[NormsRevenge]

Creeping socialism is at full gallop in the Senate and quite a few on the right side of the aisle support its continued growth, it appears.

[NormsRevenge]

Senate Roll Call: Children's Insurance

vote tote below.

[endthematrix]

Senate OKs wider kids’ health program

Wider is code for FAT!

[Texas_Jarhead]

Is this the bill that defines “kids” as people up to age 24?

[endthematrix]

"It's moderate, it's bipartisan, it helps low-income kids. ... It's"

MARXIST!

[NormsRevenge]

Through federal waivers, the program has expanded in many states to include middle-income children and adults. That has led Republicans to argue that it has become a backdoor way to extend government-provided health care to an increasing number of people.

[Nam Vet]

I see that idiot Smith (RINO-OR) voted for it. Gonna have to go to his office next week and let him know I don't go for socialism lite from someone I voted for. I hear there's going to be a rolicking campaign for his seat this time around. Just when you need committed supporters to work their hearts out for your re-election is an ideal time to stab them with this kind of antic.

Nam Vet

[torchthemummy]

Can anyone tell me what the tax increase on cigarettes is going to be?

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Hmmm. I would think “wider kids” would be less healthy. Why would the government want a “wider kids” health program?

[hcd707]

The health program is designed to subsidize the cost of insurance for children whose families earn too much to participate in Medicaid, but not enough to afford private health insurance.

That's what this is "designed" for, but in reality what will happen is, millions of middle-income people who already have private health insurance will drop it for the subsidized (read: taxpayer-funded) handout. And the road to socialized healthcare rolls on......

[DoughtyOne]

Bush has proposed spending $5 billion to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program. He says the Senate's $35 billion expansion would balloon the decade-old program beyond its original mission of covering working poor children and would move more people toward government-run health care.

And what would a Medicare medication enhancement program do?

This reasoning sounds as if it was some reporter's substitute explanation. I'm not convinced this administration is all that opposed to a government run healthcare program.

[thelastvirgil]

Socialism at its best, on display in the halls of OUR congress, and with the support of so-called Republican, small-government types. This bill, if I understand it correctly, is to be funded in part by a $1.00-per-pack cigarette tax. Wait until the great unwashed amongst the entitled get a whopping dose of that brand of income distribution. There’ll be Hell to pay unless Dubya has the nads to veto this POS legislation.

[ran20]

I calculate already the government spends 1 trillion on healthcare. Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, government employee and retiree and family health care insurance... and now programs like this for kids.. I might even be a little low.

Well that is 3300$ per capita we spend. France spends about that, but they have free universal health care for all. So why do we have to pay for that much publicly.. then pay that much again privately.

[Shethink13]

It also gave Democrats, who secured a veto-proof margin, a chance to draw a stark distinction between their priorities and Bush's on an issue that resonates with voters.

Veto-proof in the Senate, but not in the House.