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This article originally provided by
The Charleston Gazette
October 4 2007
Heartless
Veto of child insurance
PRESIDENT Bush, supposedly an exemplar of “compassionate conservatism,” hid
behind closed doors Wednesday to veto a Congress-passed bill giving medical
insurance to 10 million low-income American children. It was one of the most
cold-blooded political actions within memory. Concerned people should view it
with contempt.
America’s Children’s Health Insurance Program covers 6.6 million kids whose
working parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but don’t get medical
protection through their meager jobs. This year, the Democrat-controlled
Congress voted to expand CHIP to reach nearly 4 million more youngsters at an
extra cost of $7 billion per year. Cigarette taxes would be raised to pay the
additional tab.
Bush killed the expansion on grounds that it’s too expensive. That should
invite derision. His unnecessary Iraq war is costing taxpayers many, many times
that sum, yet he never frets over the expense. His tax giveaways to the wealthy
likewise drain enormous sums from the U.S. Treasury, but he merely shrugs. Yet
he vetoes medical care for children. That’s disgusting.
Analysts say the Senate has enough votes to override Bush’s veto, but the
House doesn’t. If they’re correct, the attempt to protect more children
evidently is doomed, for now, and the best Congress can do is salvage previous
CHIP levels.
Outrage followed Bush’s veto:
“The president’s incomprehensible veto ... not only violates his own
campaign promise in 2004, but also demonstrates a stunning lack of compassion
for some of the most vulnerable members of our society.” — Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
“Supporting this bipartisan compromise to provide health coverage to
low-income children is the morally right thing to do. I hope that we can muster
enough votes to overturn this veto.” — Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah
“President Bush has robbed nearly 4 million uninsured children of the chance
for a healthy start in life.” — Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.
“The Grinch came three months early this year and stole children’s health
care.” — Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico.
Even the American Medical Association chairman expressed hope that Congress
can override the veto, because “the number of uninsured kids has increased by
nearly 1 million over the past year.”
Meanwhile, leaders of several states are suing because the Bush
administration imposed obstacles to insuring children under previous CHIP
guidelines. Gov. Chris Gregoire of Washington state said: “The federal
government should continue to be a partner, rather than a roadblock, to our
children’s health.”
It’s incredible that America’s supposed leader is gung-ho for war and aid to
the affluent, while undercutting medical care for kids.
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