S-CHIP: Here we go again; Update: Override fails, roll call vote added
Update 2:20pm Eastern. Veto override failed. Here’s the roll call vote.
GOP leader Boehner’s statement:
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today expressed disappointment at the Majority’s latest attempt to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover illegal immigrants and adults at the expense of low-income children. Boehner voted to sustain the President’s veto of the flawed measure and issued the following statement:
“After two failures to override the President’s vetoes of their flawed SCHIP bill, I hope congressional Democrats finally end the political games that have dominated this debate and work with Republicans to focus on low-income children first. The Majority’s bill would shortchange low-income children and expand SCHIP coverage to illegal immigrants, adults, and those who already have private health insurance. This is particularly irresponsible at a time when our economy is slowing down and American families are feeling the strain from rising costs of living.
“Democrats and Republicans alike established SCHIP a decade ago to ensure our nation’s low-income children have access to high-quality health care. Likewise, just a month ago, both parties overwhelmingly voted to extend SCHIP into 2009 and cover the program’s funding shortfall. Unfortunately, that spirit of cooperation has consistently taken a back seat to the Majority’s ongoing efforts to politicize this issue in order to move more Americans from private insurance to government-run health care. As we have been for the past year, Republicans are ready to work in a bipartisan way to reauthorize SCHIP and keep its focus on low-income children. After this latest failed attempt to enact its flawed legislation, I hope the Majority is finally ready to do the same.”
Update 11:37am Eastern. Nancy Pelosi is on the floor. She praises Dems for wasting 100 hours posturing about The Children. Give yourselves a hand.
Now, she’s talking about the stimulus package…which she says is an argument for massively expanding S-CHIP…to illegal aliens, adults, and families who already have health insurance.
Update 11:11am Eastern. Oh, boy Pete Stark Raving Mad is on the floor now. Remember what happened last time? Looks like he took a valium this morning to prevent another BDS outburst.
***
As I noted yesterday, the House Dems are attempting to override the president’s veto of their massive entitlement expansion plans. The debate has just begin on C-SPAN and GOP Rep. Joe Barton summed it up: “Here we go again.”
GOP leader John Boehner’s office boils it down:
Today, the House will hold a politically-orchestrated vote to override the President’s veto of a flawed “children’s” health care bill that actually would cover illegal immigrants, adults, and families who already have health insurance. Sound familiar? It should. That’s because the House held the same vote three months ago, when the House sustained the President’s first veto of this irresponsible legislation. Today’s political games are especially disappointing since Congress voted in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion last month to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) into 2009 and cover the program’s funding shortfall – a bill modeled on legislation introduced by House Republicans all the way back in September.
In any case, the House could have held this override vote in December after the President vetoed it, but leaders of the Majority pushed it off for more than a month in an attempt to drum up more support. Did it work? Not at all…
…The problems with the Majority’s most recent sham SCHIP bill are countless, but here are just a handful:
* It fails to put low-income children first.
* It insures adults and illegal immigrants.
* It forces some two million children from private health insurance to government-run care.
* It contains a massive tax hike and district-specific earmarks and pork projects.
* And according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) it even COSTS MORE and COVERS FEWER CHILDREN than the Majority’s original SCHIP legislation, which the President vetoed last fall.…Last year, Democrats routinely used our nation’s children as a political football, and their strategy imploded. Apparently unfazed by their failure, they seem poised to keep on playing the political games in 2008 – and their allies on the Left seem willing to join them once again. After tens of millions of dollars – and countless hours – spent fruitlessly by House Democrats and their liberal allies, will the Majority finally acknowledge the need to work with Republicans to put low-income children first? Or will they continue to push flawed bill after flawed bill that insures illegal immigrants and adults at the expense of the low-income children both parties designed SCHIP to serve in the first place?
But hey, what do we know? We’re just selfish you-know-whats.
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Incredible.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
-Benjamin Franklin
I keep harping on this, but who cares if bringing this to a vote is purely political. By forcing Republicans to make a tough vote, it gives Dems ammunition in the upcoming elections.
I didn’t see too many social conservatives complain when President Bush and the Republican Congress kept trying to push the Federal Marriage Amendment. That had even less legislative support than the S-CHIP expansion and yet it kept coming back from the dead.
Why? Politics! It’s a red meat issue for the party’s base. Those issues increase turnout.
Bullseye!
Might want to contact our Democratic leadership and give them a history lesson.
your tax dollars at work.
These politicians are going to destroy our country through give-a-ways, political lotto. Yes they are giving away everything that those Americans secured for us. I so9me times think that is their objective, then they can step in and take over I the name of a national emergency. These benefits and services are ours, our ancestors paid for them with blood sweat and tears for us. It is there as a temporary safety net so a citizen can get back on their feet. To take it and then give it away is like urinating on their graves while spitting in our face and at the same time finding a way to steal candy from a new born baby, disgusting and disgraceful, under the jail is the place for many of them. The rest should try to get jobs at the Salvation army. If I was a moocher I could have had more kids as well, but I knew what I could afford in through my time and money so I didn’t. A hand up not a hand out, moochers! Can’t afford your family, got yourself too far extended financially, go back and live with mommy and stay out the rest of our bank accounts.
Why would they design a bill that does not cover those whom they claim need it? *I’m sure it’s just an oversight.*
Why would they design a bill that covers illegal immigrants and adults when by the very definition of the plan it is: State Children’s Health Insurance Program?
I thought this bill was for uninsured children?
What does this have to do with the children?
It costs more and covers fewer children… Interesting.
_________________________________
Rusty,
This isn’t a problem for Republicans. Not in the least. Democrats; however, have some explaining to do.
Instead of forking out more money to pay for health care, I wish these SOB’s would do something to, you know, actually bring the cost of healthcare down. But it’ll never happen.
It’s another attempt at getting hillarycare through the back door. First cover uninsured children, then uninsured adults, then move more children from private insurance to government insurance, then add illegals etc. etc.
It’s like sharia creep. Hillary creep.
And it gives their constituents the feeling that they are doing something.
They are pulling a Al Gore. We will count votes until we get the desired result.
Most recent column: For the children?
Please read.
DO NOTHING CONGRESS ALERT
When you haven’t done anything in a year and your failures start to stack up you have to do something to make it look like you are important.
This will tie up congress again, waste money, and basically run more time off the clock for the Dems. I hope the voters see what a pyschotic group of socialists have been put into the majority.
San Fran Pelosi and Harry the Coward must go!
30 PCS – you’re forgetting – it’s for the chi-i-i-i-ldren!
Excerpt:
cpodug,
That really would have topped off my rant nicely… an opportunity missed. Dang it.
I will bet that 95 percent or more of permanent guvment freebie dependants are voting democrat. They hate the military, they hate their country, they even hate conservatives. But that doesn’t stop them from taking your money. It is you that will have to cut back, go without in some instances. Taking someone’s money and then laughing, denigrating and wishing them ill all the way to the bank, according to what my parents taught me that is the definition of a lowlife. Most people don’t want a permanent handout, it destroys self respect, but some of our citizens have no self respect and dang it, they blame us. Are you a failure in life, are you angry about it, want to get even, vote democrat.
This is just a prelude to what will happen if either Hillary or B. Hussein Obama are elected. If that happens, hold on because we’ll be in for one big economic drunk with the biggest hangover ever recorded waiting for the next Republican President to handle.
Why don’t we just start calling it the S-IAYAFWAHHIP Plan?
That’s State Illegal Alien Young Adult & Families Who Already Have Health Insurance Plan.
Let’s not forget that this program is funded by an increase in the federal cigarette tax. Should it be passed, not a single penny will be collected for the program on the Capitol grounds because Pelosi banned the sale of tobacco there. Perhaps the Speaker should consider taxing mahi mahi and compostable straws instead.
Yeah, because President Bush did such a great job with the budget and economy. Reagan was top notch too. The party with the out-of-control spending is always the party in power. Disappointing, but true. Presidents only get tough on spending when the other party is in charge of the purse (ie Bush in 2007 and Clinton in 1995-2000).
The government is going to spend tons of money. The issue is prioritizing where the money gets spent. Health care is worth it to me.
Anyways, I’d like to ask where you people were when Republicans kept pushing the FMA when it had less support than the S-CHIP veto override (when both needed a 2/3 majority). I didn’t see any posts here talking about the Do-Nothing Republicans.
I really believe the Democrats have no shame. I do not think there yet exists any depth to which they will not stoop to retain power; their use of the S-CHIP program as a publicity laden credit card with which to purchase the sympathy and, coincidently, votes of the uninformed perfectly demonstrates the point!
Having taught in some of the poorest schools in our district, I have seen firsthand the kids, the families and even some adults who need S-CHIP, and believe me, they DO NOT make fifty thousand dollars or above like the Democrats would have everyone think.
S-CHIP is meant to help the desperately poor, and as such, I have no problem with it;however, I do have a problem with increasing the number of its beneficiaries to include those who have insurance, or are more than financially capable of acquiring it, which is a sheer ploy by Democrats to buy the votes of blue-collar workers!
Apparently Democrats will do anything to appeal to Reagan-voting blue collar workers, including placing them on S-CHIP. Of course the Dems won’t tell the blue-collars they’ll have to pay for late on, with increased taxes and unemployment; but hey, anything to get elected!
Now, now the Dems are just trying to help. Look at what wonders they have done with Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, WIC, California and the public schools. Why wouldn’t we want to accept their agenda for all areas of public policy?
Hoooray!!! Free goodies for all!!! Reach into the goodie bag and grab your prize!!!
Oh wait a minute…somebody has to pay for it?
Guess that would be me. And you. And anyone else who isn’t sauntering on up to the big old trough of public assistance.
Bullseye!
Our hospitals and doctors offices from coast to coast are contaminated with the super (nasty) bug MRSA. It is not safe to go to the doc anymore yet they want to send more people in instead of fixing the problem. Do you like how the IRS treats you? How about the DMV, when you deal with the guvment does all go smoothly? Do you want to be told what to eat, how much exercise you will do, what is acceptable in relation to personal habits or preferences? How are you going to like it when they force you to go to a doctor, a doctor named Dr. abu jihad sharia? Would you like your doctor to be selected with quotas or do you prefer they actually be competent? You know how they do things, who they select to fill their personnel rosters so try to envision the universal healthcare nightmare coming true because that is the objective. We are not talking airport security here (or maybe we are lord help us) this is up close and personal. Me, I think I will just go ahead and die at home.
Rusty #20 – you say putting money toward health care is worth it to you. You are more than welcome to give more of your paycheck to others. I personally donate quite a bit to St. Jude’s and Shriners because I believe they are great organizations and I have seen what they do. But for the government to MAKE US pay for this is wrong. If you want to pay more in taxes, go for it, but get your hands out of my wallet.
They don’t make you pay. It’s your choice if you want to buy tobacco.
tgusa
You may have a valid point there in that I would not be overly surprised if they get their socialized health care rammed down our throats that many of the more qualified and experienced doctors might decide to move out of the USA because they will not be able to control how much they charge or how many patients they have …
In that regard I have another question that perhaps someone can answer … and maybe no one has thought about …
If the government is running healthcare does that mean all the “”Silk Pony Lawyers” are out of jobs because there won’t be anymore malpractice lawsuits that can be filed …
You see … you can’t sue the government for that type of thing …
if you don’t believe that just ask any military person who has ever had something go bad medically for themselves or one of their dependents …
And to millions of uninsured American children. But making sure the children of illegal immigrants don’t get coverage is clearly more important.
Rusty,
You place this over-arching umbrella of “Health care is worth it to me. …” Over illegal immigrants and adults being covered by a program that was not and should not be intended for them.
Healthcare is worth it. However, those who already have health insurance do not need S-CHIP, yet lo and behold they are covered under the proposed bill.
Illegal immigrants have the ability to step into any one of our ERs, clinics and get treatment, yet you think taxpayers should be responsible for managing their overall healthcare?!?!…
I am amazed that someone who otherwise presents himself as an intelligent person could say something as stupid as this. If using their kiddie shields gets universal healthcare, what does that matter to you. You must think it clever.
On second thought I will answer your question, well, sort of… How can you compare a bill that has passed but without all of the wasteful spending that Dems want to attach to it, to a bill that has not passed and is being revisited?
How many times has Federal Marriage Act been revisited, you ask?
That’s twice and hasn’t been looked at since. And that’s with a Republican President in office. You really went dumpster diving, didn’t you?
Compared to S-CHIP:
So, let’s be honest here. S-CHIP is politically expedient to them why? It is clear not for the chiiiildren (cpodug, that’s for you).
Oh and since you anticipate a Dem being in the WH in 2009, this just highlights that the Dems in Congress have real work to do but refuse to do it. They just want to make the Republicans look bad. Excellent policy.
Please don’T Feed the trolls.
Desert Lover,
I was wondering the same myself. No doubt they will be left to feed as they wish on any part is not nationalized. I’m sure some accomodation will be made for trial lawyers at the public trough. No way will the Dems leave out one of their key constituencies.
First of all, Rusty, I don’t smoke. But how long do you really think it will only be a tax on tobacco? And what if I want to smoke? It isn’t illegal. And don’t start with me about how it’s unhealthy. By that measure, there will be an extra tax on everything. I also don’t eat fast food, maybe we should tax that because it’s unhealthy. How about alcohol, why isn’t that being taxed for SCHIPS? Or anything fried, when fried food leads to blocked arteries?
It may be a choice to smoke or not to smoke, but it’s not a choice to pay all these extra taxes the government adds to everything. At what point do we tell them enough?
Personally I think the lying crapweasels in DC should be more concerned with tort reform than S-CHIP. Not being able to file frivolous law suits against medical practitioners would possibly go a long way in reducing the cost of malpractice insurance, which costs most doctors close to $100K a year. After all isn’t one of the Democratic front runners a great malpractice lawyer that feathered his nest for his “two Americas” by driving up the price to the medical industry to the point where none of us can afford it.
Just wanted to remind everyone that in the very liberal state of Oregon they tried to force through a local version of S-CHIP that would have also taxed tobacco products and such to pay for it … they put it on the ballot for a vote of the people … and … IT FAILED … MISERABLY …
Hope everyone has not forgotten that little piece of history …
DL, I haven’t forgotten but people like Rusty don’t want to hear that good people of Oregon don’t appreciate being strong-armed by the government and told a flat out lie that it’s for the children when it clearly is not.
Exactly DesertLover I will add that to my list. No twinkies for over weight people tax em by the pound. Balanced meals for the under weight, slap a tax on them and make em eat beef and potatoes (special order and highly taxed) until they are in the designated range. Hazardous or irresponsible lifestyle taxes anyone? I am sure, given an afternoon that I could find a few things to tax in everyone (specialty taxes). You’re special you know. I believe that Edwards already said that he will force us to see a doctor. If you refuse, he will probablly send a few of his ambulance chasing lawyers to compel you to surrender yourself to the authorities err doctor, what an arse.
DL, I didn’t forget. I’ve mentioned it before but ballot initiatives in odd-numbered years get ridiculously low voter turnout. The issue still polls incredibly well with public and legislative support.
And, 30, yeah the FMA was used twice. Both in election years. Both with no chance of passing. The SCHIP expansion, which earned far more votes than the FMA, has also been brought up twice. Both times the law (the second bill was different and was meant to exclude adults and illegal immigrants) passed, both times it was vetoed, and both times there was a veto override.
So to say the Dems are just playing politics while the Republicans were making a good faith effort to prevent gays from achieving equal rights is ridiculous. Both parties were/are keeping their eye on the next election. The difference being that one of the proposed laws actually had a chance.
I agree, the taxes on tobacco are completely with-out merit, along with the nanny state provisions blocking smoking in every place.
I do not smoke, only smoked as a kid for a week, and I still think that smokers have rights which are being taken from them by an overbearing government hell bent on becoming a fascist government.
tgusa
Yeah … I will be waiting for some of the pony’s henchmen to come and tell me I have to do anything …
He better send a bunch of them …
This old Marine won’t go quietly …
I’m older than all of them except McCain and Rudy … but …
I would gladly challenge any of them to a good old Marine Corps Obstacle Course any day of the week … the old fashioned ones … not the new versions …
I doubt they could get through the basic portions … let alone the 3-mile run in full combat gear at the end …
I still work out and run about 12 miles a week to keep in shape … it would be a great pleasure to put some of these wimps in their place …
My question (directed to Rusty)… why is Congress considering spending BILLIONS of dollars on a law that is blatantly UNCONSTITUTIONAL when we are running a huge deficit. Our Founding Fathers would be ASHAMED of our “representatives”!
Rusty – sorry, but every time I see your name, I think of the horse in one of the Seinfeld episodes – why do you keep referring to the FMA? That’s a no brainer. Marriage is a term that no one ever had any difficulty with regard to its definition. The travesty is the fact that our country even requires a law defining what its meaning is.
Haven’t the gays hijacked and profaned enough terms and symbols already – gay used to mean happy and carefree – not anymore. The rainbow was given from God as a covenant with mankind that he wouldn’t destroy the world again by flood — the gays distorted its meaning too. Now their trying to elevate their perverse relationship to the level of marriage.
In one thing we probably agree – we don’t need a Federal Marriage Act. We need to let the states decide and continue passing laws stating exactly what marriage is and is not. And we don’t need the court system legislating that away.
DesertLover I’m right there with you. I’d like to see them do 5 push-ups (forget about pull-ups) without whining, you’ve seen it I’ve seen too, sad really sad. I have a chance here and there to talk with this generations Marines out of Pendleton a lot of them love the beach, they’re a great lot. Semper Fi.
tgusa
I hear ya … have run many a mile on the beaches of Pendleton …
That’s what you said yesterday. Here’s an excerpt:
Rusty, I am not going off into one of your tangents. This isn’t about gay marriage. However, I will say this, Republicans aren’t hiding behind kiddie shields to push FMA onto the unsuspecting public. Can you same the same?
We should reject the terms “Democrat”, “liberal” and “progressive” and simply call our opponents “socialists”. Nothing so fascinates socialists as the allure of giving away other people’s money to acquire enhanced power over the populace.
And talk about a damn broken record… they just keep calling the same play over and over and over.
I think we as a group are forgetting something here. The care and feeding of citizens is not the job of the Congress!
Period.
I see no Constitutional mandate. Someone show me (other than “general welfare clause”), and I will shut my trap.
As a medical provider I can say with authority YOU DO NOT WANT THE GOVERNMENT DECIDING WHAT MEDICAL CARE YOU ARE AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE (sorry for shouting) I have a great example but my lawyer says I can’t use it publicly yet. If you let the government decide what care and treatments you are going to receive it is but a small step to allowing them into your bedroom, fridge, living room couch. They will do this under the guise of “since we are paying for your care we need to make sure you are living a healthy lifestyle.” The government is not your friend!!!
And I might add, the more the government interferes with medical care the more of us will take the Atlas Shrugged road.
As RR once said, the nine most frightening words in the English language are “I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”
I declare!
Just just have to find a backdoor way to make illegals legal don’t they.
Guess that blows the fence deal we’ve been hearing about from the candidates.
Moot point if this BS passes.
Bury your money before they bury you.
Boomer,
My malpractice insurance went up four fold in one year. We don’t need insurance plans for illegal aliens we need tort reform
Were you actually able to type that with a straight face, Rusty?
It is a waste of time, taking them away from work that they should be doing as our elected officials.
We are not paying them with our tax dollars for political posturing. We are paying them to actually get things done, not cater to their base, no matter the party to which they belong.
Rusty,
Just so I understand the logic of how this will be funded, you are telling us that the feds will pay for socialized healthcare with taxeson cigarettes, a vice they are working at every turn to eradicate with the smoking bans and campaigns to get people off nicotine?
So, if the other ploys are successful, how will they pay for the socialized healthcare they are trying to force onto everyone, under the guise of being for the children, when it is as much for adult and illegal immigrants, if not more?
Well, if the “polls” show it, it must be true, right?
The FMA you keep citing in a thread not even related to it “polls” well with the public.
For some reason, I keep hearing a particular quote over and over in my head…
“How do you tell a communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.” – Ronald Wilson Reagan (40th President of the United States of America)
This is one of many good arguments against mandated universal health care. The basis for 1998 multi-state tobacco settlement was that tobacco companies were liable for Medicare costs associated with smoking-related diseases. This argument, now that it has been succesfully used, can be used against any industry or activity not in favor with the ruling party. A more comprehensive government system will provide even more leverage for the destruction of private enterprise and control of individual behavior.
This is not paranoia It has already been attempted against gun manufacturers. It is also invoked as a reason for mandatory helmet laws. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg for enterprising lawyers, do-gooders, and government bureaucrats
Awwww. And, I just knew they had introduced it again, because they were sure it would pass.
/sarcasm off
Don’t worry. They’ll tack it on to the economic stimulus bill – they usually throw a wrench in at the last minute.
…or they’ll wait until the next round of military funding.
This is exactly how the Democrats think…”It didn’t work before, because I wasn’t the one in charge!!!”
Don’t confuse these people with facts…any facts, not supported by mainstream liberal thinking, are not true facts…true facts are what the liberals wish were true facts, not actual facts.
260-152.
This will pass in 2009. It’s inevitable. And if there’s a Dem president (which is more than likely), I think conservatives would have preferred the compromise legislation offered here.
How many healthcare policies would Hillary’s campaign funds buy?
“No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the legislature is in session.” —Judge Gideon Tucker
Rusty, I’m not quite sure it is inevitable, as the future brings many surprises.
I will agree with you that if the dems get everything they want in the bill, we will wish we had taken this compromise. I believe you there.
So, they went from a 273-156 vote in October to a 260-152 now.
If it were truly inevitable, would you still have the need to convince everyone else of it?
Bingo!
Aside from the vote buying aspect, this whole S-CHIP rigmarole is also a strawman argument intended to divert public discourse from the fact it is the legal system, with its over the top awards and ambulance chaser lawsuits, that makes health care costs and insurance coverage unaffordable and unobtainable for some people.
John Edwards: “Ambulance? Did someone page me?”
Thanks to the likes of Mr. “Two Americas”, we have such high medical malpractice costs for doctors. And, to whom do those additional costs get transferred? Well, yes – us.
When the Demos control the congress and control the White House they should close up the Defense Dept and mothball all the ships and close all the forts and bases. Then there would be enough money for a great health care plan. Wonder why Harry Truman and FDR didn’t think of that.
I’m sure you all can imagine what the country would be like if HRottenC was president with a democrapic congress…don’t think you’d have time to grab your wallet and hide enuf money for yourself.
Come next nov. we need to regain the congress, uphill battle or not, the county’s future rides on it.