[cross-posted at JohnKerry.com]
If there's anybody left who doubts that "compassionate conservatism" is an Orwellian smokescreen for the same old Republican policies, the President's actions around SCHIP should put that to rest.
After promising he'd work on "expanding health care for children," the President has now unilaterally declared war on a successful, wildly popular program that gives health care to millions of low-income kids.
Democrats see a successful program, S-CHIP, and they see 11 million kids still uninsured in the richest country in the world, and they want to build on what works and expand it. Makes sense, right? But this White House is so hell-bent on denying the Democratic Congress a victory, the President's threatening to veto health care for kids.
This is the same guy who never met a Republican spending bill he couldn't sign. Not one. $300 million bridge to nowhere? Pass the pork. Half-trillion dollars on the road to quagmire in Iraq? Bring it on. But a few billion a year for health care for millions of kids? Forget it. Not this President. Not the "compassionate conservative."
This time the President's "coalition of the willing" is even more puny: a handful of right-wing ideologues who put half-baked economic theories above the all-too-real health problems of poor children and the bipartisan advice of, well, just about everyone else. Families support it. Doctors support it. Hospitals support it. Many Republican governors support it. Hell, even insurance companies like this bill!
This is a bill that just passed the Senate with a whopping 69 votes!
The President still says he's committed to "expanding health care to children" but his machinations on this issue tell a different story -- this is what happens when people who hate government run our government: we get regulators who don't regulate, "heckuva-job" cronies, and trickle-down tax cuts that leave middle class families feeling tricked on.
For Republicans, this S-CHIP bill is the worst threat of all: a bipartisan bill to expand a government program that actually works, and a chance for this Democratic Congress to deliver. That's like kryptonite to Republicans, who honestly seem to think that America's gain would be a Republican loss if it's passed by a Democratic Congress.
I wasn't kidding when I said that these guys have declared war on children's health in this country. The President didn't just threaten to veto a bill--he's welching on his promises to governors to fund the programs they put in place. He put up a slew of arbitrary new red-tape for states trying to enroll kids in S-CHIP, but worst of all, he took steps that will actually kick kids off their health insurance in Massachusetts.
After signing deals with states to finance families with incomes up to 300% of poverty, the Administration has now drawn an arbitrary line in the sand at 250%-- which sounds like a lot until you realize just how ridiculously low the poverty line is, and how shockingly expensive health care has become. Insurance is up 73% in the last 5 years alone.
Don't believe me that 250% is too low? Just ask Bush's former Budget Director, Mitch Daniels. Think 250% of poverty should make you too rich for government to help with your kids' health insurance? Not in George Bush's America. It's $50,000 for a family of four. You know how much that family pays for health insurance? $12,000. Those families aren't trying to cheat the government. For them it's S-CHIP or no health care at all. These same families will end up costing everyone more money when their kids end up in the emergency room--which this President seemed to think is a good substitute for health insurance. It's not compassionate, it's not really conservative, and it sure as hell isn't smart.
If we don't fund children's health care soon, our kids could lose their coverage. This President is playing a game of chicken with our children. S-CHIP is the kind of program that lets kids get the care that prevents a girl with an earache from losing her hearing, or helps a boy who can't read so well get the eye exam that lets him know he needs glasses so he can read the chalk board at school.
This may sound corny but it's true: You can't put a price tag on having healthy, happy children. I fought hard in the Senate to expand this program by $50 billion, just like the House did. In the end, we didn't have the votes, and I supported a $35 billion increase as the best option on the table. Lots of Republicans voted for it--people like Orrin Hatch of Utah. That put right-wing hysterics and hucksters in a tough spot: is Orrin Hatch part of a secret plot to socialize medicine? Is Orrin Hatch part of a vast left-wing conspiracy?
Those Republicans willing to stand up and do the right thing threw a wrench in the usual tactics of fear--demonizing good social policies that help real Americans as "socialized" or "European" when actually they're just smart. But some Republicans would rather cover for the ideologue-in-chief than cover America's children. It's time for the rest of the Roadblock Republicans to show some spine and override the President's veto.
America's families don't care where their insurance comes from--parents just want to make sure that when their kids get sick, they'll get the treatment they need.
Republicans have to stop blocking every bill this Democratic Congress passes. Delay used to be just one thuggish Congressman--now it's become the Republican way of life. Today many Republicans joined me and voted to pass a bill that will insure millions of uninsured kids across America. But now they need to show the fortitude to stand up to this President and either force him to sign the bill, or maintain their votes and override his veto. Because if they can't hold their noses and work with Democrats to do what's right for America's kids, at least have the decency to get out of our way.
I believe if you were, we would not be talking about hoping to win the White House come 08. We would win.
We have unresolved problem with the election system. We could make the voting machines fraud proof by having it print name of candidate(s) voted for.
We should then randomly call about a thousand voters asking who they voted for and making sure they match what was captured by the machines. No one would ever complain again of election rigging and the like.
We should do away with useless divisive questions. We had a gay marriage ammendment here in Tn. We were told if we did not go vote against it, it would be as if we were consenting to gay marriage. A lot of Republicans turned out because of the lie.
I don't know where the misinformation came from but it was rampant. It all started with "hey have you heard?".
I could not vote for you because I was told I did not register soon enough or some cr@p like that. We need to get all these things straight before the next election. Thanks.
1--If smokers are as poor and tacky as the current propaganda would have it, isn't this a regressive tax?
2--If the increased tax forces a lot of smokers to quit, where's the SCHIP funding headed?
This plan is sheer cowardice on the part of the Democrats. Fund the war from general revenue but fund children's health insurance by taxing a maligned minority whose numbers are supposedly dwindling.
But if you're still in favor of SCHIP, start smoking again...after all, it's for the children!!!
"Because if they can't hold their noses and work with Democrats to do what's right for America's kids, at least have the decency to get out of our way."
I'm sure kids won't mind paying for anything we can't put a price tag on. Don't worry. Buy now, pay later.
Thank you for addressing important issues by throwing us a bone every now and then.
We are not wealthy, nor are we poor. We both have full-time jobs, and we live a nice, normal, middle-class existence. We are exactly the family that President Bush would like to see denied access to S-CHIP -- which, by the way, would completely cover the costs of our sons various therapies.
We don't have an extra $25,000 just lying around ... who does? So I have to ask President Bush, what are we to do? Should we just give up on our son because we can't afford to treat him, even with private insurance? Would that have been a permissible course of action were it one of HIS daughters in such dire need of services? It is a devastating diagnosis...to acknowledge that the 'normal' life you dreamed of for your child will never come to pass is unbelievably painful. But to have that tragedy compounded by the knowledge that you can't afford to get your child appropriate treatment, and that you can't rely on your government for help, is the ultimate slap in the face. I am once again embarassed by this administration, and I cringe at the thought of the decades of damage we'll be forced to undo once GWB is finally out of office.
Since you've met Bush and you know behind the scenes stuff, is Bush this evil? Like when you talk to him and look him in the eyes, are you compelled to grab a cross and a bushel of garlic?
Seriously. Why is this man so heartless?
That being said - be prepared for more inane arguments that are almost branded into politics because of money - the business impact. More simply - good health is bad for the medical business, the insurance business, the pharmaceutical business and many other industries that are now on auto pilot. It's sad but by not facing our own greed we compound this into misery.
Equially disturbing are the discussions that people create against a socialized medical system with only an opinion that has been adopted rather than reasoned. It is alarming to witness an American citizen (albeit his right, for now anyway) to speak with such vitriol against a alternatives to the corporate grab-fest we call health care in this country, completely subsidized by their very own tax dollars.
The straw man arguments have a life of their own. Never have so many people spoken with such authority about a subject they know so little about. What a success for the prevaricators that created an army of resistance to protect the corporate royalty of the medical / health / pharma elite. It is mind boggling.
This combat about SCHIP is the school play version of the epic Broadway version.
Thank you so much for you strong support of SCHIP. We as a nation need to realize how much money its citizens pay for health care already. I for one am tired of subsidzing Walmart. I'd rather put my money to better use. If that ridiculous man in office we have to call president can't be talked out of slapping a veto on this bill, I sure hope congress can come up with an override and finally show this man up!!
Let's see... the Dems have a 51-49 majority in the Senate, Lieberman currently caucuses with the Dems.
What do you THINK he's threatening them with?
I posit this is a political nightmare for "W"-the perfect storm. The average American, who doesn't have time or energy to dig into the SCHIP legislative details would see "W" as a cruel and venal person to even imagine not providing health care to US children.
I CHALLENGE HUFF POST READERS- WHAT COULD MORE EMOTIONAL THAN THAT TOPIC?
Yet Bush in his typical self destructive stubborn style digs in his heels on any legislation that smacks of more government involvement in health care. This -despite the embarrassment of our failed US system against our peer nations.
He loses either way if he vetoes because the nation is ready for more government in health care.
What better place to start than with our children?
Hillary, with whom we identify with children's issues, will destroy "W" on this veto!
As for me, I am for prevention (individual AND institutional) as the only way out of this whole health care mess in this country and abroadâ€.
Dr. Rick Lippin
http://medicalcrises.blogspot.com
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.
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I agree. You should be the one payer, as it was before. If you can go into debt buying a car, house, or anything else, you should be able to go into debt owing for services a doctor or hospital provides for you. it also might encourage people to take better care of themselves.
I've finally gotten my blood-pressure down and I'm permitted to watch the news with the family again - but it won't be long before I'm hauled out again for covering the screen with spittle while screaming half-way across the room.
The present dialog reminds me of companies that I've consulted for - where conversations were almost entirely constructed with professional jargon, letters and codes. Quite often it's good shorthand - but dangerously, others use it to exclude people, competition or challenge from discourse. The medical and insurance companies have framed the argument and defined the lexicon.
One of these days, one of our leaders is going to call a moratorium on use of language created to obfuscate the facts and people will begin to have a more suitable, reasonable and thoughtful conversation about their health and their government. When this happens - ALL of the politicians playing this game - on both sides of the aisle are going to scorned for continuing the game on behalf of their benefactors. But more importantly a real American dialog will take place in living rooms and kitchens and coffee houses and ... you get the picture.
We just can't have it until someone starts to explain this in a language that invites debate and thought - not this Insurance professional and accountant's speak.
well, how about plane loads of American coffins being shipped home - of course, we aren't allowed to see that so it's a non-issue.
or how about bloody corpses of women and children in Iraq? -- oh, yes, we aren't allowed to see that either, another non-issue.
Dr. Rick, I do hope that majority of Americans are allowed to be exposed to the truth on the S-CHIP issue. However, I have little faith in our MSM to get any of this information out to the public.