form of taxes and redistribute them to business first and social programs last? If we give business subsidies how is that free or fair?

We have a Corporative Socialist Democracy creeping into Corporative Fascistic State. And that would be Democracy with a little "D".

[thegreatgiginthesky]

The system worked then because of the availability of jobs and the non-stagnant wages that people were allowed to earn. Asking someone to work 3 jobs is easy to do for Bush who has never had to work for anything in his life. So save your whole American became great without free healthcare. Bush fucked the system when he started this mindless drive to outsource jobs. Yea it gives us cheap products, what is the point in having cheap products if no one is around to buy it or only 15% - 20% of the population can afford it.

[Rianna]

I hope the idiots who supported Bush will get a backlash from their constituents and get voted out of office.

[BUSHLICKER07]

Wont happen, most of them are from safe districts (ie. toothless south and midwest states). They know that they could vote against their own voters interests and throw out "socialized medicine" crap and those poor toothless inbred morons will suck it right up. I am convinced that it wouldn't matter to these idiots if Bush wanted to have all poor children available for Republican congressman to fondle, they would support him. They are brainwashed Fux news watching zombies.