The Veto crayon strikes again...

Once again the Veto crayon was removed from its box and used to dash the hopes of millions of kids as “President” Bush vetoed the SCHIP bill… and unlike his last veto of stem-cell research (which also had wide-ranging support), he did it without a plethora of children behind him… and with good reason.

On September 27th – 30th, a Washington Post/ABC News Poll asked this question; “There's a proposal to increase federal spending on children's health insurance by 35 billion dollars over the next five years. It would be funded by an increase in cigarette taxes. Supporters say this would provide insurance for millions of low-income children who are currently uninsured. Opponents say this goes too far in covering children in families that can afford health insurance on their own. Do you support or oppose this increased funding for this program?”

Support? 72%

Oppose? 25%

Unsure? 3%

Sooooooo… a large majorty of respondents said that they DID approve of the plan…

But once again, Bush wielded his crayon and vetoed the plan…

Reaction has been swift from both sides.

rEPUBLICAN Sen. Orrin Hatch (r-UT); “Unfortunately, I believe that some have given the president bad advice on this matter, because I believe that supporting this bipartisan compromise to provide health coverage to low-income children is the morally right thing to do. I hope that we can muster enough votes to overturn this veto.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); “It's very sad that the president has chosen to veto a bill that would provide health care for 10 million American children for the next five years. ... I don't think the president wants to say to the American people that he as the decider, the self-proclaimed decider, wants to decide what children get health care and which children do not.”

rEPUBLICAN Sen. Gordon Smith (r-OR); “I believe this is an irresponsible use of the veto pen. I hope the House can garner enough votes to override the President.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV); “Never has it been clearer how detached President Bush is from the priorities of the American people. By vetoing a bipartisan bill to renew the successful Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), President Bush is denying health care to millions of low-income kids in America.”

rEPUBLICAN Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (r-LA); This is an important program with bipartisan support, and I'm committed to a responsible extension. ... Any long-term extension must include an effective plan focused on enrolling children who currently qualify but who for whatever reason are not signed-up, anything less is irresponsible.”

Even rEPUBLICAN Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who very well could be a witch that eats children; said; “I believe there are valid concerns about expanding SCHIP, but the president should sit down with Congress so we can continue the SCHIP program within the scope of its original mission, which is to insure as many children as possible who are too poor to afford private insurance but do not qualify for Medicaid.”

And reaction from non-politicians?

American Academy of Pediatrics president Jay Berkelhamer; “Today's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) will have a serious negative impact on low-income children and their families across this nation.”

Chair of the AMA’s board of trustees Edward Langston; “The number of uninsured kids has increased by nearly 1 million over the past year, and action must be taken to reverse this trend. The AMA strongly urges members of Congress from both political parties to stand on the side of America's parents and children by voting to override the veto.”

What does the president not get regarding the program??

As I’ve said many, many, many times before; January 20, 2009 CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH…