I will stand behind the bill IF the reduce the qualification down to under $40,000 a year income from $80,000 a year income. It pissed me off when they put an TV ad out of a very well dress kid in a high end private school complaining of no health insurance. Hello, their parent made a choice - education over health. It wont surprise me that they are living in a $400,000 house.
If you are making above $40,000(in most Non-high inflated cities, thats a good pay), Your company that does not offer insurance(you should find another job soon) and you cant pay for your kid's insurance then you have a budget problem. I pay for mine and get a lot of it back in tax refund with deduction. Its not Ask what country can do for you , it Ask what you can do for your country.
We're Taking George Bush to Court
On October 2, 2007, President Bush put ideology over the children of this country by vetoing an extension to the children's health care program known as SCHIP. SCHIP funds basic health care for over 6 million of America's children in all 50 states -- mostly children from poor families with little or no access to other health services.
Here's what our President -- tone-deaf on health care, as on so many other issues -- had to say about health care back in July:
"I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room."
Unbelievable. What would George W. Bush - son of a President, grandson of a Senator - know about trying to get basic health care through an emergency room?
What would he know about the overtaxed, under-funded hospital that serves low-income neighborhoods in America's cities? Has he ever waited all day to see the traveling doctor who visits a rural community one afternoon a week? Sat in a crowded hospital triage room for four hours? Waited six weeks for an appointment at a public clinic?
Can he even imagine the desperation a parent of a sick child feels when they are turned away from medical services because they can't afford to pay?
Of course not. Instead he suggests we spend another $50 billion on the war in Iraq. How many children could be covered with even a fraction of the money we've spent on this disastrous war?
As a Governor, I'm used to getting things done. Not just talking about solutions, not just railing against injustices, but instead taking action, building consensus, and solving problems. In New Mexico, we're poised to expand the SCHIP-funded New Mexikids program (which brings immunizations, regular checkups, and other health services to 19,000 children) to cover 11,000 more kids.
Now, I'm not going to just sit by and let President Bush endanger that progress and the health of our children. We're going to do something about it.
I'm joining the Governors of states from California, New York, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington, Arizona, and New Hampshire -- and we're taking President Bush to court.
Basic health services, like immunizations and regular checkups, are one of the most cost-effective ways of giving children a leg up in life. But our short-sighted President would rather turn his back on America's children, and waste more time and treasure on his failed war. We can't stand by and let this continue any longer.
Our nation's children do not deserve to be subject to an ideological inflexibility. We must not let this happen.
Help us take President Bush to court - contact your Governor now and ask them to join the lawsuit, or sign our petition in support: http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/s/schip
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While you have in court, can you charge him with warcrimes? please? Dick too. and the rest of the chickenhawks.
Thank you, Governor Richardson.
Governor, we should think small. We could limit our ambitions with a small effort in Congress where we really don't have the numbers for a veto override. It might take years to accomplish anything when we can just sit on our hands. Keeping this out of the news will leave more time for us to grapple over the Presidential horse race, which is very fun. We really don't want this to be much of an issue, and it would damage our Republican friends who are a critical component in weaving together the fabric of America.
NOT!!!!
The resident evil in the white shit house is an absolute disgrace to America...the world?
You couldn't expect any different response from Lil Georgie:
his mother said, "Katrina worked out pretty well for those folks that ended up in the coliseum."
his dad was amazed that grocery stores had 'those counter thingys' to add up your grocery bill.
Poor Lil Georgie, he can't help it, he was born
with a silver bar up his butt and just thought his sh&% was worth more than anyone elses's....
As a former editor of New Mexico's finest newspaper (in Taos), I was once a devotee of the state's unique version of politics and an unabashed fan of Gov. Jerry Apodaca and his administration. Surprisingly, 35 years later, Gov. Richardson, you are beginning to show America the kind of political cojones that give me new reason to applaud my former home state. You almost make me want to return.
But I see that Gov. Gregoire here in Washington state is also a party to the proposed suit, so -- although your joint goal may be admirable -- I can only chip in these thoughts:
Unfortunately, like the impeachment process at this point, your proposed lawsuit against Bush would simply take more time than the pathetic fool has remaining in office.
As a result, the idea of taking Bush to court sounds about as practical as an effort to excommunicate the pope.
Let's keep this battle in Congress, where it belongs, and devote all our energies and political skills, including those of the statehouse moguls, to winning it there. The veto should get the override it richly deserves in the House.
For Bush-Cheney there's no PROFIT in insuring children, helping Katrina victims or anybody else.
There's profit in their FOR PROFIT IRAQ INVASION. They want to empty the USTreasury and your Taxpayer dollars into pockets of rich corporate welfare queen pals, corrupt contractors, Big Oil, and their greedy families.
They've proven they'll do everything to screw you and make money for themselves & pals.
he should be taken to court for war crimes but the demos lack the courage to do it.
at least george jr has proved one thing the demos are spineless.
america still in love with the two party system?
guess who told you it is the best in the world.
2008 is the year for a third party. wake up americans.
While it's hard to disagree about our failing 2 party system, I have a few questions;
Who is running on a third party ticket? What's the name of this third party? Do you really think, by 2008, that you would have a viable candidate?
There are far too many immediate dangers to our nation, so why would you vote for anybody other than the democratic nominee?
That third party, independent, vote is a big reason why we are cursed with the present dictator. Didn't you learn anything from the Nader experience???
Don't waste your vote on someone who has no chance of winning.
Karl Rove would love for dems to start voting recklessly. This is no time to be tilting at windmills.
The Bush administration is above the law.
And by threatning to take "The Decider" to court you are helping the terrorists sir.
If kids want health care they can join the Army, and kill Arabs and Persians so that the Oil and Arms dealers can make a buck. Win-Win solution !!!
How is suing bush going to allow the 'terrorists,' to win.
Win what? What terrorists? The sunni insurgents? The Shia militias? The Kurds?
Stop letting fear make your choices for you. Be an American, strong and brave. Don't be a cowering little gerbil, that buys into the doom and gloom propaganda from the right.
HA!
A noble but ultimately useless effort.
_
You're taking George Bush to court? With all due respect, Gov. Richardson, you aren't going to do any such thing. In case you haven't noticed, the President and his staff ignore subpeonas. He refuses to acknowledge Congress as a co-equal branch of government, so he certainly won't take the governors seriously. Good luck with that.
Dear Collielady,
With all due respect to you, you, and others like you, are blind. George Bush is not the first Imperial president, nor will he be the last. He is the latest in a long line of chief executives who have stretched the limits of the powers of their office.
Not only is the executive branch out of control, neither the courts no Congress recognize any limits on their powers (see U.S. Constitution).
Democrats and other socialists seem to suffer from a disease that makes them think that oppressive government works only when they are in control. When will you all realize that the problem is government, not just who is running it. If only you were against meddling domestically as fervently as you are against meddling overseas. Inconsistency is the mark of a flawed ideology.
Go for it man sue his pants off!
Taking Bush to court will do nothing. Make the people who put this terrorist in office. They put party over country. They should be held responsible. Especially the 1% who call the shots! The phony capitalists and white collar crooks need to go. Restore democracy, free us from the grip of the powerful and corrupt.
*
Kids in health crisis,
Emergency room chatter:
Impeach da bum, STAT!
*
George W. Bush has singlehandedly increased the national debt by 300 percent.. and for what, to give the rich tax cuts while American children go hungry and without basic health care..
Our soldiers die in far off lands so that corporations can increase profits and all the while, our children go without food or medicine..
We stand at the edge of the abyss and peer over.. do we fall or step back.. i say we will fall.. our politicians are cowards and whores and our voters to lazy or stupid to change direction..
good luck impeaching or suing or getting help from the powers that be.. for me and my own we will stand alone, apart from you who sell us out for a few coins of silver..
.
Does the definition of children include individuals up to the age of 25 like this bill does as well as families making up to 82,000.00 a year like this bill does? Every family that the Democrats have paraded to the newsmedia were eligible for free health under the old SCHIPS plan. Drop the age to 21 and lower the eligibility income and I will support this bill. Who is kidding who, this is another attempt at National Health Care. Does anybody on this blogg realize that in England consumers of National Health Care are pulling there own teeth as well as paying extra to get private Healthcare because the National Healthcare system is in pieces. Is this the kind of system we want because that is what will happen eventually?
pa, the bill's age deadline right now is 19. It does NOT cover families who make $82,000 per year.
Every industrialized country in the world has a national health care system EXCEPT the usa. And Im sure most of them have some problems but at least they HAVE national healthcare.
If youre going to criticize something at least read up on it before you make yourself look like a complete and utter fool!!
First, I wonder if the bill really does only extend to 19 instead of 25, the backers have not said that the age of 25 has been dropped back to 19 which you think they would say if that really happened. Next, as far as I know England's and Canada's National Healthcare System are a disaster. Do we really want to emulate them? Even if there are only a small number of cases which I don't think is the case, there is really nothing you can do about it, if it happens to you. Imagine, being a recipient of an apology from a government agency because we killed your husband due to gross negligence. In a private system you would at least have the choice of sueing the corporation responsible. What can you do to a government agency? I know our system has many problems but I don't believe emulating England or Canada is the answer. There system has terrible problems has well, maybe even worse then ours. Be careful what you wish for because you might get it.
Steorn the solution to global Warming can be found at http://www.steorn.com
pa104inf, is this real or just an expensive trailer for some big-budgeted, lame movie? i looked at it and it seems like an elaborate college fraternity prank! i hope it is real and will someday work. maybe this is the "sounds-too-good-to-be-true" exception to the rule!
I wish the state's governors would unite in this effort to expand the CHIP program. There are over 47 million uninsured and more under-insured in this country. Proper basic medical and dental care: nutrition, immunizations, etc. can stave off disease, infection and illness which costs far more to treat, forces parents to lose time off work, and can be contagious to others, or miss instructional time in school.
Cuba, far poorer than the U.S., provides cradle-to-grave healthcare for its citizens. In fact, we're the only industrialized, western and affluent country in the world that does not.
Over half of all bankruptcy filings are caused by huge medical bills, forcing families to liquidate assets, and then work virtually as indentured servants while garnishments of wages and future earnings (up to 25% of disposable, after-tax income) is lost to them.
Of course, those in the administration and legislature do not understand or care about the plight of healthcare costs, as they receive free government-subsidized state-of-the-art medical and dental care at tax-payer's expense. They'll never know what it's like for a family to have to decide whether to buy food, pay rent or provide life-saving medical care or medicine for a child or spouse.
They're reaping grotesque profits off this war which is bankrupting our country ($9-trillion debt--up from $4-trillion when Bush took office), whie claiming they're being fiscally responsible in denying health care to children and under-funding public education.
They're pro-life when it comes to an unborn fetus, and wanted to intervene to save Terri Schiavo, but don't care a whit about those who are alive.
not blind, beautifully said! thank you!
Medicare for all except Giglawyer. He will have to go to the ER if he gets sick.
Yahooooo!!!!
A Nation of LAWS.
Conceived, by the LAW.
Ratified as THE LAW!
Why not,,,,, employ the THE LAW!
WE the People, of the United States of America, in order to defend against named and delineated acts of division, disloyalty, corruption, extortion of public funds and dishonor to the Nation and Constitution and reputation of same, do hereby attest and affirm, that one George W, Bush has willfully committed crimes against humanity, deceived the American people, with malice and forethought and with direct, intractable disregard of the prohibitions and protections of the Constitution, do now proceed in UNITY and with the utmost haste to seek satisfactions under the Laws of our Nation as enumerated in said Constitution and rights of assembly and petitions guaranteed therein, as said abuses of powers are to be found self-evident by action and deed and perceived by the PEOPLE of the WORLD in kind, to be in violation of the principles of the United States of America and derelict of his duties of the in fulfillment of his office as President of the United States of America.
Yahooooooo!!!!!!!
No man is above the LAW!
Yeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!
THE PEAOPLE Vs. George W. BUSH!
Free at last,,, free at last,, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY,,, FREE AT LAST!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
All the best
Knute (Neo-LIB)
"I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room."
Wow, this is "Let them eat cake" of our times...
Maybe we should bring back the Guillotine.
I guess the dipstick in chief has no idea how cost-INEFFICIENT that is.
Many taxpayers are forced to bankroll an unjustfied war we have'nt supported and don't approve of..By supporting childrens healthcare I feel at least some of my taxes are going to a cause I feel is necessary and useful for a brighter future for our country.I'm tired of my taxes paying for private contracter friends of the White House. We should get to choose where our tax dollars go when we pay them in April...
Taking Bush to court would be a waste of time and money. Congress is the body that has to stop him if he is to be stopped. Bush is right you can go to an emergency room they can not turn you down legally. Right.? In some cases the e.r. can turn you away and if they do not you had better have insurance or you will be turned over to a collection agency or a lawyer. This action by the Hospital totally ruins your credit. Bankruptcy? forget it medical bills are forever. Remember the bankrupycy reform act. YEAH. When The Government says REFORM you can bet on two things. The rich will get more breaks and the poor will get screwed.
One of the hospitals in my hometown gives away 8 figures a year in unrembursed care. Most of it through the ER. (I'm in upstate NY) Sure they go to court to get some back which is why the fiugre is only 8 digits. But a lot just gets written off as not worth the expense of going to court or collections because the person hasn't got enough to make it worth the costs. Who pays off the 10+ million? Everybody else.
It's too bad Richardson is putting politics before facts. He is usually better than that...
Here are some facts
*Under the bill passed by congress and vetoed by the President, it would have increased the family income levels from $40K to $84K related to eligibility.
* 24 year olds would have been considered kids in certain instances.
* 1.5 million children currently covered by private plans under their parents employers coverage could have dropped out and moved to the free government run program.
* Their was no monitoring program in place to insure the kids got into the program. Currently, over 600,000 kids eligible for this program do not participate because their parents do not file the proper paperwork or contact the proper state angency. In effect, they continue to go to emergency rooms and get care that is 10 times the cost of a doctors visit.
Please anyone name one program that the government has ever run that was better than that found in the private sector.
I'll name one: Medicare. Its administrative cost is less than 10% of what it takes in. No private HMO can claim to do as well.
And, every major industrialized nation but us.
Well, those were some "half" facts.
The actual federal government cap for SCHIP would be 60K for a family with FOUR or MORE childeren. And 61,950 is not that much when you have that many children (private insurance would cost thousands of dollars for each). The states could choose to raise this cap, out of their own pockets, as Hawaii and New Jersey have.
The federal age limit would be 19, not 24, though states may raise this limit until 21, if they choose.
The final bill vetoed by the president was H.R.976, feel free to look it up in the congressional library, if you want some real "facts". http://thomas.loc.gov/
pjcpa- You're cherry picking your facts. The truth is that less than 2% of SCHIP enrollees migrate from private insurance. The 84K income level applies only to a family of 4 in New York City. NYC us an expensive town to live in. You have to spin your argument because you're on the wrong side of this thing. Based on the cavalier attitude you take toward healthcare for lower-middle class children, I'd bet that you're doing just fine for yourself. Your inability to grasp the urgency of the situation disqualifies you from participating in the discussion.
Try Medicare, for one. When I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield, New York Life and Great West, I had to call them every time I had a claim for, at minimum, the 1st six months of coverage. The problem was that I exceeded the annual deductible with the 1st visit each year. They weren't planning on that, since I was in my 20s and 30s. I got sick and tired of insisting those companies pay their contacted amounts within 3 months. Ultimately they did, but their dragging out the inevitable didn't make my life any easier. I had enough on my plate dealing with cancer.
Posted October 16, 2007 | 12:35 PM (EST)