S-CHIP: Today It Gets Personal

Yesterday, it was no surprise that President Bush vetoed the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Although millions of kids are now at risk of losing coverage, Bush had announced his intentions months before, and if I know one thing for certain, this president doesn't like to change his mind very often.

Instead, what surprised me most was that he chose Lancaster, Pennsylvania as the place from which to tell the country about his decision.

As someone who has relatives in Lancaster and who lives about an hour away, I know it well. Lancaster, for those who aren't so familiar, is town of working families. It may be situated in the heart of beautiful Amish country, but it is not immune to the harsh economic realities facing so many communities across the country.

So when President Bush started his speech with a joke about how he had plenty of time to answer questions, I couldn't help but think of the 36,000 children in Lancaster County who rely on S-CHIP or Medicaid for health insurance. They are the ones running out of time.

When President Bush said that the proposed S-CHIP eligibility levels were too high, I couldn't help but think of my relatives in Lancaster and many other families who caught in the middle of making too much for Medicaid but not enough for private insurance. They are the ones who are being "crowded out."

And when President Bush concluded his comments by saying that he has had "a joyous experience being the president," I couldn't help but think of the nine million uninsured children in Lancaster and across the country who were counting on Bush, even praying for him, to sign the S-CHIP bill. Today, they are the ones who have no reason to be joyful.

I've written many times before to highlight the facts and figures about the false rhetoric of the Bush administration and about how we can design a better S-CHIP program to meet the needs of working families, but today it gets personal. It's about my community, my state, and my country.

Please click here to tell Lancaster's representative, Joe Pitts, to change his vote and to start putting Lancaster's children first.

Comments

[rwoodsathome]

The major problem with the bill is that it expands coverage far too broadly and the funding mechanism is flawed.

If the Dems are going to be brave enough to commit the nation to an expanded welfare program is should have the guts to use a funding source that will be reliable for as long as they anticipate the program to live.

Clearly, there is no end in sight for this program. So a definite funding source should be established.

That leaves the Dems with two unhealthy (pardon the pun) choices. First, would be to cut spending - which could be accomplished quite easily if the Dems had strong leadership (which they don't). Second, raise taxes to cover the costs - which should be quite easy since the Dems insist 'ALL OF AMERICA WANTS THIS EXPANSION'.

Since they won't raise taxes that must mean 'ALL OF AMERICA DOESN'T REALLY WANT THIS EXPANSION'. Because once the tax paying citizen is told they will have to fund it out of their own pockets they will wonder if it is such a good idea to pay for the health care of kids in Conn and NJ and Mass whose parents are earning nearly 60K.

No, the Dems will do what Dems always do. Pay for the health care of the children of northeast on the backs of the smokers in Miss, and La, and Arkansas.

Courage, my friends, is in the progressive movement.

[dadw5boys]

Bush did not mention paying Black Water to set up a Private Airline!
Will the American people get dividens from our investment in BlacK Water AIRLINES?

[criscokid]

Let's see, it's been reported that $9 billion went missing from the sale of Iraqi oil profits from May, 2003 to June, 2004.

On July 31, 2007, the GAO reported (GAO 07-711)that the U.S. has provided $19.2 billion to develop Iraqi security forces, and the DOD has requested an additional $2 billion. However, the officials at the DOD said since the train-and-equip program was funded outside traditional security assistance program, they were not responsible for normal accountability procedures. Hence, 190,000 weapons have gone missing and unaccounted for.

In the GAO's Sept 7, 2007 (GAO 07-123OT) report on Iraqi benchmarks, it was unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10 billion in reconstruction costs.

If we got everyone to give back those misappropriated funds, the SCHIP program could be funded.

[zimmy]

Of course he announced in Lancaster County. I grew up there, my family is still there and I visit frequently and it is reliably Republican, so he didn't have to worry about anyone booing or protesting. It fits perfectly with his practice of keeping himself away from any dissenters. As my Democrat, labor union member father, a lifelong Lancaster County resident, used to say "They'd vote for the Elephant if it was running." Besides, the majority of people I know in Lancaster are more concerned with keeping gays from marrying and women from getting abortions than to be bothered with issues like health insurance, war, a living wage, etc. despite the fact that their blue collar jobs are disappearing and they are finding replacement jobs at a fraction of the salary and benefits. So they were perfect audience members for this speech.

My favorite Lancaster County person comment from a recent visit was that he was glad the President was taking a stand on keeping the government out of health care, because if not, the next thing you know, the government will want to start getting involved in Medicare too and he doesn't want the government messing with his Medicare! I guess if he was much more informed than that he'd know better about being a Bush supporter.

[Kansas Evans]

government will want to start getting involved in Medicare too and he doesn't want the government messing with his Medicare!
***********************************************

Is that true? Did you laugh when you heard this? Cause I'm laughing now!

Wow! How uninformed can one person be?

[Camel54]

They are so scared of having a good example of socialized medicine working well in this country they will fight this tooth and nail. It is more important to them to fight for their failed policies than to do what's right by millions of people. What really baffles me is their willingness to spend outrageous amounts of money on the war and still claim this would cost too much. I'm always stunned at the continuing flow of pure evil that comes from these people. Is putting ten million children at risk less evil, equal to or more evil than killing 3000 people with an airplane attack? People are always looking for a consipiracy theory for 9/11. We don't need it. We have an administration perfectly happy to stand up against the good health of 10 million children as well as against the good health of 47 million Americans total. It is beyond reproach.

[Kansas Evans]

I believe you're right. If SCHIP is so bad, if "socialized" medicine is so bad, why are nearly all the governors supporting SCHIP? Including the guvanator?

This is one of my problems with conservatism as a Christian: I'm supposed to place faith in God and be generous towards others, not place my faith in the free-market and screw others.

Is there a conservative on HuffPo today who's willing to explain to me the apparent denial of facts?

[rwoodsathome]

Kansas Evans,
You're correct - Christians are supposed to put their faith in God and be generous to others. But your solution is to have the government be generous.

Generousity, freely given, will be rewarded.

Generousity, forced by the government, will be ignored.

If you believe in the Christian tenants, then you would insist on paying taxes only for necessary government functions and be generous with the rest.

The problem with progressives is that they want to be generous - with other people's money. But the bible clearly states that we must be generous with our own money.

[BeamMeUpScotty]

It would take less than four months to pay for an additional 4 million uninsured children to be given health insurance FOR FIVE YEARS versus what it is costing us to wage an illegal war on Iraq.

Remember, there were no WMD's, no nukes and no al Qaeda in Iraq at the time of 911. That means this war is an illegal occupation. 3,800 soldiers have been murdered by Czar Bush. Where is the war crimes tribunal?

Bush has admitted to "not understanding" poor people or poverty. It truly boggles the mind that Republicans support this Neanderthal, knuckle dragging oaf.

[speakingtruth2power]

Once again, BushCo shows their true colors and their supporters cite fiscal responsibility?

Pure Bushit hypocrisy!!!

[catpark]

Maybe Bush should get a little education on the budget of a family of 4 (I know, I know - he is a poor student). Even earning $60,000 a year gross (probably about $38,000 net), there is very little way to squeeze in a good health insurance plan and also keep a roof over your head (including property taxes and utilities), food on the table, and gas in the vehicle if the parent's employer does not offer an affordable plan. SHEESH! If the Dems in the House cannot convince the 15 members needed to override the veto, then Pelosi and Co. need to get out and let someone with some SPINE take over the leadership.

[blooddoc]

If the Republicans remain in office and in power, you'd better get used to this. It's all about rationing health care in order to preserve the profit margins of insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Wall Street has no conscience; it doesn't care how many children are going without health care coverage, and the Republicans own Wall Street (just read the editorial page of the WSJ). Sure, there are always better ways to handle a program like SCHIP, but they all involve government. And government is not the problem, it's the people who are running the government.

[JustifiablyParanoid]

It's also the people all across the county who don't take action - very necessary action - to demand that the people they voted into office handle our business they way it should be handled.

I'm going to a protest rally about this very issue this evening. What are you going to do?

[roneckley16823]

I am not a smoker, but the "sin" taxes are getting old. The biggest "sin" tax that could fund our childrens health care is all those bucks our congress keeps pouring into this war. We are starting to see this week with Blackwater, where are tax dollars are going. I would like to see how much money the carpetbaggers are getting compared to our troops. No wonder are boys have no equipment during war or medical treatment when they return. If you are going to keep funding the war at least just fund our troops, not private companies. If there is anything good about this war, it is allowing us to view "our" governments priorities. It is not for the people.

[TheOtherMaven]

"Don't you know there's a war on?" That will be the answer to any and all suggestions to divert so much as one penny from the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq.

The Republicans won't and the Democrats daren't even try to touch the Pentagram's purse strings. The Republicans won't and the Democrats daren't even try to take penny one away from the rapacious corporations who really rule this country. That doesn't leave a whole lot of options for trying to squeeze out a few pennies to keep children from getting sick and dying, does it?

[twillercat]

How about taxing war instead of smokers?

The funding plan for SCHIP calls for increasing taxes on only one segment of the population...that maligned minority, smokers. At sixty-one cents per pack, our household taxes would increase by $435 per year...almost one percent of our net income. That is grossly regressive and terribly unfair.

What's most troubling about it is that the rationale for this tax is that it might cause smokers to quit. If you follow that line of logic, the people who theoretically support SCHIP are hoping to see it de-funded.

SCHIP deserved to be vetoed, even if by the wrong person for the wrong reasons. Anything that depends on disproportionate taxation of a select group in order to pay for a necessary program is clearly bad law.

And the Democrats need to find a fairer way of funding it next time it's proposed. Here's a novel idea....how about reducing the funding for the war and using the money for SCHIP? Gee, you think you could get the current crop of Democrats to go for it?

In the meantime, I think all good Democrats have an obligation to take up smoking. After all, it's for the children.

[HobbyWizard]

Well, twillercat, I'm a born again Liberal Secular Progressive, so I generally agree sales taxes are regressive. BUT, they are also a favorite of many of the very same Repugs who are obstructing this legislation, so may I suggest that folks who don't want to pay the S-CHIP ciggie tax should simply quit smoking. That's the delightful response I generally hear when I bring up regressive sales taxes. What's good for the goose....

And instead of opining the *Democrats* need to be fairer in paying for the expansion, have a looksee at which party scuttled funding S-CHIP by ending the HMO subsidies on private "advantage" insurance supplements for Medicare recipients that cost the government 12% more than having Medicare provide the coverage directly.

YOU be fair and place the blame squarely on the 'pugs, where it belongs.

[CornellRedneck]

I'm not a smoker, but I agree with you.

[native1]

Bush's actions as President are careless and insensitive. He should be charged with criminal child neglect.

[cassandra]

I can't possibly find the words to express my total rage and disdain for this pathetic , clueless putz of a president? who warns that we support our troops (aka war) or else, and with a smirk and a flourish of his almighty pen deems that we neglect our "childrens". Why must this be so?

[Vincent83]

How horrific, this says to me thatfunding your president's war is more important than the health of your future generations. Again SAD VERY SAD