Congress passed a revised version of the SCHIP bill this past week, with the Senate expected to pass a similar version next week. The bill would come up before the President shortly after, and he is expected to once again apply the veto stamp ... at which time the Kabuki show will start once again.
The new bill addresses several issues Republicans had given to explain their votes against the original bill:
* The income cap to qualify is lowered to 300% of the poverty level for a family of four, or about $60,000, down from a 400% cap in the original bill.
* Adults covered under the current program would be phased out over a one-year period, instead of the two years in the original proposal.
On one point, the Democrats didn't budge however - the bill still allocates $35 billion over five years. The administration said it could see it's way to spending $20 billion (up from $5 billion), but not a penny more.
There's no question Democrats organized the vote so soon after the President's veto in an attempt to keep the issue in front of the voters, and they can be expected to keep pounding away at it as long as the administration keeps vetoing bills - even Republicans who vote against the bill acknowledge their votes are hurting them.
As this poll points out, the President's approval rating on health care, 22%, is 4% less than his approval rating on Iraq. Further, not only did 81% of respondents favor expanding the S-CHIP program, but 74% are willing to pay higher taxes to do so.
Tom Price (R-GA) defended his vote against the bill by labeling it "a massive tax increase". The program would cost $35 billion over five years. That's not a massive tax increase ... this is a massive tax increase - any bets on which way Price votes when it comes before Congress?
Representative Robert Harper once said, in 1798 (referring to a naval conflict with Barbary Coast pirates), "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute." Modern Republicans apparently have updated that to "Billions for needless wars, but not one cent for children!".
Doesn't have quite the same ring, does it?
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1 comment:
Good post.
I must confess, having a 19 year old daughter who exposed me to every episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has me think of the singing episode entitled "Once more with feeling" (very entertaining, by the way) which is shot differently and the whole show is singing, like the fantastic French film (Umbrellas for Cherbourne?).
President Eggplant will veto the second bill. I fear we are going to see 14 months of tantrums, complaining, blaming, and in general, the behavior of a spoiled brat not getting his way. I was more mature at 18.
Make no mistake. I was an arrogant full of himself SOB at 18. I remember looking up at the sky, "Go ahead, judge me!"
Don't EVER do that!!
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