Op-Ed/ Bush Vetoes Child Health Bill

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At this time SCHIP insures about 6.6 million people, almost all of whom are children. It is meant to be for families who earn too much income to qualify for medicaid and yet are not wealthy enough to be able to afford private insurance.

The bill that was vetoed was calling to increase the program by using a federal tax on cigarettes. The increased funding for the program would have insured an additional 4 million children.

Bush has said he fears that by increasing the income cutoff for SCHIP citizens would abandon private insurance for the government's version. He thinks that would wind up being too costly.

Speaking after vetoing the bill, Mr Bush said: "The focus of the government ought to be to help poor children and to focus on poor children.

"And the policies of the government ought to be to help people find private insurance, not federal coverage."

Bush is not winning any popularity points with this latest show of power.

Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, drew a parallel with the administration's request for $190bn funding for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008.

He said: "The president has asked for an open-ended, open-wallet commitment to Iraq, and the American children get an empty stocking."

Gee, George if Congress gives you the money to blow up stuff in Iraq will you allow the children living in your country to stay healthy enough to be able to go fight your war?