My Challenge to the President

I want to make sure you see the latest video from Families USA, one of the most important advocates in the ongoing battle to protect children's health care.

Families USA is part of the broad, bipartisan effort that achieved a solid initial victory last week, when both the House and the Senate approved a bill extending and reforming the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Unfortunately, President Bush vetoed the bill.

Earlier this week, a group of children pulling little red wagons went to the gates of the White House to urge the President to sign the bill, because it's so vital to good health care for the nation's children in the years ahead. I hope very much that President Bush and Congress will hear and heed their plea.

Apparently this President's priorities aren't the same as mainstream America's:

He says the bill costs too much. But for the price of one day in Iraq, we could cover 256,000 children. One week would cover 1.8 million children. And just over one month of the Iraq war would cover the full cost of the bill and insure 10 million children for a whole year.

Because the current SCHIP program falls far short of meeting the need, hundreds of thousands of children have lost their coverage on President Bush's watch. It's incomprehensible that the President would threaten to veto legislation that corrects this serious problem.

There's one thing President Bush and I do have in common, though - American taxpayers cover 72% of our health care premiums, because current law has long-permitted good insurance coverage for federal employees.

So I ask President Bush and the Members in Congress who support his veto:

Would you deny your own family what you'll be denying to millions of other families if this bill is vetoed? If you don't believe the federal government should support children's health care, how can you in good conscience accept it for your own families?

All Members of Congress have the peace of mind that when their children are sick, they can afford to take them to the doctor. Why doesn't every American family deserve that peace of mind?

The President's veto will have terrible consequences - just look at the faces on the Families USA video. It's time everyone understood what those consequences are.

That's why so many of us in Congress - Republicans and Democrats alike - are fighting so hard for this bill, to keep the faith with the millions of children who are counting on us for the healthy start in life that every American deserves.

Comments

[ElkoJohn]

oh Senator Ted, you of all people should know that the majority of our politicians (incl. Dems) are for a gov. of the rich, by the rich & for the rich. If you belonged to the poor or near poor class in American, you would know how hard it is to survive, even with a $9/hr job & hard work. Sen.Ted, why not stop the war & reduce the Pentagon budget in order to help all people in our country get health care, an education and afford to live properly??

[wilmdiver]

Please will someone explain to me when a child is considered 25 years old? I quess it another way for the dems to buy votes. Give away my tax dollars for someones health care

[inthenitemare]

Don't worry, your tax dollars are also being given away to mercenaries, millions at a time. Does that make you fell better?

[BetterDeadthanRedState]

I hope that when you lose your job and get cancer, that you've saved up a LOT of MONEY all those HUGE tax cuts you got from this administration.

[SharePogue]

I have private health insurance and my son is covered to the age of 25. That is not some magic age proposed by the Democrats; it's pretty standard for most insurance companies.

[taylorndncar]

i am a native american; i grew up in a boarding school run by the government; my mother was the bureau of indian affairs and my father was the department of interior. all those immunizations your children have to take was experimented on us first.

the indian health care system is run by the Public Health System. we suffer long lines and doctors with foreign accents we can barely understand (people in the process of obtaining their license in this country). they have no reference to our lifestyle and culture.

our medical experience is the "universal health care system" of the future. rich people want universal health care for a reason; they will be "bumped" to the head of the line, while the poor and needy will still be waiting in line...!

[stillfresh]

You are wrong about who wants and does not want universal health care. I am over 50 and self-employed. I can't get health care and can't afford it to buy it for myself or my family. The RICH are the ones who don't want me to have health care -- or you either, for that matter. Health care for ALL -- you, me and the rich -- is the only moral solution for a civilization that cares about humanity. We are all human beings, rich and poor, and we all have a right to LIFE as well as liberty.

[deminmo]

And some of the Indian clinics have been closed. Older people cannot travel hundreds of miles to see a doctor.

[jules233]

I realize that many people feel it is their right to smoke, and they are right, it is, but smoking-related illness taxes the health care system, as does alcohol-related illness. I think adding a tax on these things to help pay for children to have healthcare isn't a bad thing if it would discourage someone from smoking or drinking too much, but I doubt it would have that effect. I agree with Senator Frank, to Bush and his ilk, life is only sacred until you're here. After that, you won't be part of his base, so why should he bother "his beautiful mind" with you? I don't know why anyone is surprised at this turn of events, after all this moron has had no problem screwing everyone EXCEPT his base for the past almost 7 years. What a jerk!

[stillfresh]

Taxing the sources of ill health is a perversion. How do you think you'll raise enough in taxes to pay for the healthcare you have in mind? Answer: sell lots of cigarettes! And all the cigarette companies are here to help addict as many people as possible.
This is the most ass-backwards thinking pretending to be a solution, ever. Punitive measures are exactly what health insurers save for us. Pre-existing conditions, expensive treatments -- all punished by denials. What good does that do? Punishment does not work, especially if it means rolling in Marlboros.

[Kungfublood]

Bush as a member of the new GOP is more likely looking for a date among the faces of the children, rather than using his non existent conscience. psychopathic murderers and pathological liars are seldom men of great conscience.

[zizyphus]

By ending the futile War on Drugs we could pay for health care for everyone in the nation. It would also eliminate the gangsterism that thrives behind the War.

Americans don't get it. When you hear the words "War on" it means that the war is on us.

[stlrfan]

Unless these kids can open an office on K St,they will remain one more shameful footnote in the compassionate conservative diary.

[magi]

As Mort Sahl once said, in one of his classic stories, "leave us not get engaged in a semantic argument." The moment anyone (starting with our noble leader) says "socialzied medicine," the shudders go up. We're not about to base our health care system on Karl Marx. But how about "socialized" police and fire departments? Aren't they government services, paid for with our tax money for the benefit of th citizenry? Isn't that socialism, as well? Maybe it's time to give Blackwater a no-bid contract to serve as a national police cum fire fighting force. And if people die in the cross fire (just as kids will die because their parents can't afford their health insurance,) that's the price we pay for a "free market" society. And the ability of the semantic spinmeisters to persuade us to oppose our own well-being.

[transendentilist]

Excellently stated!

[Synoia]

Socialized Roads
Socialized Airports
Socialized Water
Socialized Schools
Socialized Police
Socialized Fire
Socialized Tax Collection
Socialized Zoning
Socialized Dept of Defense
Socialized Dept of State

[doodlefarbe]

Dear Synoia,

Please don't forget to pick up some Socialized Freedom Fries with your burger!

:-)

[Kungfublood]

Socialized Roads privatized For sale SOLD by Bush, Governors and Mayors
Socialized Airports
Socialized Water Privatized for sale SOLD
Socialized Schools they keep trying
Socialized Police may be a better idea?
Socialized Fire
Socialized Tax Collection I'll collect on you if you collect on me? sounds better too.
Socialized Zoning
Socialized Dept of Defense Privatized SOLD by Cheney/bush mob
Socialized Dept of State sold out years ago

[DLW]

So, you DO know what the reasons for the problems are. Thank you!

[gpr-2007]

Who Cares what Kennedy or any other Congressmen or Senator has to say about Bush's veto. Didn't they just approve another outrageous, have-to-bo­rrow-from-­internatio­nal-financ­iers budget for the war? It sounds a bit hypocritical to condemn his veto here and then help him get the funding for the ludicrous war (Ludicrous stolen from Mike Tyson). I hope America wakes up to the fact to not only do we need to remove this GOP administration but we need to thin down even more, the number of GOPs in the House of Reps.

I am not sure if you all feel it but this country is starting to boil with tension. And that tension is from this country spiralling in the wrong direction while we have to hear this bickering and excuses over why nothing is being accomplish for change in DC. Status Quo is the only thing that can get passed there and I blame it on the House of Reps. We need more people in there that want to make the changes and are in touch with what American need. We are no longer living in this country. We are merely substiting­...

Don't be surprised if soon we have an nation-wide strike.

[SpencerCat]

I am all for a nationwide strike. Nothing short of that will wake up our government leaders. Let's make our elected officials do what we want them to do.

[milo9]

If we could only muster a strike. It would be more peaceful in the long run. The conservatives are crazy if they think that the less well to do are going to watch peacefully as their children suffer.

[atelram]

We are in an uncivil war here in the USA. Dem's against Rep's Bush against everyone!!!

[halfstepleft]

What's new, the president ignores people who do not donate large sums. This would of been a start but what is really needed isn't nattional healthcare but a national insurance program we end up paying for all the people refused insurance because of health problems we might as well collect premiums from the healthy people

[llinflorida]

halfstepleft, it's health insurance that is the problem. As Michael Moore's movie points out, we need to take the profit out of health care. Insurance companies' bottom line is profit for the shareholders. If the federal government administered the program (collect premium, negotiates reimbursements and pay doctors, hospital, drug companies, labs when bills are submitted). Patients wouldn't even see the bills and all people would be covered even those with pre-existing conditions. Sliding scale premium payments based on income and family size. Please reconsider­...:~)

[JRWhit2]

Find your "Representative" that is upholding the President's veto and let them know how you feel!

Aderholt, Akin, Alexander, Bachmann,
Bachus, Baker, Barrett (SC), Bartlett (MD), Barton (TX), Biggert, Bilbray, Bilirakis, Bishop (UT), Blackburn, Blunt, Boehner, Bonner, Boozman, Boren, Boustany, Brady (TX), Broun (GA), Brown (SC), Brown-Waite, Ginny, Burgess, Burton (IN), Buyer, Calvert, Camp (MI), Campbell (CA), Cannon, Cantor, Carter, Castor, Chabot, Coble, Cole (OK), Conaway, Crenshaw, Culberson, Davis (KY), Davis, David, Deal (GA), Diaz-Balart, L., Diaz-Balart, M., Doolittle, Drake, Dreier, Duncan, Etheridge, Everett, Fallin, Feeney, Flake, Forbes, Fortenberry, Foxx, Franks (AZ), Frelinghuysen, Gallegly, Garrett (NJ), Gingrey, Gohmert, Goode, Goodlatte, Granger, Graves, Hall (TX), Hastert, Hastings (WA), Hayes, Heller, Hensarling, Hill, Hoekstra, Hulshof, Hunter, Inglis (SC), Issa, Johnson (IL), Johnson - Sam, Jones (NC), Jordan, Keller, King (IA), Kingston, Kline (MN), Knollenberg, Kucinich, Kuhl (NY), Lamborn, Lewis (CA), Lewis (KY), Linder, Lucas, Lungren Daniel E., Mack, Manzullo, Marchant, Marshall, McCarthy (CA), McCaul (TX), McCotter, McCrery, McHenry, McIntyre, McKeon, Mica, Miller (FL), Miller Gary, Musgrave, Myrick, Neugebauer, Nunes, Paul, Pearce, Pence, Peterson (PA), Pickering, Pitts, Price (GA), Putnam, Radanovich, Reynolds, Rogers (AL), Rogers (KY), Rogers (MI), Rohrabacher, Ros-Lehtinen, Roskam, Royce, Ryan (WI), Sali, Saxton, Schmidt, Sensenbrenner, Sessions, Shadegg, Shimkus, Shuster, Smith (NE), Smith (TX), Souder, Stearns, Sullivan, Tancredo, Taylor, Terry, Thornberry, Tiahrt, Walberg, Walden (OR), Wamp, Weldon (FL), Weller, Westmoreland, Whitfield, Wicker, Wilson (SC),

[souris]

........be sure and remind them that Bush's folly in Iraq is costing us $8000.00 a SECOND !!

[souris]

........be sure to remind them that Bush's folly in Iraq in costing us all $8000.00* per SECOND !!

* citation: THE OREGONIAN, Wednesday, October 3, 2007, page C1, The Edge Index.

[Benny59]

We have 11,000 kids in South Dakota that rely on that program for their health care. I wrote my senator (John Thune-nay vote) and told him that Bush could not fund the war budget by cutting programs like SCHIP without repercussions. Even though I am a Democrat, I supported Thune for his position on another matter. Now, not so much. The Repubs deserve the scrubbing they will be taking in the next election for their continued deceit and arrogance. There are only 725,000 people in my state with two senators..­.maybe he might write back. Yea, I'll hold my breath.

[jqcitizen]

CAN'T AFFORD IT? That is probably true considering that every citizen of this country would have to come up with almost $30,000 each, to pay off the National Debt, that is increasing at a rate of $1.47 Billion/Day, according to www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
The credit card the Administration uses to fund tax breaks for corporations and well-off individuals, fund stupid wars fought by underpaid GI's and highly paid "Soldier of Fortune" contractors, as well countless other wastefull scames. Somehow, according to our leaders, cannot be used to provide basic needs of the citizens who will ultimatly pay the bill.
Time for Congress to cut off the "Wine and Roses" and allow the owners of this country a little "Bread and Water"

[Tubby]

Senator Kennedy:

Can you show us conclusively where in the bill it excludes covering illegal aliens with our tax dollars?

Perhaps the bill would stand a better chance of passage if it did.

[jashmay]

Tubby,
I have been working last 8 years for the people who are receiving the SCHIP benefits, as well as for those who are not eligible for SCHIP because of lack of legal documents. Simply speaking, if they do not have a proof of citizenship or permanant residency, they are not eligible for that program as well as most of other public assistance programs. Since last year this rule has been applied to all medicaid programs, and unfortunately caused much disadvanges for many homeless or senior citizens as well as young citizens who for some reason are not able to obtain their proof of citizenship. Now there might be some cases falling through the crack on account of incompetent or lazy eligibility workers, but they are exceptions. Remember the children who are born in this country to the illegal resident parents are still US citizens. They will more likely live in this country as citizens all their lives regardless of their parents' residential status. Spending our tax dollars on these children's health is our investment well worth spent to our nation's future.
I don't find any federal nor state programs openly offering medical assistance to the children who were brought by their parents from overseas without proper documents (these are the illegal aliens).

[bick]

bush is denying all those children the same care he received as a fetal-alcohol baby.

[doodlefarbe]

Senator Kennedy writes, "I ask Bush and the Members in Congress who support his veto: If you don't believe the federal government should support children's health care"

* * * Warning: Low-Flying Disingenuous Premise * * *

C'mon, Mr. Senator - the federal government does already support children's health care, for families making < 200% of the federal poverty level. Just not for families making up to 300% of the poverty level ($60K and change).

Why does NO ONE in D.C. know how to argue without spin?

[OneWoman]

The federal poverty level is $20,650 for a family of 4. Stop and think about that for a minute.