Mr. Sheppard, this morning on MSNBC they ran a similar story, except they pulled an Emeril and "turned it up another notch" by showing a small Hispanic girl visiting the doctor, with the mom and doc speaking in Espanol. The reporter, of course, never mentions WHY Bush was going to veto the bill, of course.

Wow. Look at how these dullard parent exploit their children. Shameless. Ok Bobby, hold up that sign really high while we come up with some rediculous slogan that fits on a bumper sticker... Morons

The American Revolution Continued

When questioned about this veto, Bush should just say that he doesn't believe families earning $80,000 a year should get health care paid for by the tax payers of this country. I believe most Americans will agree with him. It's just that simple.

In an argument at another chat place, I responded to a poster emphatic in his belief that President Bush is lying about the reasons he is going to veto the health care bill.

I cited NB article:

CNN Article on Bush Veto Omits President's Call for Boost to SCHIP
By Ken Shepherd | October 3, 2007 - 11:38 ET

With emphasis on the link to the White House which outlines several facts and myths circulating regarding the reasons for the veto.

Then up pops someone with this link to FactCheck.org, stating that Vice President Cheney swears the information contained at this site is valid and reliable.

Bush's False Claims About Children's Health Insurance
September 21, 2007
The president mischaracterizes congressional efforts to expand the SCHIP program.

The good fight is sometimes so very difficult.

Let me be clear.  I make about $45,000 a year.  I pay for insurance for my kids.  Could I use that money somewhere else?  You bet but it is still in my best instrest to have it there for the emergencys life throws you.

If you make $80,000 and can't afford healh insurance, sell the boat.

The only thing you should feel when shooting insurgents is the rifle recoil.

Currently, SCHIP is funded by $25 Billion over five years.  Republicans, and ostensibly President Bush, were willing to increase total funding by $10 Billion more for a total of $35 Billion over five years - a 40% increase in the program - PLUS a lowering of the cap amount necessary to qualify for SCHIP to 250% of federal poverty rates for a family of four - up from 200% - which means more would qualify.

Interestingly, New Jersey is the current federal/Presidential granted leader at a whoppping 350% of federal poverty rate percentage!  They were officially granted the ability to dole out more SCHIP monies.  Even more interesting, New York enacted a gigantic 40% of federal poverty rate this past year when, I'm sure, it was clear a new political battle was immenent over SCHIP and Hilary Clinton figured the more "free" money for the middle class voters of her state then the more votes she would buy, opps, I mean 'garner'.  The New York 400% rate will have to be reduced to 250% unless the evil Republican government/president grants them more.  A "Win-Win" for Hilary in 2008?

The rest of my post is a reprint from an earlier thread on SCHIP but still applies to today's situation, especially concerning how things can be modified and how all this is going to be paid for.

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The SCHIP controversy is a squeeze play by Democrats to extract more taxes from the wealthy (part of their "wealth redistribution" scheme) and give it to more of their partyline voters.  It is part of their backdoor maneuvering for Socialized Medicine.

What is really irksome is that Democrats want to be able to give SCHIP medical coverage to children of families that earn up to 400% of the federal poverty level (currently $20,650 for a family of four), which would mean a family of four with a total earned income of $82,600 would receive free healthcare for their children!  Guess which state is leading the cry for looser standards for eligibility --  New York!  In order to do this, Democrats want to increase the SCHIP coffers by $50 Billion to a total of $75 Billion for a 5 year period!

Part of the extra money would be raised from an additional 61-cent tax on cigarettes for a total of cigarette tax of $1 per pack.  Wonder what happens when people stop smoking - how whill SCHIP get money then?  Another way to fund the SCHIP treasure chest is by enforcing a 9.9% and 5% Medicare payment reductions as previously determined legislatively for 2008 and 2009.  Upwards of 50% reduction in reimbursements to physicians/providers over the past 15-20 years or so, with more on the horizon, does not bode well for encouraging people to become physicians.  Who will take care of the SCHIP kids when people stop choosing medicine as a career?  It will be the same pool of doctors that Great Britain recruits from, but hopefully not the foreign nationals involved in the Scotland Airport car bombing attempt.  (/end of brazen xenophobic rant)

The irony is that the Republicans want to raise the SCHIP funds kitty by $10 Billion to a total of $35 Billion and lock eligibility at 250% of federal poverty levels ($51,625 for a family of four). 

This adjustment seems to be fair both fiscally and where the public's health is concerned:

The Congressional Research Service estimates 91% of SCHIP enrollees are from families earning less than 200% of the poverty level, or $20,650 for a family of four.

 

But the Bush Administration is not as cold hearted as the Democrats would like you to believe.  States can petition to loosen eligibility for SCHIP if they can prove that they had enrolled 95% of children at or below 200% of poverty, show that private health insurance enrollment had not declined more than 2 percentage points among targeted income groups and that new SCHIP enrollees had been uninsured for one year.  Sounds like good fiscal restraint to me and an example of Conservative Compassion that Mr. Bush espoused in his origional campaign in 2000.  Of course the Democrats will complain the rules are impossible to meet.  What else is new.

My opinion is if the family income is greater than $51,625 per year and you do not pay for health insurance for your two (or three) children then you either have children which insurance companies will not insure for reasonable rates due to existing problems (would require solutions outside of or in concert with SCHIP), you need to move to an area with a lower cost of living or you need to rethink your budget.

Killing them with kindness isn't working.  Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.