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Bush Vetoes SCHIP Again
From the AP:
President Bush vetoed legislation Wednesday that would have expanded government-provided health insurance for children, his second slap- down of a bipartisan effort in Congress to dramatically increase funding for the popular program. It was Bush’s seventh veto in seven years—all but one coming since Democrats took control of Congress in January. Wednesday was the deadline for Bush to act or let the bill become law. The president also vetoed an earlier, similar bill expanding the health insurance program.
Bush vetoed the bill in private.
Clearly the Democrats don’t understand what the name “The Decider” means.
-Chris Jones
Boehner Calls on Democratic Rep. Stark to Retract Statement
From Drudge Report:
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement regarding remarks made on the House floor by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) during the debate on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP):
“Our troops in Iraq are fighting against al-Qaeda and other radical jihadists hellbent on killing the people we are sent here to represent. Congressman Stark’s statement dishonors not only the Commander-in-Chief, but the thousands of courageous men and women of America’s armed forces who believe in their mission and are putting their lives on the line for our freedom and security. Congressman Stark should retract his statement and apologize to the House, our Commander-in-Chief, and the families of our soldiers and commanders fighting terror overseas.”
During debate on the SCHIP children’s health care legislation today, Rep. Stark stated: “You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President’s amusement.”
It’s also worth mentioning that the vote to override the President’s veto on SCHIP was a complete FAILURE.
Rep. Pete Stark Smears Troops and President During SCHIP Debate
Rep. Pete Stark said this during the House debate on overriding the SCHIP veto:
First of all, I’m just amazed they can’t figure out, the Republicans are worried we can’t pay for insuring an additional 10 million children. They sure don’t care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal war in Iraq. Where ya gonna get that money? You going to tell us lies like you’re telling us today? Is that how you’re going to fund the war? You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President’s amusement. This bill would provide healthcare for 10 million children and unlike the President’s own kids, these children can’t see a doctor or receive necessary care. [...]
But President Bush’s statements about children’s health shouldn’t be taken any more seriously than his lies about the war in Iraq. The truth is that Bush just likes to blow things up. In Iraq, in the United States and in Congress.
Hey! I thought Democrats supported the troops? Making the assertion that our troops are using the war funding to blow up innocent people doesn’t sound very supportive to me.
I have to give Stark credit though, that was a pretty good tantrum for a grown man. If he would’ve stomped his feet and cried at the end, it could have been even better.
-Chris Jones
Jerry Garcia Declares Support For SCHIP
Unless you’ve been out of the country you have no doubt heard about the campaign by Democrats to overturn the President’s veto on SCHIP.
It’s been nothing short of “SCHIP mania” on the left for over a week. Someone who doesn’t follow politics closely might think it’s only because they care about kids and want them to have free health care.
I wish that were true, but unfortunately it is not. This crusade is about overturning the President’s veto and the veto just happened to be SCHIP. This has everything to do with defeating the President and nothing to do with the health of kids.
Realizing they’ve probably trotted out as many sick kids as they’re gonna get away with in such a short amount of time, the Democrats have turned back to washed up musicians for help.
So far this week we’ve heard from David Crosby and Graham Nash who were kind enough to weigh-in on both the Iraq War and SCHIP. Then most recently we heard from Paul Simon who made it quite clear that he thinks the President’s veto on SCHIP was “cruel.”
I don’t disagree that the opinion of washed-up, hippie musicians is critical when debating important legislation. Unfortunately, Crosby & Nash just don’t have me convinced and even with Paul Simon it’s still not enough.
However, if the Democrats can get Jerry Garcia to throw his support behind SCHIP from beyond the grave, it goes without saying I’ll be convinced.
-Chris Jones
The Graeme Frost Affair
In today’s New York Times Paul Krugman wrote an Op-Ed about a Republican smear campaign against Graeme Frost and his family.
Two weeks ago, the Democratic response to President Bush’s weekly radio address was delivered by 12-year-old, Graeme Frost. Graeme, who along with his sister received severe brain injuries in a 2004 car crash and continues to need physical therapy, and is a beneficiary of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
This is the much talked about SCHIP program that President Bush vetoed, because Democrats wanted families with income as high as $80,000 to qualify for Government run health care for their kids. The program was intended for the poorest families not the middle class.
The left has been running wild ever since Bush vetoed the SCHIP bill and Democrats in Congress are trying to get enough votes to override the President’s veto.
Liberals really became truculent when right-wing blogger Michelle Malkin decided to investigate the Frost family to see if their claims were true. Far-left blogs have been howling about a “right-wing slime machine” and how dare anyone investigate the Frosts.
This is a tactic that the left frequently uses when an issue is being debated. They try and put forward a person to deliver their talking points who they believe will be immune from criticism.
During the 2004 Presidential election the left brought out the so-called “Jersey Girls” who were a group of women from New Jersey whose husbands had been killed in the 9/11 attacks. The Democrats also used former Senator Max Cleland who is a disabled Vietnam Vet, and recently Cindy Sheehan who’s son was killed in Iraq.
I personally would not have gone quite as far as Michelle Malkin did, but I also don’t think some people are automatically immune from scrutiny because of a personal tragedy.
When the Frost family decided to let 12-year old Graeme read the Democrats radio address defending SCHIP they put themselves into the public domain. Once you put yourself out there then you have to be willing to take the scrutiny that comes with that.
The Democrats knew what was likely to happen to the Frosts by dragging them into Washington politics, but they chose to do it anyway. They were quite willing to sacrifice a 12-year old boy and his family simply for political gain.
Krugman’s column was as usual short on facts and long on liberal propaganda, but at least he’s consistent.
By Eric Glasser
The Hot Joints
Democrats turn to traditional issues
Congressional Democrats rode anti-war sentiment to victory last fall — but they are staking their success in the final months of this year’s calendar on more traditional domestic issues amid concern that the war may not be the potent political issue it once was by Election Day 2008.
With few Iraq votes expected in the next several weeks — a marked departure from the first nine months of the new Democratic-controlled Congress — Democrats are trying to build an agenda that’s heavy on health care, community policing, housing, tax reform and other issues.
This is not the 1960’s and the Democrats are gonna have to show they’re not just a one trick pony. They haven’t been able to drum up the Vietnam era anti-war sentiment so now it’s SCHIP and finding a creative way to raise taxes on everyone.
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