Thursday, August 2, 2007

A chance to do something right

The next presidential veto coming your way, as reported by Julie Davis of The Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A bipartisan measure to add 3 million lower-income children to a popular health insurance program headed for a final Senate vote after a much broader and more expensive version passed the House over stiff Republican opposition.

Both measures face a veto-threat from President Bush, who says they would cost too much and expand the decade-old program beyond its original mission, inappropriately moving toward government-run health care.

The measure pledges $35 billion dollars towards providing health insurance for children whose families could not afford it. It’ll probably be a no-brainer for Bush: $35 billion for a military surge in Iraq or $35 billion towards providing health care for some 3 million underprivileged children? Why even hesitate right? Military destruction will win hands down every time with the current administration. But even if Bush wanted to help the children of poor families, there would still be an obstacle:

The measures are to be funded through an increase in taxes on tobacco products, you know, those substances that tend to put people into hospital in the first place so, no problem right? It makes total sense - unless of course your administration is one of the biggest subsidizers of tobacco farmers in history.

Here’s the thing: there’s more chance of seeing the second coming than of a Republican candidate winning the next presidential election. So regardless whether Bush vetoes the Bill now, it would get passed in 2009 anyway. But it could be passed now.

President Bush; you still have an opportunity to get one thing right in your Presidency. Please support the children.

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