-------------------------------------------------
I just telephoned my Rep. Goodlatte (R-VA-6th) to ask him to change his position < http://www.vote-art.... > on the SCHIP issue, and vote to override the veto by President Bush of the SCHIP bill, described below by the AMA.
And after the AMA message, there is an explanation for the veto, from Froma Harrop, which is helpful because the veto is inexplicable. Inexplicable anyway to those of us who are still innocent. Well innocent of Washington, D. C., anyway.
----- Original Message -----
From: AMA Grassroots
To: John Cole
Sent: 03 Oct 2007
Subject: Tell Congress-override the veto
Dear John:
Both the U.S. Senate and House have passed the bill which reauthorizes the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - but the president has vetoed this important legislation.
However, we can still pass this bill and ensure access to health care for nearly 10 million children in America!
Congress can override a veto-so call (800) 833-6354 today and ask Rep. Bob Goodlatte to vote to override President Bush's veto!
Remind your Member of Congress:
? This bill will cover 10 million children.
? This bill is supported by the AMA, AARP, many governors and private insurers.
? Contrary to much misinformation, this bill focuses the program on serving low-income kids who are U.S. citizens. The legislation does not increase income eligibility limits, nor does it provide for coverage of illegal immigrants
? This bill is about ensuring that we do right by our children so that they can grow into healthy, productive adults
Please, call (800) 833-6354 today and ask Rep. Bob Goodlatte to overrule President Bush's veto.
###
Also this article is available on the Editorial Page of The Northern Virginia Daily, of 04 Oct 2007, and here:
< http://www.creators.... >
Children's Health Care in the Age of Bush
by Froma Harrop
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Let's design a children's health plan that President George W. Bush might like.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program serves working families not poor enough to qualify for Medicare. Bush is dead set against legislation that would raise the number of children covered by SCHIP from 6 million to 9 million.
In making a Bush-friendly plan, it's important to ignore his stated reasons for opposing the SCHIP expansion. That would start with his protests over the costs. ...
Continued here:
< http://www.creators.... >
... The Democrats writing the SCHIP legislation apparently forgot to hire their own Billy Tauzin to, so-to-speak, grease the wheels. Rep. Tauzin, the Louisiana Republican who wrote the Medicare drug law, did such a great job for the pharmaceuticals industry that its lobbying group immediately offered him a reported $3-million-a-year job - which he took.
Had Bush and his Republican Congress followed the Democratic proposal - that is, simply let the federal government negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries - the program could cost $300 billion less over eight years. SCHIP is really small change next to the Medicare drug benefit, whose price was clearly no object for the president.
So here's what Democrats must do to get Bush's blessings on children's health coverage: They should spend 30 percent more on it than necessary to keep private businesses happy. And once they have the corporate lobbyists on board, all the complaints about socialized medicine, subsidizing the well-to-do and big government would vanish.
That's how health care is done in Bush's Washington. ...
To find out more about Froma Harrop, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com .
COPYRIGHT 2007 THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL CO.
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE
Above from: < http://www.creators.... >
###
My Rep. Goodlatte (R-VA-6th) voted against the SCHIP
< http://www.vote-smar... > bill. Decisions such as that convince me that we owe it to the nation to send a new Representative to Congress. And we have a suitable candidate < http://www.samrasoul... > in Sam Rasoul.
Many thanks,
John Cole