CNN

Posted By John from America: "3 times the poverty level – and that's a lot of money? NOT!"

$17,000 X 3 = $51,000

That annual income is in the middle class income level. A family earning this type of income is more than likely being provided insurance through the company they work for. Does the government need to be funding the insurance needs for children living in a middle class home?

The majority of the comments posted here are knee jerk reactions to a headline without doing one ounce of research. Rely solely on the media for all your information. Hillary loves voters like you. Talk about the dumbing down of America.

Bush-haters unite! What will you do when this man leaves office? Who will ever replace him in your hearts? I will be so sad for that empty space you all have not being able to be consumed by your hatred of the "evil" one.
You know what? I'm middle class and worked 2 job to put myself through college and my parents, who were not wealthy by any means, worked hard to put me through so I wouldn't end up with massive student loans.
My husband and I made the choice to have two children who we have spent the last 20 years melding into healthy, kind, considerate, law-abiding people. 20 years of outrageous dr's bills and shoddy health insurance…20 years is a long time before George Bush entered office, but somehow it's all his fault. Blame it on George, he's a moron! But you know what? Look at stats, who has the out of wedlock babies (not baby) that she (cuz he's out of there) cannot afford? Who overwhelmingly continue to smoke and abuse alcohol and drugs? The poor. Which group doesn't practice birth control, although its been preached to them and is readily available, and cannot feed or cloth their children, let alone pay for insurance? The poor. Yet they just keep having more, and then their kids do the same, and their kids, and so on.
Stop blaming Bush for people's inability to make appropriate decisions in their lives, i.e., can I afford to have children?? And stop making people like me pay for the poor who continue to make poor decisions and overload our country with more children they can't take care of, so the rest of us have to step up to the plate! Put the blame squarely on the shoulders of people unable to support themselves, let alone, the children they keep giving birth to when they are already living in poverty! The government is no more responsible for their kids then it is for mine!

Posted By Kay, Las Vegas, NV : October 2, 2007 5:33 pm

Amen, Blame BUSH ABOUT AND EVERYTHING is getting very old and is just an excuse for these liberals worthless meaningless lives.....GW is not the problem LIBERALS, I know you cant help it LIBERALISM IS A DISEASE

Bush says we dont have $7 billion a year for this children insurance. Meanwhile, Bush has spent over $700 billion on the meaninglsss Iraq war.

What a shame.

Terry – El Paso

You wrote,

"Likewise, I don't think that people who cannot define socialism, have never read a book on socialism, never looked up socialism in the encyclopedia, and never met a socialist call people socialists. "

Terry – let's have a little "education" on the subject of Socialism. The definition:

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community for the purposes of increasing social and economic equality and cooperation. This control may be either direct—exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils—or indirect—exercised on behalf of the people by the state.

Now let's look at the application of Socialism in America:

1. The present tax structure requires the top 10% of wage earners pay almost 70% of the total taxes collected (they pay the bills). Lower and middle income wager earners (66% of the population) pay for only 10% of the tax obligation. The USE most of the services – while paying a disproportionally low amount of the bill.

2) Social Security (government sponsored retirement)

3) Welfare (government sponsored income for unemployed women/children)

4) Medicaid (government sponsored health insurance for low-income)

5) Medicare (government sponsored health insurance for retired people)

6) CHP, Headstart, School Lunch Programs, Section-8 housing, etc – government programs to help low-income.

NOW... Hillary & Co want to:
- $5000 baby bond (for college)
- Universal Healthcare
- Amnesty for illegal immigrants (so they can collect all these benefits)

AGAIN – the top 10% of wage earners (over $100,000) pay for 70% of the bills!

What do you call this if not a path to socialism??

First of all you don't live in Boston if you did, is your health care is well founded by the state. If you are a middle class how much do you pay for you and your family's health? Please post.

Is it from the state? Where you pay $15 per child? Or $250/bi weekly from your employer?

Get the facts? You must be a retard to think its better to pay $250 per family weekly for some or bi-weekly.

The facts? The increase is not coming from tax payers but sale of cigarrettes... I guess your High school level Limburg did not tell you that. Please read for yourself and stop listening to Rush or Hennedy...They are lying to you.

Sure, you should get out of town. You coward! What a mess you are.

BUSH VETOES DEM MIDDLECLASS HAT TRICK

SMACK DOWN of the week since an override is OTT, "Off The Table"

Harry Reid brought his Grandson to the Senate floor to play on the emotions of the people. He does this while telling lies and slandering people. Is this how Reid wants his Grandson to remember him?

What a looser.

I took care of my childrens medical needs and I make 1375/month and my wife earns $6000 annually or about a total of $22000. I do not want anyone giving me or other Americans a free ride or stealing from them to give to me and my children. There are many other ways for medical coverage to be provided to children including personal funding, relatives assistance, loans, responsible care and individual responsibility to assure that in the current unwarranted expansion that would allow persons earning up to $83,000 annually to take (steal)funds to provide for care that they can certainly afford. I only wish I could have such an income, but I am disabled and unable to work, refuse any stolen money from other hard working Americans..I simply asked for the contributions I made to the Medicare system to be returned to me (only my own) so I could be the provider I am. Of course, my stolen money went to those making 10x my meager pension disability (which has no COL provision). VETO this theft and leave us alone you thieving DEMOC"RATS". or better yet, submit to exactly the same provisions the rest of America lives with for health and retirement benefits. Wouldn't that run off the crooks in a hurry. Never saw a poor politician in my life, especially after stealing millions during their tenure.

There are more important and pressing things to pay for 600 billon for the war, Blackwater's contract and his buddies at Halliberton. I guess we know who Bush really cares about. Bush is sucking us dry before he leaves office.

I can't believe this guy! He doesn't seem to care about anything but spending money on the Iraqi people. This is Planet Earth calling President Bush; Is anyone home? Wake up man, think about OUR children- The American Ones

the government is here to protect us from outside invaders/enemies, not to give medical services. Walter Reed Hospital can barely keep up w/ the veterans staying there, how can the fed. gov't possibly provide good care to us all?

Those who claim that the funding for this program falls almost completely upon the poor need to rethink their math. Of the 75 million poor in this country, l/3 are smokers and will pay a tobacco tax. Of the 225 million "privileged" 24% are smokers and will pay a tobacco tax. That's roughly 2-1 "privileged" smokers to "poor" smokers paying the tobacco tax. And for those who argue, along with Bush, that the proposal is socialized medicine, keep in mind it is an "expansion" of an existing program. In other words, if they are correct in their characterization, then we already have socialized medicine, it was passed by Congress before, and the President did not veto this insidious evil the first time around. Playing politics with our children's lives is abominable; which children are being left behind now?

All the more reason to vote Democratic and give them a larger majority in the Senate!

Here in WA we have a new Medicaid law that says the state can enroll children who are eligible for Medicaid back onto their parents group coverage and it will be paid for by Medicaid.

Medicaid coverage cost so much more than group dependent coverage does that WA State estimates they will be able to partially subsidize the parent's group coverage also for what the state is paying for 1 Medicaid child.

Government health programs cost way too much! If we are going to expand CHIP, perhaps it should pay for all children, period.

Just last week Canadian MP Belinda Stronach came to the US for a cancer treatment and operation. What does this tell us about the "socialist Hillary-care" idea and elitism and privelege in general?

Bush, a self proclaimed "compassionate conservative" is also a Bible reader... although I might question if Laura is reading it to him. My Pet Goat is not exactly award winning literature.

One Bible passage says "suffer the little children" but since Bush goes to bed at 9:00AM, he missed the rest of the passage.

So since the Bible says "suffer the little children" then suffer they must!

I find it difficult to argue about giving 35 billion to support our children of today....afterall, they are the ones who will be responsible for paying back Bush's irresponsible, reprehensible war debt.

Trigger happy Bush is obsessed with his power.

using our money our social security money using credit for war..and he doesnt support the American people. why isnt he impeached.should have been done along time ago...

3 times the poverty level – and that's a lot of money? NOT!

Family Values – when we turn our backs on sick children? NOT

Greedy Suckers – you sit there and watch this administration make a trillion dollar grab for Iraq Oil under completely FALSE pretenses and complain that children might get a tiny fraction of that money to stay healthy!

Better start rechecking your family values – Oh wait, you meant only GOP FAMILYS!

67 Senators voted for this bill. The president is on the wrong side of this one. And he and his party will pay a big price

Not sure if anyone else got the memo, but it reads as follows: Bush Sucks. I know, I know, I thought it was concise too!

2 billion a week for Iraq, a few hundred million for Isreal defense aid, a half a trillion for military aid, a hundred million for Pakistan defense aid... This doesn't leave anything for American children that could use a helping hand because their parents are spread soooooo thin trying to make ends meet and may not have any decent insurance like the socialized medical insurance the taxpayers provide to federal elected officials.

Let Bush veto it. If he does he owns it and come election time Americans can deal the GOP a retaliatory blow.

All you people that are saying Bush hates the poor or that republicans are hypocrites or that people posting should give up everything before making a comment need to do a bit of research first.

CHIP as it exists before this legislation provides health care services to children of parents earning twice the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level is approximately $17,000 annually. A family earning an annual income of $34,000 is eligible for CHIP as it exists today without this additional measure.

Bush said he would be willing to sign a bill expanding the existing program. The tax and spend democrats took that to mean they could go hog wild.

I amazes me that many of the people posting here might actually vote in the upcoming election. There in nothing candidates love more than an uneducated voter. Don't do any research. Get all your information from the media. That's the way we elect our presidents.

Lott added, "Do you really believe Republicans don't want to help poor, low-income children?"

YES! tax cuts for the rich, funding the endless war but not funding American children heathcare!!!! These are the same children that will be paying for the war when they grow up

Okay, I give up, the bleeding hearts win. We should immediately abolish the Department of Defense and the Armed Forces of the United States. Everything else everyone wants should be provided by the federal government.

I will quit my job the first thing in the morning. The feds will have to give me free health insurance. (We can't let the poor be without health care!) The feds will have to give me food. (Everyone has a right to food!) The feds will have to provide me with a house. (A nation this wealthy should be ashamed to have any homeless people!) The feds will have to give me the new Halo 3 video game. (We need federal programs to keep people from congregating on the streets, joining gangs, and getting into trouble!) I think I may even go back to school for another degree. (Everyone has a right to a decent education!)

To those of you who are foolish enough to keep working to pay my bills, thank you! And will the last one left working please turn off the lights of America when he leaves for the day...

JEFF FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS...HOW DARE YOU TALK LIKE THAT. I am surprized that CNN would let a creep like you write such a thing. As the owner of dogs, cats and parrots you are a complete idiot. People like you are lowlives just like Michael Vick, DMX, etc. I hate Texas. It produces moron, such as yourself. I sincerely hope there is a flood and you drownd.

For Ryan and all of you who seem to be ever so quick to degrade the people who speak against Bush and his entourage, it is quite easy to speak with a full stomach, the finest in necessities for the activities of daily living, a warm bed, etc. Instead of focusing your energy toward critiquing someone else, I would suggest you take that silver spoon from your mouth and begin to learn how to care for yourself without any of the above. Look around you! At the rate this country is going with all the debt that has been forced upon it by the "BUSH BOYS," it is just a matter of time before everyone could be facing much the same as our forefathers during the GREAT DEPRESSION. The value of the dollar is falling, our borders remain open, there are very few manufacturing facilities left within the US, the American farmers are dwindling, and you concern yourselves with how much you have and degrade those not in your league. I would suggest you begin to show a little kindness because one day you may be faced with begging for food from one of those families who know how to take a dollar and stretch it to the utmost degree.

Posted By CJ, Kentucky : October 2, 2007 1:39 pm

And that is Bush's fault you live a boring hopeless life????Nope didnt think so , this is AMERICA my friend , where anyone can be anyone, get off your butt and make something of yourself or just shut your mouth, I could really care less what you do.

Pardon my bringing the U.S. Constitution into this argument, but that document requires that any powers not specifically granted to the federal government be delegated to the individual states. There is no Constitutional basis for federally run, sponsored, regulated, or funded health care programs. There is, however, a federal responsibility to wage war and defend the citizenry. You may disagree with President Bush and are certainly free to vote for someone who promises to bring home troops, but defense spending is totally irrelevant to the issue of health care. You might prefer spending tax dollars on free bigscreen televisions to funding wars also, but that isn't in the Constitution either.

Granted, everyone certainly would like their expenses paid by someone else, but please read the Constitution – if it isn't in there, Washington isn't supposed to be doing it! Of course, that hasn't stopped widespread abuses of power by all Presidents and all legislators over the last hundred years or so. If the feds would stop wasting hundreds of billions of tax dollars every year on unjustified programs, we'd all have lower taxes and could afford health insurance. Let's fix the problems, rather than make them worse, because no one will have anything after we've killed the golden goose.

If this isn't another clear example of how Bush could care less about the welfare of his own citizens. Funny he can waste hundreds of billions of dollars on a war that has just killed innocent people yet he can't spare a lousy 35 billion extra for the children in this country. All I can say is "Shame on you George Bush". I know like many Americans I count the days till his presidency is over.

Bush-haters unite! What will you do when this man leaves office? Who will ever replace him in your hearts? I will be so sad for that empty space you all have not being able to be consumed by your hatred of the "evil" one.
You know what? I'm middle class and worked 2 job to put myself through college and my parents, who were not wealthy by any means, worked hard to put me through so I wouldn't end up with massive student loans.
My husband and I made the choice to have two children who we have spent the last 20 years melding into healthy, kind, considerate, law-abiding people. 20 years of outrageous dr's bills and shoddy health insurance...20 years is a long time before George Bush entered office, but somehow it's all his fault. Blame it on George, he's a moron! But you know what? Look at stats, who has the out of wedlock babies (not baby) that she (cuz he's out of there) cannot afford? Who overwhelmingly continue to smoke and abuse alcohol and drugs? The poor. Which group doesn't practice birth control, although its been preached to them and is readily available, and cannot feed or cloth their children, let alone pay for insurance? The poor. Yet they just keep having more, and then their kids do the same, and their kids, and so on.
Stop blaming Bush for people's inability to make appropriate decisions in their lives, i.e., can I afford to have children?? And stop making people like me pay for the poor who continue to make poor decisions and overload our country with more children they can't take care of, so the rest of us have to step up to the plate! Put the blame squarely on the shoulders of people unable to support themselves, let alone, the children they keep giving birth to when they are already living in poverty! The government is no more responsible for their kids then it is for mine!

"Say NO to 'it takes a village to raise a child' Hillary-Socialism!" Henry Tucker

I don't like it when left-wingers (there are no Liberals currently in American government) call conservatives fascists when they can't even define fascist and they don't know how ridiculous their statement is. Likewise, I don't think that people who cannot define socialism, have never read a book on socialism, never looked up socialism in the encyclopedia, and never met a socialist call people socialists. Just call them a jerk. That is what you mean.

We need to put a lot more money into education in this country.

This legislation contains back door funding for abortions. President Bush is opposed to killing children. Plain and simple reason to veto.

Teenager 1: Dude, my X-Box crashed. I'm so bummed!

Teenager 2: No worries, bro. Hillary is going take care of it! If anything bad happens in life, SHE is going to fix it with a government program.

Teenager 1: Gnarley, dude. Hillary rocks!

Teenager 2: Yeah – that's why my mom is voting for her, after she gets back from the store buying groceries with food stamps, picking up her medication (medicaid), and visiting Grandma in the old-age home (medicare). We were going to buy the new X-Box with mom's tax refund – freaky since mom doesn't work – but she said we'll wait until after Christmas when we know Hillary is going to win – and start our new social programs.

We have had Democrat and Republican president forever. We have never had such problems since the psycho cowboy cheated his way in. Now everyone is at each others throats because of this nut. Even his father had more sense. He has the IQ in the low 40's, did he eat lead paint as a baby?

Absolutely apalling.

Hey George, going over to the Cheny's this weekend to kick puppies and bayonet kittens?

Is there ANYTHING left for you to destroy with diseased mind set?

We can only pray that this unbelievably callous and conceited administration is gone in 15 months. However, he did sign an Executive Order in July giving him the right to declare martial law and SUSPEND ELECTIONS in the event of a "national emergency"_anyone here smell another 9-11 coming? Beware-impeach or we may have this loony crew forever!

His actions are truly unbelievable. I work everyday and ff I was a single mother, I couldn't afford healthcare for my family. Me alone, possibly, but not family. How can a human being have so much power to deny working people who still struggle the opportunity to have healthcare? Just unbelievable.

Yes, Senator Lott, I do.

Well lets see now, how many billions of dollars have been spent on the Iraq war, in our never ending War on Terror, that's right, never ending war because we'll fight terrorists until the day we die and leave it to our children. Somehow Republicans have it in their head we'll get all those terrorists soon so lets continue to throw all our money in that.

All while our educational system goes down the tubes, healthcare is sky-high (mine goes up another $20 next year a paycheck and that's just for me!), along with toys and food are being recalled left and right because of lack of oversight by this Administration. Perhaps it's time we started taking care of our people here, especially our children, Mr. Ignorant President!

Say NO to "it takes a village to raise a child" Hillary-Socialism!

He has no idea what he is doing to this country. Even his father stays away from him. The REPUBLICANS have only one candidate that is a strong, nice looking man and that is Duncan Hunter. He was on Lou Dobbs and I thought he sounded great. If Lou Dobbs likes him, I do too. Being a dem, I would consider him. We need a strong nice looking man in the white house.

Family size of 3 at 250% of federal poverty level is 42K a year. Hardly what I call middle class these days – My family of 3 makes 90K a year – WE are middle class. Cover the children! To veto this is irresponsible and unethical. I don't understand people who think otherwise. Wake up America.

I believe the threshold is 2K(!) to qualify for medicaid. Small + midsized businesses can't afford, or dont provide HI for over 40% of their workers, and it's dwindling daily. Larger corps aren't much better.

Why are the Dems always the ones that have to compromise (I know – their leadership lacks cohesion + strength.they are often awful.) h/w 25B$ total increase in Domestic v. Bush's 190B$ for military?

And please save it with the spooky "socialism" references. Who knew that providing CHILDREN w/ health care was such a bad thing?
let's acknowledge who is the most reckless spending administration in the history of this country. (Hint – not FDR)

I'm sure none of you critics of this program send your kids to public schools, if you can afford tuition for private schools. I mean, why should other tax payers w/o kids pay prop taxes to support your kids when you can scrape together enough pennies for private school.

finally, most important, and maybve something the "religious" may comprehend: "the sins of the father...."

Quack, quack, quack! The lame duck lays another egg.

When this administration is just "slightly" over the $10 billion dollars this war was supposed to cost us, still can't account for additional billions in dollars and arms that somehow got lost in Iraq, continues to pay billions of dollars to privatize the war and do nation-building, you would think this little weasel would want to make sure the children of today are healthy enough to pay for the debt he's leaving them.

God help us from these compassionate, fiscally responsible "Christians"!

YES to over 10 billion a month to kill Iraqis and their children and no for 35 Billion to take care of the health cost of our children for 5 years. YES to keep giving the tax cut to the very rich and NO to the helpless and the poor... there you have it The Evangelical President… Christian values???

IF any child in America lacks regular checkups, routine innoculations, or medical treatment for any condition, then I want my county health department, the state health department, and the federal government to deliver medical services to that child. Children cannot work and cannot earn the money to pay for medical care. If their parents or guardians cannot or will not provide it, then I want a government employee knocking on that child's door.

If the federal budget gets too high, then let's cut spending on defense, police, fire departments, road repair and construction, infrastructure, power grids, and other less essential services – but not children's health care.

Some of you who post on this site must have flinty little hearts that only beat a few times a month. You should go live on the moon, where you will be happier. There, nothing lives and nothing grows.

If you can't afford children, don't have them.

Why should everyone else have to pay for your child? Don't we still have charity hospitals?

Take care of your own.

Just say "NO!" to the nanny state!

It seams to me the most effective way to stop the growth of government is to have the congress from one party and the White House from other.

"unsympathetic to children". . .

This bill is unsympathetic to upper middle class and upper class children!!! How dare Pelosi!

The truth is, at some point you need to decide who gets free healthcare and who doesn't. Middle class people should be able to afford health care on their own. Period!

And, primarily poor people smoke! This is only hurting poor people. If the tax fell on lets say, air travel, that would better target the right people, but you all would be screaming bloody murder!!!

For Ryan and all of you who seem to be ever so quick to degrade the people who speak against Bush and his entourage, it is quite easy to speak with a full stomach, the finest in necessities for the activities of daily living, a warm bed, etc. Instead of focusing your energy toward critiquing someone else, I would suggest you take that silver spoon from your mouth and begin to learn how to care for yourself without any of the above. Look around you! At the rate this country is going with all the debt that has been forced upon it by the "BUSH BOYS," it is just a matter of time before everyone could be facing much the same as our forefathers during the GREAT DEPRESSION. The value of the dollar is falling, our borders remain open, there are very few manufacturing facilities left within the US, the American farmers are dwindling, and you concern yourselves with how much you have and degrade those not in your league. I would suggest you begin to show a little kindness because one day you may be faced with begging for food from one of those families who know how to take a dollar and stretch it to the utmost degree.

Whether you call universal health care or socialism or any other names, the fact remains that millions and millions in this country are uninsured while the present medicare-medicaid is the same govt. run progra. These uninsured people ultimately end up in the emergency and we taxpayers anyway pay for their care. This in turn adds up the insurance cost that is being paid by ignorants like James and Chris. These right wingers don't have brains to digest these facts. Just because Dems are pushing these proposals, these idiots are opposing.

I don't care what financial level the kids are on that would receive insurance. The fact is, when you have a President that vetoes a children's health insurance bill for being too "costly" while still forcing the nation to cough of hundreds of billions of dollars for warfare, you have a big problem.

King George continuously pushes it too far. If only the public could somehow recall him.

Bush says yes to tax cuts for millionaires but no to health care for minor children. We know what his priorities are for sure.

One year, one month, two days until America casts the deciding veto of any more Bush. Free at last, oh lord, free at last. Crawford will gets its idiot back and America's children, elderly and sick once more may see light at the end of the tunnel.

Plain and simple. Bush wants poor children, who are overwhelmingly Black and Latino to die.

President Bush is a Pathological moron. An idiot from hell. He thinks he is sounding smart and prudent when he explains why he is vetoing the health program for kids. He is Just showing the nation where his heart is. He would rather throw billions at Iraq than to help American children.

I just hope you realize how small you sound by making those comments. That is why over the course of the last 27yrs only one democrat has won the White House. I really feel sorry for you and if you have children I feel sorry for them as well. Way to go GW, the democrats are trying to get healthcare for kids in the middle class and given an inch they try to gain a mile, and then where do you think the Democrats want this program to go to ?????You got it Universal Healthcare for EVERYBODY.....Sorry Nancy and Harry you are not tricking anyone,It trully is funny how incomptent your Democratic leaders have become.

Liberals are so angry they cannot even stay on point. Simply put – the Democrats were told that Bush would re-sign this bill if they increased...I believe up to 20 billion...they knowingly increased it by 35 billion – and are risking funding for the very bill they deemed so important – this is nothing more than a political game (I know money spent on the war....blah blah....Haliberton....blah blah....stay to point....this is a game being played by Nancy and her crew...those who fall for it...I am truly disappointed in...)

HOW DID WE EVER ELECT SUCH AN IDIOT FOR PRESIDENT...WHAT A MONUMENTAL MISTAKE. GENERATIONS WILL SUFFER FOR THIS FATAL ERROR. MAY GOD HELP US ALL.

I agree with Rocco except one thing. Bush would not change his mind if one of these children showed up on his doorstep. He REALLY doesn't give a DAMN!

The official push for SOCIALISM has started by the liberals.

The US Government ALREADY covers low-income families for healthcare (Medicaid).

Hillary and Company now want middle class kids covered.

Hillary and Company want to give $5000 per baby to ANY and ALL babies born in America.

Hillary and Company want Universal Hillarycare for ALL people without insurance (whether they want or need it).

Hillary and Company wish to fund these socilist programs by taxing "the wealthy" – anyone (or families) making more than $100,000, yet continue reducing the tax liabilities of everyone under that category.

Here it comes folks – Socialism... European style. Open up your wallets.

President Bush is a Pathological moron. An idiot from hell. He thinks he is sounding smart and prudent when he explains why he is vetoing the health program for kids. He is Just showing the nation where his heart is. He would rather throw billions at Iraq than to help American children.

What we should be discussing is getting rid of the electoral vote, then we wouldn't have this idiot running the country.
Bush started the war in Iraq because God told him to do it.
Real reason: Divert attention away from Bin Laden and their lack of ability to capture him.
Bush can't approve stem cell research because GOD told him not to do it.
And besides that, he doesn't understand what it is.
Health care for kids, even the idiot said it needed to be increased, now changes his mind, that one's for the dems.
C'mon Jan 08. The end of an error!

I am sure that the Pentagon budget of some 600 billion can be cut to 590 billion to provide the 10 billion (over what he asked for SCHIP) that is needed to fund this important health program from the current 25 billion. No one seems to even question the military waste and all the money spent on obsolete weapons (just to keep a few short-sited congress people happy)

Those of you who think that covering your children on a middle class wage doesn't cost that much, have no children. I have heard that an employer contribution for 3 or 4 children can be as much as 500 to 600 dollars a month or more. Factor in mortgage, utilities, food, school, etc. it is truly a wonder that people bother to have children nowadays.

Bush wants to veto this bill to show his conservative base that he is fiscally responsible. Bush had never vetoed a single bill presented by his congress in 6 years now vetoing even a blank paper given by democrats. When he is spending 8 billions a week on Iraq war which is all going in the drain, why is the fuss about 35 billions? And, why for the last 6 years no republicans raised an eyebrow when they were spending like crazy on earmarks? Hypocrites!

The person who said that Bush stands for limited government control and programs must be living in a different universe. Also, please read the comments posted by David, from Arlington, VA: October 2, 2007 10:56 am, he is dead on the money about CHIP and I cannot put it in better words. Bush is crazy for vetoing this bill. It passed the Senate with a veto proof vote, which means more than 2/3 of the senators voted for it, which means both Democrats and Republicans voted for it. It fell short of the veto proof in House by just 15 votes. Again, many Republican voted for it there. This is not just a Democrat’s bill

It is not only children who need health care in this country; all US citizens are in desperate need of the quality of health care of the President and his wealthy entourage! The best thing that could ever happen to all of them would be to lose everything and be made to experience the degrading, humiliating care that is offered by health care institutions across this country when they discover you do not have insurance. I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE! I remember well the manner in which I was treated when I was a single mother who could not afford insurance. Luckily, I have developed my own business, and I pay for my own health insurance in excess of $600.00 monthly for my husband and me. I thank God I am not in the category of people who successfully can make my own way while condemning others for not having the means to become financially capable to meet everyday needs, let alone health care. I would help them all if I could, something the President and his group of "haves" in the political circle cannot state. How easy it is to veto something that you know absolutely nothing about. Go back to school GEORGE, you have learned nothing about people, family values, or anything else of importance!

Can't those middle class kids go without their ipods and cellphones? Why would we mandate that smokers(of all classes) pay for the middle classes healthcare?

Seems like a pretty STUPID idea when we have some many poor that need better assistance..

To bad the Idiot-in-Chief didn't veto Blackwater or Halliburton, eh?!

My understanding of CHIP is the same as David's from VA. The additional $35 billion is not only for those children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid. The money is also to expand the existing program in order to provide impoverished children better health care.

Bush said he'd veto the bill because it has expanded CHIP beyond its original intent. Bush said he would sign a bill that expanded the program by $5 billion but $35 billion was too costly. If Bush were to sign the legislation an estimated 4 million additional children will be eligible for CHIP. The Bush administration holds to the mindset that CHIP should be focused on families with incomes that fall below twice the federal poverty level.

Now i am not a fan of bush but he is a republican. This is what they stand on....limited government control and programs. He is representing a base.

Scary! Shame on the Democrats. Did you see how they wheeled out that little kid? Talk about exploitation.

The Democrats wanna shove guilt down your throat so they can expand the giant bureaucracy that is the Federal Government.

I wonder which health insurance company/group is getting all our tax dollars for this one?

Bush should have to choose personally which child gets the heath insurance and which doesnot. He would change his attitude if they ended up on his door step. This president is so removed from reality he makes these decisions seem so easy. He is a disgrace to this country.

Our you people serious? I'm so glad to hear fellow Americans unsympathetic to children and families. Yes, renewing the CHIP program would have cover children of middle class families. Anyone who has kids and makes middle class money knows that health insurance is a reach in many circumstances.

Some of these comments reak of selfish, narrow-minded thought. Not everyone has a job with a corporation who pays for health insurance. People...let's start thinking about other people's situations. Oh wait, most Americans don't think. So stupid of me.

Bush should be so proud of his 4 vetos – 1 against keeping children healthy, 2 against saving people through research, and one big one refusing any different approach to Iraq. Yee-haw!

I personally do not care if the new bill funds US CITIZEN'S children who have billions as long as the $$ is spent on OUR children & not other countries. Also if the prez is so worried about the budget he should STOP asking for more money to fund HIS war. The dems can not stop the war without the help of the moderate republicans or until they take back the senate in 2008 & can get this nation back on track..

The only times this piece of work uses his veto is to keep funding the mass murder of innocent people in Iraq, stop medical advances that could save millions of people's lives, and to take away health care from american children. If this is what is supposed to be compassionate conservatism, then I am proud as all heck to same I am a Big Liberal Democrat!

If this bill didn't target one specific group to fund it, it might have a chance.

Let's single out the tobacco guys, they're an easy, sympathetic target that everyone will get behind stealing their money. I believe if this was spread across the board and the cap was lower than 82K for eligibility it might have a chance.

Have a good day,

Peter, I don't understand how you can praise Bush for supposedly "reining in massive government spending" when he wants to veto a $35 billion healthcare program, yet has no problem seeking over $600 billion in defense spending(much of it for Cold War-era equipment and programs). Hmm, I wonder which spending contributes more to the fiscal deficit and national debt...

Good for Bush.

FINALLY he's reigning in massive Government spending. Maybe Pelosi and friends should be focusing on what's important, like...

ENDING THE WAR LIKE THEY PROMISED???

What? Why, some of these kids might have parents who don't vote my way! Why should I go out of my way just to get medical treatment for some liberal child? What kind of a fool do you think I am?

OW! OW! Ok, Jesus, let go of my ear. I guess children are children no matter how their parents vote.

As I understand it, CHIP provides health insurance for children of families who make too much money to qualify for Medicare but still cannot afford to purchase private health insurance. Yes, strictly speaking, this means that CHIP provides coverage for children who lie above the poverty level and would not be classified as poor. However, as healthcare costs continue to soar and the purchasing power of the lower and middle classes continues to decline, it becomes more and more difficult for working and lower middle class families, who can't qualify for Medicare benefits, to purchase insurance for their children. CHIP is intended to bridge this gap. This money isn't going to middle class families who can afford insurance but are seeking a handout; it's going to those families who need it but can't get it. Therefore, I find it hard to understand the arguments against expanding a successful and relatively inexpensive program that seeks to expand healthcare coverage for children that need it. Of course, this is the same president who vetoed bills that would provide funding for scientific research and medical advancements to combat debilitating diseases, so I shouldn't be surprised he'd rather spend $35 billion on a new war plane instead of health insurance for kids who need it.

Let's see, first he was for it now he is against it.....flip-flop.....

The Shrub's obstinacy on this issue defies reason on both sides of the aisle. Any Member who supports the veto will pay in 2008 if they're up for reelection.

Children's health insurance program? Stem cell research..!!!

God dam..!!

Children do not need heath insurance…!!! There are more important and pressing things to pay for.. Such as Blackwater, Halliberton etc..

Stop wining and let the president spent your money on a war that accomplishes nothing.

Oh we also have Iran on the cross hairs. That is going to cost a bundle..!!

Children’s health.. Is that what you want?

Morons..

Before people start going nuts- do your research and don't buy into sound bited by Pelosi and gang.

Medicaid takes care of poor children's health insurance. The current bill about to expire takes care of health care for children 200% above the poverty level. They now want to increase that to 300% of poverty level. This now borders on middle class individuals. I am middle class, why should I have to pay for other middle class individuals insurance?

These are the facts, look them up!