SCHIP

SCHIP- State Children's Health Insurance Program

Passed, finally, by President Bush who vetoed it twice already.

Take a look at this video for Jon Stewart's take on the first veto of the SCHIP bill.

This new version of the SCHIP bill only supports those already under the current program- children who's families' wealth doesn't qualify them for Medicaid but doesn't allow them enough money to pay for private insurance.  The bill extend the financial support of the program through 2009.

Originally, the Democrats had tried to pass the SCHIP bill with a new program that would allow for additional children to be placed into the program- an $35 billion dollar increase in the program financed by an increase in the tobacco tax.  These changes in the SCHIP program are what Bush originally vetoed.

The version that Bush has now passed- in keeping with the status quo - has been hailed by Bush administration as a way to provide healthcare for children while not progressing the country into a move towards socialized healthcare.

However, the Democrats, and I myself, have a different take on Bush's recent signing.  By passing a bill that stays with the status quo, and effectively saying that putting more children under a program that would be financed through an increase in the tobacco tax is a move towards socialized healthcare, which is unacceptable, should significantly hurt the Republicans in the polls- should this news story gain the reporting that it deserves.  I've said this many times, but I'll say it again: how can a "family values" Republican president justify not extending a children's healthcare program because it would lead America towards socialized healthcare.  You are increasing the tobacco tax for heaven's sake, to pay for healthcare for children who cannot afford it.  Children!  I don't know what Bush is thinking, but to me, providing children with the ability to be healthy is a necessary thing in the advanced society that we are living in today.  It seems unfair that these children should not be able to get the type of medical care that they need simply because doing so would possibly put America on the path towards socialized medicine (ha, probably not).

The extent to which Bush's lack of extension will hurt the Republicans in the 2008 Election will only be seen by how the media decides to cover this bill.  Also, the fact that many Republicans in Congress actually supported expanded the SCHIP program and voted for the expansions that were vetoed by President Bush, does not really help support any claims that Bush's lack of expansion will heavily influence the election.  I think that the most that Bush's signature on this bill could do in the way of harm would only be to hurt Bush's sagging approval rating.  But still, because of all of the hype surrounding the upcoming Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, this bill is not going to get the type of coverage by the media that it needs in order to have a strong influence against the Republicans and the Bush administration.