Bush just vetoed a bill increasing the amount of poor children to be included in SCHIP, a government subsidized health insurance program for the poor. It was to be paid for by taxing cigarettes. He says there's always the emergency room. Gee, thanks Mr. Millionaire Oil Guy who can have a government funded check-up every time you're feeling a little gassy. Of course 72% of Americans support the bill because most Americans like children to be healthy. But Mr. Bush seems to think that by including more poor children in the program that he'll be sending the wrong message- like that people without money deserve health care too. Its strange that he is so pro-democracy for other countries while he ignores the wishes of the people in his own. Well, it seems that the Senate has enough votes to override his veto but the House still has a lot of idiots who don't want to be re-elected. The cost of the increase is $35 billion for the next 5 years, the extra money the White House is asking for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is $190 billion and of course this will be added to the deficit. While I usually am very much against violence, will someone please slap him? Hard?
Update: Now even Bush recognizes how politically damaging this is for him to put the interest of insurance companies above children.