Their lies are sure to catch up with them. Hillary et al have no problem slumming it.

Hope they can tell the truth, their having a problem doing that of late. Harry Reid stands on the senate floor with his grandson beside him while he's telling lies and slandering people. My God!

uh, I thought the new dem congress was supposed to be bi-partisan and was going to unite us… well, at least that's what Nancy Pelosi said.

Despite enacting CHIP, there are more uninsured kids today than in 1994 at the beginning of the Republican Revolution. That's a sad commentary on the state of our nation.

As usual, a bill that sounds good and helpful is just the opposite when you break it down.

1- who is really covered (illegals)?
2- future funding?
3- Loop holes?
4- unintended consequences?
5- efficiency?
6- effectiveness?

Nice idea, bad execution…

I'm good friends with a small tobacco shop owner who will be put out of business if this bill passes.

He makes less that 50k per year and this bill will fund healthcare for people making 80+k per year.

Stealing from the middle class to help the rich?

This bill isn't liberal or conservative its just plain stupid!

President Bush this bill may be the only thing in america dumber than you.

The Beauty of it is there's no I's to forget to dot or T's to forget to cross in you name.

Just veto SOMETHING FINALLY!.

Why is tobacco suddenly considered a necessity?

"Tax the poor to pay for the health care of upper middle class kids. Nice job Dems."

If they're so poor, why the hell are they wasting their disposable income on cigarettes? Doesn't that fly in the face of the "personal fiscal responsibility" mantra Republicans are theoretically famous for?

I have zero problem with the government taxing luxury items. I don't smoke but I do drink, and I would welcome a heavy tax on alcohol to pay for children's health insurance. Seriously, get your priorities straight.

Bush is right to veto this bill. It is a tax on poor people, who make up most of the smking population, so rich households already paying for their kids' health care can move them to free government provided care.

Households earing $82,000 a year will be able to stop paying for their kids private insurance and have taxpayers pay for it instead.

Tax the poor to pay for the health care of upper middle class kids. Nice job Dems.

In addition, after 2011 funding for SCHIP will drop to a level that is 65% BELOW where it is now. How do you think that deficit will be made up??? By raising cigarette taxes $5 a pack??? NO…by rasing the taxes of EVERYONE!!

This is another LAME program Dems push that is not funded properly and will lead to huge tax increases for everyone.

Weak on Defense and pro tax inicrease…some things never change.

thor,

If you smoke or chew tobacco, then you have a valid complaint. If not, they aren't planning to use 'your' tax dollars to help "poor" children get healthcare.

Happy Monday!

Why is it that its ok to use my tax dollars for killing people in Iraq but it is not alright to use my tax dollars for helping poor children get health care? Where is the christian compassion in that?

It is not the governments responsiblity to fund anything for the MIDDLE CLASS! Not 50 billion, not 20 billion, not even 1 billion..

Chris,

An astute comment. I like that you do your homework. To me, the disgusting part is that the Congress wanted to fund this on the backs of tobacco users.

If 'our kids are worth it' then let everyone pony-up. Why should grandma and grandpa that smoke pay for someone else's kid, while Mom and Dad don't have to pay for their own?

Have a great week,

Regardless of the amount of money being allocated in the legislation, the President should do the right thing and sign the bill. As my Republican representative said, "our kids are worth it."

Bush is making himself look more and more tyrannical, and his insistence that $35 billion is too much for children's health insurance while he simultaneously asks for hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars for the War in Iraq shows what kind of a leader he is.

Veto away, Mr. President, at the GOP's expense. There will be heck to pay in 2008.

keep in mind - it was the Democrats who put forth a 50 billion dollar increase - when they were told that only a 20 billion dollar increase would fly - they chose to put this forth and political grandstand (liberals….before you start with the trillion dollar war rhetoric…which your party authorized…stick to the point - congress could of put the 20 billion dollars in the bill…and not risked the program running out of funds…and then gone back after) - none of this is "for the kids" - this is now for the Democrats….