Who would be against expanding health care coverage for children? Hmmmm...let me guess. Could it be President Bush and conservative congressional republicans? Yup. That's right, folks.
Here is part of an account from today's NY Times:
White House objections to the Democratic plan are “philosophical and ideological,” said Allan B. Hubbard, assistant to the president for economic policy. In an interview, he said the Democrats’ proposal would move the nation toward “a single-payer health care system with rationing and price controls.”
Democrats said the insurance program, created 10 years ago with bipartisan support, had improved access to care for millions of children and sharply reduced the number who were uninsured. Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress — with support from doctors, consumer groups and many state officials — want to increase enrollment in the program, which served 7.4 million people at some time in the last year.
“We expect a showdown on the Senate floor at the end of this month,” said James P. Manley, a spokesman for the majority leader, Senator Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada. “The program, which has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, is under assault by right-wing Republicans.”
I wonder if it's because the parents of the children who need this coverage are also the beneficiaries. After all, they would be "avoiding personal responsibility" by letting the state pick up the tab for their kids' insurance. As an added insult to bootstrap republicans everywhere, these slackers would also not have to get a second job or lose any sleep at night knowing that their kids are covered.
How dare they???
This is the quintessential example of how Bush lied about being a compassionate conservative. You would think that someone who described themselves that way would care about how people living in poverty would get access to health care. Guess not.
The working poor in this country will never leave the cycle of poverty without a social safety net. We provide one to the elderly, some of which do not need Medicare, but nevertheless are covered. But the vulnerable among us, the ones who cannot vote, children of the disenfranchised, are the ones sacrificing.
Look at it this way George... if you keep more of the poor kids alive, there will be more kids to fight in wars to defend our country later on down the road. Bet you didn't think of that.
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