If I told you that more kids can get healthcare coverage by raising taxes on cigarettes, you'd say, "Of course we have to do it. That's a no-brainer."
Leave it to the Republicans to have no brains.
With more than six million kids already covered, and four million children eligible to get health care coverage under the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), on Thursday, the House is prepared to vote to override the President's veto of the SCHIP expansion.
The expansion of the program would amount to $35 billion over five years. For some Republicans, that's too much money to provide health care to kids.
They believe that $5 billion per year can be put to better use.
But for the last few years, when they were in charge, the Republicans have been spending money as if Isiah Thomas was their Majority Leader.
For instance, with the Republicans in charge, we are now stuck spending about $5 billion on the war in Iraq -- every two weeks, even though our plans are not working, have never worked, and will not work in the future.
Because of the Republican love of the other white meat, pork, we spend $2.4 billion a year on the V-22 Osprey, which Time put on its cover just a few weeks ago as an example of wasteful spending because, guess what, the V-22 does not work, has never worked, and will not work in the future.
The brilliant Republicans authorized $176 million a year on abstinence only sex-ed programs that are ignored by the kids they are meant to educate. The program has been proven to not work, it will never work, and -- notice a theme here?
And yet, the Republicans consider it wasteful to expand a proven program by $5 billion so that more kids can get health care.
Can we just agree to change the Republican emblem from an elephant to Scrooge?
Who hates their kids this much? Who would be this irresponsible? And don't respond "Britney Spears," thanks.
You know what? Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Perhaps it's not kids that the Republicans hate -- perhaps it's responsibility.
Perhaps what really offends this president and the Republicans in the House is that the Democrats have a plan to pay for their proposal.
As opposed to the Republicans, who looked at all of their big-spending plans over the past few years, and then decided that instead of finding a way to pay for blowing up the budget, they'd instead slash taxes for the richest Americans, which has put us deep in debt. To China.
Or perhaps the Republicans are really just upset because they view health care as being the province of the rich.
Yes, maybe the Republicans are just upset because they view America as "Lord of the Flies." Survival of the fittest. If your kid can't get health insurance, then we don't need him on our island. Just as Piggy wasn't needed because of his asthma.
Which is it, Republicans? Do you abhor responsibility? Detest kids? Oppose equality?
Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough, on Thursday, with your votes.