"President Bush yesterday vetoed a $35 billion expansion of a
popular children's health insurance program, a move that left him
as politically isolated as he has ever been and had even Republican
allies questioning his hard-line strategy."
* President Bush made it clear that he wanted the Congress to send
him a re-authorized SCHIP program which he could sign, but
Democrats sent up a bill which the White House had warned was
veto-bait.
* Why? So they could set up this exact discussion: Bush will argue
in favor of tax cuts for the rich, while he vetoes health care for
poor children.
* No main stream medium will write this, but the reality of the
situation is: Congressional Democrats were willing to trade the
health of children to score political points against the
President.
* It is also true that if they can expand coverage to families up to
400% of the poverty line and individuals up to the age of 25,
Democrats can go to 800% of poverty ($160,000 per year) and
individuals up to 65 (when Medicare kicks in).
* National. Health. Insurance.
* I told a New York Times reporter when I was called about the
political impact of the President's veto that for many - if not
most - Republican primary voters, this expansion of the SCHIP
program was not a step down the slippery slope of national health
care - it was a four man bobsled on an Olympic run.
* He didn't use the quote.
|