The 151 Republican votes against the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) doesn't surprise me. They typically are so myopic that they are unable to see the interests and needs that exist outside of their tight political bubble. Like the Mayor of San Diego they don't care about anyone until their own families or friends are affected, and then they are suddenly in favor of government programs or gay marriage rights or abortion rights. So, those 151 Republicans don't surprise me because the children affected by the refusal to expand the program are not their children, they are poor children or lower middle class children who exist in worlds far remote from the luxuries of the vast majority of Republican politicians. What does surprise is the 8 Democrats who voted against the expansion.
I know that many of the same Democratic politicians exist in the same worlds of luxury and wealthy ease as their GOP counterparts, but the Democratic Party has historically, and even now, has been a party for the working man, the blue collar family, and it is a Party that has largely stood for the protections and care of our nation's poorest or disadvantaged. The House SCHIP Bill is 25 votes short of overriding a looming Bush veto and pressure should be brought against those many Republicans, especially so-called GOP moderates, to change their vote and override the Bush veto, but if those 8 Democrats would change their vote then the necessary number of changed Republican votes drops to 17. Pressure should be brought to bear on these 8 Democrats. Someone needs to remind them that they are still Democrats no matter how conservative they purport to be. The majority of conservative Democrats are conservative based upon social or religious issues, they are typically against gay marriage and abortion rights, so I don't see the conservative line in opposing SCHIP because those same conservative Democrats are also very populist and supportive of many government programs. So I understand how Blue Dogs like Shuler, Boyd and Barrow would vote for the expansion of SCHIP, but these 8 Democrats confuse me.
Let's remind these 8 Democrats that they are Democrats:
Kathy Castor (D-FL)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-3376--Tampa, FL Office (813)871-2817.
Jim Marshall (D-GA)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-6531; Macon, GA Office 1-877-464-0255; Tifton, GA Office (229)556-7418.
Baron Hill (D-IN)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-5315; Jeffersonville, IN Office (812)288-3999; Bloomington, IN Office (812)336-3000.
Gene Taylor (D-MS)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-5772; Bay St. Louis, MS Office (228)469-9235; Gulfport, MS Office (228)864-7670; Ocean Springs, MS Office (228)872-7950; Hattiesburg, MS Office (601)582-3246; Laurel, MS Office (601)425-3905. Jeezy Creezy, how many freakin' offices does this guy need?
Bob Etheridge (D-NC)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-4531; Raleigh, NC Office (919)829-9122 or 1-888-262-6202; Lillington, NC Office (910)814-0335 or 1-866-384-3743.
Mike McIntyre (D-NC)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-2731; Lumberton, NC Office (910)735-0610; Fayetteville, NC Office (910)323-0260; Wilmington, NC Office (910)815-4959; Bolivia, NC Office (910)253-0158. Jeezy Creezy again.
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-5871; Lakewood, OH Office (216)228-8850; Parma, OH Office (440)845-2707.
Dan Boren (D-OK)--Washington, D.C. Office (202)225-2701; Muskogee, OK Office (918)687-2533; Claremore, OK Office (918)341-9336; McAlester, OK Office ((918)423-5951.
I noticed that almost all of these 8 Democrats did not have the vote on the front of their webpages so they mustn't be too proud of their vote and are possibly hoping that no one will notice their betrayal of the children of America. Dennis Kucinich was the lone exception with the intestinal fortitude to explain their vote, though his reasoning is ridiculous, because it doesn't adequately address the needs of legal immigrant children he's going to deny healthcare coverage to a few million other children. Ridiculous. Light 'em up, remind them they are still Democrats!