Bush v. America

After six years of a Republican-controlled Congress, George W. Bush located his veto pen. He has used it four times to date: twice on stem-cell research, once on Iraq redeployment and now on a health insurance program for children.

In doing so, Bush has pitted himself against the will of the American people.

To rationalize his SCHIP veto, Bush lied. Here’s an example:

The president told Americans that families making $83,000 a year will receive help from SCHIP. “That doesn’t sound like poor children to me,” he said.

The $83,000 was a waiver which New York State applied for and failed to get.

Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas attempted to bust this myth:

“This bill does not grant SCHIP coverage to children whose families have incomes more than $40,000. In fact, the only way a state can cover children in families at higher income levels is if the administration grants approval for the state to do so. This is already current law, and this bill does not change that. However, this bill for the first time puts tough standards into place to ensure states are truly focusing their programs on low-income children.” LINK

A sufficient number of Republican House members, as well as two Southern Democrats, bought this myth and other talking points, including claims the bill would cover children of illegal immigrants, which it does not.

I have a serious question for my representative in Congress, J. Gresham Barrett, 3rd District, South Carolina, and I want a serious answer:

Sir, are you a member of the legislative branch of government, or the executive?

Who voted against overriding Bush’s SCHIP veto? LINK

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A brief post follows.