Why I'm Suing the Bush Administration
Somebody had to do it.
After months of negotiation and countless attempts at compromise, the Bush administration is still refusing to let New York and other states across the country expand their State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP). The president is refusing to back down from destructive new rules his Administration has imposed -- the sole purpose of which are to curb bi-partisan state efforts to insure more of our nation's children.
The reason? As the president himself put it: "I mean, people have access to health care in America. They can just go to the emergency room."
It is this politics of "not my problem" that has led to the health crisis we have today.
The bureaucratic barriers to coverage the Bush administration has imposed are not only fundamentally misguided, but also illegal...
...They conflict with the statute authorizing SCHIP. Moreover, they were issued without the opportunity for public comment, as required by federal law. Accordingly, I have joined Democratic and Republican governors from states across the country to bring a lawsuit challenging these new rules in court.
It didn't have to come to this. There is widespread bipartisan support for expanding SCHIP. Even many members of the president's own party have recognized how out-of-touch he is with the American people, and instead have chosen to support compromise legislation in Congress repealing these arbitrary rules.
Unfortunately, President Bush has repeatedly threatened to veto this bipartisan bill. In justifying his position, his administration has tapped into the politics of fear -- branding the effort as "socialism."
Of course, SCHIP has nothing to do with socialism. The government would be the payer, not the provider of care, and families would have a range of private plans from which to choose. But instead of engaging on the merits, the right wing has pulled out socialism from their parade of horribles in order to frighten the public.
The president has also said that those children who already have insurance will choose to give up their coverage in order to join the program.
If you talk to doctors, health care professionals, and state leaders across the country like I have, they know the President is flat-out wrong.
These are the facts.
In New York, we want to expand coverage to every uninsured child in our state. And even though experience at the state level has shown that few children drop their existing coverage in favor of SCHIP, we have instituted some of the most stringent protections in the country in order to both prevent any potential problem and satisfy the White House.
The Bush administration, however, refuses to compromise and work with us to cover these children.
Ultimately, the president just doesn't get it. There is a health care crisis in this country, but he continues to ignore the problem while vulnerable children without insurance "just go to the emergency room."
We all know the statistics. There are 400,000 uninsured children in New York. There are 8 million uninsured children in the United States.
These staggering figures are intolerable. On both a moral and practical level, we cannot allow this to stand. The president, however, continues to say the status quo is acceptable.
Children should not have to wait until they get sick enough to go the emergency room to receive treatment. Rather, they need preventive and primary care. Ensuring that children with health problems are diagnosed and treated in a timely manner will save money and save lives.
It is imperative that we all come together to reverse the Bush administration's attempt to override the will of Congress, the will of the states, and the needs of our children.
We will continue to defend our nation's kids - even if the President will not.
This morning I gave a speech to Fordham University students. SCHIP was among the topics. A video is available here.
Cross posted at Daily Kos.
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The Republican Philosophy?
Abide by the US Constitution which mentions nothing about healthcare. The founders provided a remedy called AMENDMENTS. Lets vote on Universal Healthcare using the amendment process as intended.
What exactly does the Constitution say about the Internet, the Stock Exchange, Cell Phones, Cialis, Space Exploration, Immigration, ?????
Governor, where shall I send my Spitzer for President campaign donation?
I think Bush is a total bust when it comes to health plans period. I work in the insurance industry and not everyone can afford these private plans out there. What they can afford is not good coverage. My sister is married with 2 children and had to pay almost $800 for coverage and still didn't get good benefits. My opinon is that whatever we can do to help familes that aren't "rich" get good,fair health coverage.
his really goes beyond childern
Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper Just make a one payer system. Make Medicare our national health insurance. Pay for it by putting a flat tax on wages and investment income (so the rich also have to pay) and contiributions by (taxes on) big business. The one payer system will eliminate the need for doctors and healthcare providers to have 5 or 6 or more administrators who each deal with specific insurers and their plans. Also, medicare has about a 5% administration cost compare to private insurers that have over a 50% administration cost (including their profit; which means, they are making money on sick people).
Of course, the republicants will be against it and the insurance companies will be against it. Honestly, they could give a rats behind if some of the american people dont have insurance as long as they can make money off those that do.
Riddle me this: why does george w. bush hate poor sick children?
I know someday soon you will be our Democratic candidate for president. Could you hurry a bit? We're desperate for someone with exactly the right stuff.
Kudos, Governor!
I support any and all efforts to give the American citizen healthcare. We stand out as a major industrialized country who treats it's tax paying citizens with contempt. I can barely afford health care ($480.00 per month with a $10,000.00 deductable), but noone will SELL it to me as I have moderate high blood pressure (probaably caused by the frustration of attempting to get coverage for the last 6 years).
Last years I suffered a fall that resulted in a scalp laceration. Admittedly, I had consumed a bit too much holiday cheer. I was arrested and handcuffed while seated in my kitchen after REFUSING medical attention. Loaded into a county EMS unit, I was transported 41 miles to the nearest ER. This is where Bush says we can all get medical care. The EMS ride was $1150.00. The cost of admittance to the ER was $1800.00. While there I was subject to an MRI, 2 CAT scans, 2 x-rays and every test save a mammogram and a PAP smear, which as a man, would be hard for them to justify. All that cost me an additional $3800.00. In the following weeks I recieved additional physician's bills for the following: taking the MRI, CAT and X-rays - reading afore mentioned and then surgical consultation and the eventual surgery. This added another $1700.00.
Six hours later I left the ER with 3 (THREE), uno, dos, tres, staples to close a one inch laceration! My neighbor was a P.A. and could have stitched me in the kitchen, but the police would not let her enter the property.
That's $2816.67 US dollars a staple!
The Cold War and OUR fear of Socilaism ended for US long before the gov't stopped using it as a tool designed to cause anxiey enough to keep US under control (Familiar?)
Since Congress has shown it is merely another tool for this admins agenda and has taken away OUR RIGHT TO IMPEACH, do what ever you can to help get US back on the path by which the USA is guided by- our Constitutional rights and freedoms. Can you bring criminal charges- Reckless endangerment, Indifference to human life...any
Bravo, Gov. Spitzer! You and Gov. Corzine have demonstrated that being wealthy does not necessarily blind a person to the misfortunes of others. Certainly neither president Bush has that insight, and with the son, it's hard to account for the ill will and vindictiveness that he brings to the job, since he seems to have been denied nothing.
I'm proud to live in a state like NY that recognizes that immigrants, even without papers, are people too. And to all those posters who think they should be denied health care, just remember that immigrants pick the apples that you forget to wash, prepare the inexpensive meal that you eat out, and pass along that communicable disease for which they are denied treatment. And do you really think it's better to have untested drivers from unindustrialized nations on the highway than to make sure at least that they know the rules of the road? Spitzer's decision to license everyone was as wise as his decision to extend health care to more children.
The tough work of creating universal health care and crafting fair and enforceable immigration and trade policies lies ahead of us, but until Washington has the courage to take on the lobbies that prevent that, I'm all for intelligent stop-gap remedies.
Excellent, excellent comment. I couldn't have said it better. A fellow New Yorker who totally agrees with you.
Eliot Spitzer for President.
We need someone with integrity for a change.
Bush, his friends and family, all receive the best government care taxpayers can't afford. These evil amoral monsters want the poor and working class to just die if they cannot provide for these noble lords. They have decided that hundreds of millions of Americans of all ages should die prematurely, because of poor or no medical care. This is true genocide, not unlike Paul Pott and his Cambodian campaign.
I agree wholeheartedly with your message. Our recourse as constituents is to pass legislature which pitts our congress and reps with the same arena of problems we face as citizens of this freat country. Level the ball field and I guarantee they will start to act the way we would ourselves act in voting.Rem
Sorry but it was NY, NJ and a few other high cost of living states that handed the opposition a huge cudgel to beat up the proponents of the program.
It is those states with their obscenely expensive housing costs that are wailing that the want the program expanded up to 400% FPL or that $80,000 plus for a family of 4.
That was a stupid stupid move.
It was trying to solve a localized problem (NYC costs) with a national rule.
A family with $80,000+ in NYC maybe pushed to pay for housing but in my area, that is 66% higher than the median household income.
If NY wants to cover families that are over that 250-300% FPL ($50,000 - 60,000 +/-), then New York CAN PAY FOR IT themselves.
Other choice is the fools who try to live in places like NY without the income to match and fall betwenn 250/300% FPL and 400% FPL, can move somewhere else in the US.
NY certainly can pay for it itself: as a New Yorker, here's the deal I'll offer: the US government can stop sending $$ to NY, and NY stops sending $$ to the federal government. Let's see who cries ouch first. For many decades, New York has been paying more than its share of federal expenses while other places [probably including where you are from judging from your tone] have been paying less than their share and getting more than their share in federal $$ [Newt Gingrich's exurban Atlanta district was a perfect example of such a freeloader even while Newt and his Repubs complained in tones similar to yours].
Thank you, Gov. Spitzer! You have a fine reputation dealing with elite criminals. With this issue, the nation is grateful for your courage, your tenacity and ability. But don't stop when Chimpy rolls over; go after the Bush Crime Family enablers that gleefully propagate miseries to extract profits. One big plus: No greater job security anywhere else! One big minus: the Chimpy's Crime Family doesn't like a fair fight. Summary: the nation is on your side.
Fantastic. I wonder if Governor Spitzer could organize a group of the powerful to sue Bush over his misuse of National Guardsmen in the Bush Iraq war. After all, he got into the Air National Guard during Vietnam to get out of going. I believe a mere 1 to 2% of guardsmen at that time were called to serve.
You don't work for me, but I appreciate the effort you are making for your bosses (state citizens). I hope my governor recognizes your effort too.
This is great news. Can you start impeachment proceedings next for Cheney & Bush?
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