S-CHIP expansion wanted by many
Today's news states that President Bush is threatening to veto the bill renewing the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
He is doing so despite a majority in both houses of Congress voting for the bill and the pleas of a clear majority of governors. This could endanger millions of children.
His primary reason is that the proposed legislation is "a step toward federalization of health care."
What does he call the existing S-CHIP program now in place? What is Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration?
How is this a "federalization" when the program is run by the states and the governors want the expansion?
He cannot argue the cost of an additional $35 billion over the next five years is unacceptable.
He has taken a surplus budget in 2001 and moved our country into a series of budget deficits resulting in several trillion dollars of federal debt.
A sum of $7 billion a year is as trivial in the budget picture as to be invisible without a magnifying glass.
He is placing partisan political ideology above the will of the people at both the state and federal level. Is this the same person we elected in 2000 who claimed to be a compassionate conservative? Would that person endanger the well-being of children?
As I write this letter I am conscious of two hopes. First, I hope that a bipartisan compromise can be achieved for the good of our children.
Second, I hope in the remaining 487 days of this administration, we will see the "compassionate conservative" lead us forward and not a partisan politician playing to the ideology of a minority.
Royce Blackwell
Elgin