October 3rd, 2007

Remember the man running for office 8 years ago, preaching ‘compassionate conservatism?’ Well, in case you were wondering what happened to him, I don’t know either. Today, George Bush vetoed a Children’s Health Bill that was intended to provide care for poor and middle class children whose parents cannot afford to provide healthcare for them. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or Schip, was due to increase it’s ranks from its current enrollment of about 6.6 million children to more than 10 million. However, Mr. Bush decided that ideology trumps morality in this case.

The bill calls for $60 million over the next 5 years. Six Zero Million, over 5 years. We have now spent $450 Billion in Iraq - nearly 10 billion per month at this point. I just can’t see how we can make an argument about the fiscal responsibility of denying this type of care to children.

I understand the free-market economy argument regarding healthcare, and one could even argue that if you cannot afford health care for your child, you should not have had one in the first place. But this isn’t an expensive car that someone foolishly invested in - it’s a human life. If someone gets into financial trouble that only affects them, then I suppose they should reap what they sow. However, a child should not have to suffer or potentially die because their parents cannot or will not care for them properly.

Apparently, there are adequate votes in the Senate to override Mr. Bush’s veto, but the House is still a dozen or two votes short. Hopefully some republicans break rank and vote to override this veto.

On a local level, I’m disappointed (again) in our local representatives. Chambliss, Isakson, Price, and none of our republican representatives in the House voted for this bill, and I have written the appropriate people to let them know - as if it would actually change anything.

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