There's an article in the Washington Post this morning about the effort to renew a program that provides insurance to poor children. The Senate has reached a compromise and wants to expand the program by $35 billion. And, as the title of the article states, Bush says "No deal."
See, Bush only wants to expand the program by $5 billion, and has threatened a veto on anything more.
This program currently insures 6.6 million low income children. These children are from families that do not qualify for medicaid, but are too poor to afford private insurance coverage. If the Senate version passes, 3.3 million additional children would be covered under the program.
How do they plan to pay for this? A mere $0.61 increase on the federal excise tax on cigarrettes. Which, might I add, Bush also opposes.
Why does Bush oppose this? I'll let the man speak for himself... otherwise, I'm afraid you won't believe me.
My concern is that when you expand eligibility . . . you're really beginning to open up an avenue for people to switch from private insurance to the government.
Yes, that's right. He just all but said that he cares more about private insurance companies than he does about children's health. Yet more proof that those of his ilk don't care about children once they are outside the womb.
...expansion of government in lieu of making the necessary changes to encourage a consumer-based system is not acceptable.
Isn't it necessary to make sure that children, our future, are healthy? Isn't that more necessary than protecting private insurance companies? Isn't that more necessary than protecting "a consumer-based system?"
Please, everyone, write to your Senators, whether they are democratic or republican. Let them know that this bill has bi-partisan support, and you want them to vote for it. Don't let them be frightened by Bush's veto threat... let's get a veto-proof majority on this one.