Get Your Veto Pen Ready, Mr. President
House Republicans hold firm to oppose SCHIP expansion
By Bluey Posted in Congress — Comments (8) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The House voted 265-159 tonight for a $35-billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, but it didn't come anywhere close to the two-thirds Democrats need to override President Bush's veto. Speaker Nancy Pelosi couldn't even hold her own party in line, losing eight Democrats who voted against the bill.
Congratulations must go out to House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R.-Mo.) and Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R.-Va.), who did an outstanding job whipping Republicans and making sure they held firm. With no hope for the Senate to sustain a veto -- upwards of 69 senators could vote for the bill -- the House was the only chance conservatives had to stop this slippery slope to government-run health care.
The bill now goes to Senate and then to Bush's desk. He'll veto it and Congress will be forced to pass a temporary extension of the program through mid-November. In that time, a group of Republicans hope to gain support for a real compromise -- reauthorizing the program while offering tax credits to families.
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Get Your Veto Pen Ready, Mr. President 8 Comments (0 topical, 8 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
I see Kucinich voted against it. Is he just holding out for fully socialized medicine?
Election year, heh.
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Reality: Thompson/Romney Dream: Santorum/Watts.
- slippery slope to government-run health care.
Health care, and a lot of things. This bill is very aptly named: its purpose is to provide health insurance for the State Children. Soon we'll need food for the State Children, and then housing for the State Children. Not just the poor ones... this bill applies to State Children whose parents (remember them? Quaint concept) make up to $80,000 per year.
Remember what happens to a state that doesn't toe the Federal line on speed limits? That's right, they get their transportation funds cut off. Well, just wait until you've settled into the idea that the Fedrel Gubment is buying your kids' health insurance.
Following Parkinson's Second Law (expenditures rise to meet income), you'll have gone off to spend what's left of your money (after the taxes they took to buy the health insurance for you, plus overhead) on something else. In other words, you'll become dependent on the program, and it will cause you serious hardship if you have to get off it.
<snd="hillarycackle.mp3">Surprise! Come now the Federal Trans-Fat Nazis, the Obesity Nazis, the Snack Nazis, the Smoke Nazis, the Eat Your Spinach Nazis, and all the other Nazis who will now be setting your speed limits, just like they do for the state transportations departments. This is a liberal's pipe dream: a chance to apply the principles of animal husbandry to a whole new class of human beings.
Anyone who thinks this program is a good idea hasn't thought very far ahead.
Drink Good Coffee. You can sleep when you're dead.
When 45 Republicans voted for it, including my Representative, Congerssman Yes (Vito Fossella). It's amazing how many big government Republicans we have in office, so eight Democrats aren't worth getting excited about. The pity of it is that many of the Republicans who voted for it are the ones who most need our support next November. What's a Ron Paul supporter to do?
If Bush has to veto this, he better the hell say the opposition to this legislation as there was a "Broad bipartisan desire" to see this bill defeated.
Afterall, Harry Reid goes on and on about bipartisan if one R goes with him. So we need to start doing the same damn thing.
How do you call losing 45 GOP reps and adding only 8 Dems anything close to an "outstanding job" ?
If this is what passes for GOP minority 'leadership', not to mention the pathetic spin that will accompany such abject failure, we're screwed this cycle. Pelosi gives us all the ammo we could ever want, and Blunt is still hemorrhaging support while offering no alternative plan of any kind or trying to sell conservative ideas on health care. Good God - no wonder Newt's keeping his distance. Surely we can do better than this.
Be nice or i'll slap you cross-eyed!
- Granny
piece of crap and that NO accord can ne reached on the alternative turd. Let the program die on the vine.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.