Bush: I'll veto that children's health insurance bill. Senate: Suck it George
posted by
Wally
2:30 PM
In what could be a major political setback for President Bush, the Senate voted late Thursday to increase funding by $35 billion for a popular health insurance program for low-income children.
The bipartisan measure passed 68-31, with enough support from Republicans to override a promised veto by Bush.
Bush has promised to veto the legislation, saying it would be too expensive and would constitute a first step toward government-funded universal health coverage, which many Democrats support. The president and many GOP leaders prefer tax incentives to help more Americans buy coverage.
With more than 20 Republican senators up for reelection next year, it appears that the prospect of voting down a popular healthcare bill for children and facing a month of criticism from Democrats in their districts proved too daunting a challenge. Congress is scheduled to break for August recess today. Why does Bush hate the little children?
After 6 years of barely glancing at his Veto pen while the GOP was in the majority in Congress, rubber-stamping everything he said (and vice versa), it seems that old George has decided to make up for lost time, threatening to veto everything that crosses his desk.
Currently, he's threatening to veto:
The above-mentioned CHIP (Child Health Insurance bill)
A pair of energy bills
The Water Resources Development Act (that even Inhofe supports)
The Farm bill
The "Eavesdropping" Bill
Funding for Amtrak
Spending bills
I can go on, but there's cold beer calling my name just a few short blocks away.... You get the idea.
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