That could be the headline for the Democrats' election narrative this year and next, after the GOP president and his pesky little minions in Congress swatted down health coverage for millions of U.S. children last week. Bush's veto of the SCHIP expansion means that smokers won't have to worry about paying $0.61 more per pack for their carcinogens, but some 3.8 million kids between now and 2012 will have to go without health insurance. Funny that. Jon Stewart explains:
Here in Florida, the hunt for 15 Republican votes in the House to override Bush's veto is on and popping.
Healthcare veto could haunt GOP BY LESLEY CLARK President Bush's veto of a bill to expand a popular children's health program already is a focus for Democrats in Florida looking to score gains in the 2008 congressional election. Bush vetoed the measure this week, saying it wouldn't help the poorest kids and that it was a step toward nationalized healthcare.
But with Democrats, children's groups, unions and liberal advocates vowing to push for a veto override -- and vowing to run ads against Republicans who resist it -- the battle is likely to echo at the polls next November.
Already, activists have held rallies outside the Miami congressional offices of Republican Reps. Lincoln Díaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, criticizing the two for supporting Bush. Former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, a Democrat who has been considering a run against Díaz-Balart, assailed the administration Friday on Spanish-language radio in Miami.
And a coalition of advocacy groups Friday announced plans for an advertising campaign they said will rival a 2005 effort that helped derail Bush's efforts to revamp Social Security. The coalition wants to persuade moderate House Republicans to support an override of Bush's veto.
''The theme is don't hitch your wagon to George Bush, hitch your wagon to the kids of America,'' said Alan Charney, program director of USAction, whose group is planning vigils and protests at congressional offices that will include children and little red wagons. ``We're going to create such a firestorm of passion and anger that these Republicans will have no choice but to switch.''
The efforts have done little, however, to persuade Díaz-Balart or Ros-Lehtinen, who said they support extending the popular program -- but not the current legislation.
''There's an overwhelming consensus in support of the children's health program in Congress, but we don't need these massive tax increases,'' Díaz-Balart said.
The override vote is scheduled for October 18. More on the Florida showdown to come:
The bill would have boosted funding by $35 billion over five years, to $60 billion, through steep tax increases on cigarettes and other tobacco products, including cigars.
It cleared the Senate with a veto-proof majority, but Democrats need 15 or 20 more votes in the House to override the veto. Eight House Democrats, including Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, voted against the measure, and advocates say they're working behind the scenes to persuade them to switch sides.
Castor, who represents an area with cigar manufacturers, said she thinks the legislation relies too heavily on tobacco taxes.
Díaz-Balart said the bill also does not provide insurance for the children of legal immigrants. Advocates on a conference call Friday said House leaders have suggested the issue will be revisited.
Said Raul Martinez: ``That's not an excuse when you have in Dade County more than 50,000 kids who would benefit. The president has made a mistake, and now the House members can correct the mistake.''
Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican who has been criticized by editorial boards at some Florida newspapers for voting against the legislation, is championing his own proposal that would extend coverage by providing a tax credit to some families. Martinez is scheduled to host a healthcare forum Wednesday at Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Should be a nice little get-together...
Oh, and here's the new ad produced by Families USA.
<%
dim done
done = request.form("done")
if done = "" then
done = "No"
%>
Tell a friend
<%
Else
if request.form("done") = "Yes" then
'sets variables
dim email, sendmail
email = request.form("email")
Set sendmail = Server.CreateObject("CDONTS.NewMail")
'put the webmaster address here
sendmail.From = "webmaster@aspbasics.com"
'The mail is sent to the address entered in the previous page.
sendmail.To = email
'Enter the subject of your mail here
sendmail.Subject = "Check out this website"
'send a specific page or send a site url
dim url
'url = Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
url = "http://www.aspbasics.net"
'This is the content of the message.
sendmail.Body = "Site recommendation from a friend!" & _
vbCrlf & vbCrlf & "A friend has sent you this email and thought you would should check out this site." & _
vbCrlf & url & vbCrlf
'this sets mail priority.... 0=low 1=normal 2=high
sendmail.Importance = 1
sendmail.Send 'Send the email!
response.redirect Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
'Response.write ("Sent to ") & email
End if
End if
%>
"[T]he practice of arbitrary imprisonments, have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny.' Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 84, August, 1788
