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What's the matter with Kansas? Too may racists? What do you think, Erica?

Say "no" to taxpayers shelling out money to pay for illegals' children. In education, in health care, in everything. It's got to stop. Taxpayers don't have an endless supply to our income. We only have so much money. I'm sick of supporting illegals AND their illegal children.

Matt,

You're going the wrong way about it, these are Republicans you're talking about it, here is what you need to say and do to win their support:

Take the bill and write it on an old peace of parchment.
Put a flag lapele on it.
Then put it on top of a bible wrapped up in a big US flag and a small Confederate flag.
Put a sign next to it that says 2nd Amendment forever.
Than take the whole displayand put it on top of a sign that says "No gays allowed"
Then have a guy with a Mississippi accent keep repeating:
-"If you don't support this bill you support the terrorists, and they will come and get you, get you and your children when you are sleeping. Booo"

Did I miss anything?

These topics so clearly show how the right wing has poisoned the minds of its followers.
We live in a society--we should all contribute but we should all benefit also. No, this isn't socialism-it's part of Jesus' commandment to all of us (and if that doesn't get the right wingers, nothing will).
So, if you are able bodied, you work and you pay taxes. Everyone contributes, everyone benefits. Not a tough concept except for the greedy who never have enough.

All these neo-con Republicans complaining about government sticking their fingers in every facet of our lives need to take a hard look at their own party's platform. You can't marry who you love if that means you are gay. You can't have an abortion (sometimes not even if the father is your rapist or your father). THAT, my friends, is government interfering with our lives.

So to all the anti-choice neo-cons, we all must give birth, even if we can't care for our offspring, and no one will help those children who are actually born and alive visit a doctor. That makes so much sense.

I'm a smoker and I am happy to pay the extra tax!

Republican morality: I've got mine; who cares about you?

This is killing the folk who wish to reap the benefits of living in a functioning society without actually having to contribute anything back to that society and who love to yell "Small government!" in an attempt to distract from their base selfishness and resentment.

In contrast, many people I know support this and other attempts to expand healthcare and benefits for others. These folks are in their late 20's-late 30's. Most make six figures, live in expensive cities (LA, Seattle, NYC), and don't mind making small sacrifices to help out. I'm hopeful that this is a generational trend that will strongly influence government and social attitudes going forward as the "As long as I've got mine..." outlook becomes irrelevant.

THE AMERICAN VOTER SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE

HDI = HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX. WE RANK AT # 15.

AS THE RICHEST NATION IN THE WORLD, WE SHOULD RANK AT #1

??............WITH WHAT KINDA EARMARKS!!!!!!!!!...........??

Republican family values only go so far, kind of like priest celebacy.

Think of it this way GOP: Supporting the bill will tax smokers, who tend to be at the poorer end of the economic spectrum, thereby making them poorer and widening the wealth gap, which is partly what you want...but it will also help provide them with better health care to keep them alive longer so they can keep buying your precious tobacco lobby's cigarettes. There. I bet they change their tune now.

It's pretty simple: the GOP wants poor children to have por health care options so they remain sick and/or die because they don't grow up to be GOP voters.

If you dont smoke, what are YOU worried about, ?? you wont be taxed ! which of course is very unfair, ok, tax smokers, BUT, also tax non smokers TOO on something..! I dont smoke, but I do see the unfairness here..taxes should be paid by everyone to support our children, not just by the smokers..non smokers skate free not paying for this..whats fair about that ? I would gladly pay extra tax for these children, but, since I dont smoke, I wont be taxed..wierd...since when is it only the smokers faults these children need help ????? everyone should pay ...not just some !

This is not for children, its for democrats/unions. It is a handout to those who feel "entitled." Absolute non-sense. Its like saying we need more money for education. The money is there it is just distributed wrong, too much for unionized teachers, not enough for real teachers. Look at the Chicago cappucinno machine scandal if you want to see what "education" money is being used for.

"Good By US".
Please, Bigbear, please go.

Funny that the same Americans who claim to be the greatest country on earth and hail to its Christian values would rather invade another country than take care of their own children.

The issue is not that republicans hate kids and democrats love them. The issue is that the government sucks at managing health care programs. All of the government's health programs are overly complicated, can not contain cost, and do nothing to actually improve the health of this country. This last point is the most important and one that democrats seem to not understand. When it comes to health care changes should only be made that are going to effect the health of the country, simply granting access is not the answer. I have seen it countless times in the hospitals, the sickest people that I see are those that are on medicaid, medicare, or free ER visits because they do not have any insurance. We all need to realize that the way to lower health care costs is not by having government run health care,but by becoming more healthy as a nation, but that is not going to happen because we are all lazy!!! People make changes when they have "skin in the game", people will only change their life styles if forced to (i.e. getting charged for smoking or paying more for insurance because they are fat). Giving people health care for free will only in force these ideas of laziness and entitlement that got us here in the first place.

This is a good program that should be endorsed by those that profess to be religious – isn't this what Jesus taught in terms of helping others? Especially children?

Something else that has been "attached" to this bill is much more sinister. Hospital lobbyists/interests and their paid-for snake-like US representatives Pete Stark (D) and Spencer Bachus (R) have included a prohibition of physician ownership of hospitals and restricted the development and expansion of physician owned hospitals. What does this have to do with SCHIP? It does have much to do with restricting the growth of new hospitals (and by extension – patient choice) and maintaining/protecting their current market positions.

Physicians controling and being held responsible for healthcare instead of a bean-counter bureaucrat (that rarely, if ever, goes into an operating room) with a Masters degree, if that – what a novel idea.

Shame on them in trying to attach such obnoxious restrictions to such a worthy piece of legislation.

Henry Miller, "And so socialised medicine continues, the process whereby in addition to paying for my own kids' medical care ... "

1. Henry, you have no idea what socialism is.
2. I hope your children took after their mother.

Thank God and the Democratic Party.

Help is on the way.

health care is good: Why does it have to be a choice between spending money in Iraq and spending money on this health care plan? I am against both the Iraq war AND this health care plan, so what is your response to me?

Great, finally as a Democrat in Texas there is justice.
Thank you.

It doesn't surprise me that the GOP and their backers are whining about helping children. After all, it was along party lines when the GOP out-voted the right for Medicare to use it's buying power to purchase prescription drugs using quantity-discount, the same as the VA. The same bill also made it illegal for seniors to purchase Canadian drugs.

And if that isn't shameful enough, the GOP was backed by over 1,000 drug company lobbyists who wanted the bill defeated. Not surprisingly, many of the GOP who voted to stab our seniors in the back took lucrative lobby jobs themselves -with the same drug companies.

The GOP has already screwed our seniors. It shouldn't bother them to do the same to our children.

TO BJ:

The key word in the above paragraph is "ENTITLED". Typical demoncratic thinking…

Let's see . . 600 times 12 equals 7200 times 15 equals 108000 . . yep, ENTITLED.

Norom: I don't like it, and I already don't smoke. Never smoked a day in my life. What do you say to me?

it's a good start, but I don't think smokers are the only ones who have unhealthy vices by a long shot. You've got people on a cocktail of meds because they can't deal with life, you have folks with unhealthy attitudes, diets and lifestyles. Smokers are just one part of a multi-facteted, vice- laden society. RIght now, they are the target of choice.

@ Anne

That's because it doesn't cost the GOP anything to buy votes from one-issue voters by promising to forbid something, whereas promising to help people get services and care they need...well, that takes intelligence and skill, not just regurgitation of dogmatic talking points...and we know how they feel about all those evil elitists with their intelligence and skill....

I don't think anyone wants to see sick children. I don't care what color they are. There are some very sad people who post on here. This government waste money on things that don't amount to a hill of beans. At least someone will benefit from this.

I am proud that this is one of the first things coming out of the new Congress! God Bless all of you who supported this bill.

Henry you probably just read the headline and started talking about socialists. Unless you smoke, you aren't paying anything.

I don't want an expansion of the welfare state or peoples dependance on government any more than anyone else. That being said, if wall st and detroit get whatever they want, and we cant spend enough money killing brown people in the mid east, then at least lets pay for some kids to get medical care. How evil must you be to not support this right now?

are you ever going to print my comments?

Henry Miller, Cary, NC

And so socialised medicine continues, the process whereby in addition to paying for my own kids' medical care, I'm compelled to pay for the medical care of the kids of complete strangers who were so irresponsible as to have kids they couldn't afford to raise.

It's a good year to be a parasite.
____________________________________________

You know some people fall under hard times, and maybe at the time they did have children, they were ok financially. Not that I'm saying people who pop out kid after kid when they are on welfare and cannot afford it are ok. Because I don't agree with that either.

And btw, I too help pay for many people with my tax dollars, for welfare, Medicaid as well as paying for private health insurance for my kids myself. Always have. Whether you believe it or not, republicans are not the only ones in this country who work and take care of their own responsibilities.

I'm a smoker and have no problem with this. I've tried to quit so many times I can'teven remember and $0.61tax on each pack may (but probably won't) help me the next time I try. Children are too important not to do this and the money has to come from somewhere. This IS what government should do since business won't pay a living wage.

You are no different than any other bigot.

Get a life.

Bet in two years this country will be in complete anarchy.

And what will happen when you lose your income and insurance and cannot afford to take care of your children, Henry? Surely you put the welfare of your children above your own.

Not every person or even most of the people who are in need of social services is irresponsible. Have you checked out the economy lately?

$700 Billion to bail out Wall Street (so they could "meet" at expensive resorts and get their millions in bonus money for "good work") but anything for a poor child's health care and such moaning and groaning about "socialism" – usually from the same group that believe each and every fertilized egg deserves respect and care ... that is, until its born... then "you're on your own, kid – hope you had good luck picking your parents!"

If all Americans could count on decent health care for a reasonable price, Bush's beloved "private companies" wouldn't be charging you and me more for – say, a new car – because they would not be paying expensive health care benefits to employees.

How about giving health care to everyone, not just the kids, it is disgusting I applied for medicaid but because I didnt have kids I was denied, so if I would have been irresponsible and had a few kids I would have been able to get health care for myself and my kids

This country rewards the evil and the corrupt, and the honest people are the ones who usually get the s– end of the stick

I think I would love it if there was a complete collapse in the economy and we went back to how things were 200 years ago

Viet Vet
Everyone IS paying for this. Because of smokers, we all pay higher
premiums for health insurance (at least those lucky enough to have some) When you go to the hospital for your lung cancer or emphysema those costs get factored into the rates that all of us pay. Think about how non-smokers or former smokers feel. We are paying because of your addiction, which ends up killing better than
half of it's victims.
I don't have to drive down the street every 90 minutes to buy a big mac,
nor does anyone eating a big mac endanger the health of those in proximity to themselves.
If you don't like it, stop smoking.

yep, there they go again...the same people that want to protect children that haven't yet been born could care less what happens once they are here. what is the "christian" thing to do?

Bigbear> What country do you live in in which someone can afford a home that big and 2-3 cars on $40/year? Because it's sure not the US!

To the heartless: people DO fall on bad times, you know. It's not always the case that people have children they can't afford. People get divorced, people get sick and have to go on medical leave. Things happen! And god forbid something like that should happen to you! Would you want people saying the things you're saying now? It behooves us as a society to care for those less fortunate. And jeez, children? Really? You think children should suffer b/c of their parents? I don't even make that much money & the thought of being taxed for this doesn't stress me out nearly as much as it seems to do you.
I guess I just don't think it's that big of a deal. *shrug* You get back what you put out, financially and karmically speaking.

Henry Miller, Cary, NC January 14th, 2009 4:13 pm ET

And so socialised medicine continues, the process whereby in addition to paying for my own kids' medical care, I'm compelled to pay for the medical care of the kids of complete strangers who were so irresponsible as to have kids they couldn't afford to raise.

It's a good year to be a parasite.
________________________________________________

Henry Miller, you are a selfish but thanks for paying for kids healthcare. LOL....

All you whining about big government might want to try and keep the cost of this in perspective. It's 32 billion over five years. That's 3 months worth of what we spend in Iraq right now. What we spend our tax dollars on is just as important as how much we spend. Let's see, we can spend $$ on keeping our kids healthy or spend it on a war that provides not much more than a training ground for terrorists. I don't think it's a tough choice. Let's take care of OUR citizens.

I don't know what this means:

"Then you will twice as many hospitals"

I don't see what could be wrong with helping poor children. It's what Jesus would have done. Leave it to conservative Republicans to find something wrong with that. I find it terribly ironic that the party that touts its morality, family values and godliness would oppose these programs. I am confused.

This is a ridiculous and absurd logic that we are willing to spend trillion billion dollars and sacrificed thousands of our young service men and women in Iraq but are not willing to protect the health of our next generation.

CRY ME A RIVER. YOU PEOPLE SUDDENLY AGAINST EXPANDING BEAURACRACY AND GOVERNMENT INTRUSION WERE THE SAME FOLKS SUPPORTING UNFUNDED WARS, THE BLOATED DEFENSE SYSTEM AND THE TERRY SCHIAVO AFFAIR. IF YOU WANT NO GOVERNMENT MOVE TO SOMALIA. WHILE I DONT AGREE THAT CHILD INSURANCE SHOULD BE FUNDED WITH TAXES ON SMOKING PRODUCTS, IT IS A CRIME OUR GREAT NATION HAS NO APPARATUS FOR ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL.

And so socialised medicine continues, the process whereby in addition to paying for my own kids' medical care, I'm compelled to pay for the medical care of the kids of complete strangers who were so irresponsible as to have kids they couldn't afford to raise.

It's a good year to be a parasite.

To LS, Austin, TX January 14th, 2009 3:49 pm ET

I have this with my job, and I can barely afford my son's monthly medical/prescription costs, with the high cost of living on everything else. If I had to pay full price for insurance, I wouldn't be able to get by each month.

I have paid my dues in taxes each month over the last 15 years for everything else, and I believe my kids and I are entitled to such a program.

The key word in the above paragraph is "ENTITLED". Typical demoncratic thinking...

You all sound like socialists that can't do anything for yourselves. This country is turning into a bunch of dependents. Isn't anybody smart enough to know Clinton signed FEMLA (Federal Emergency Medical Liability Act) which means that a hospital cannot turn down ANYBODY (American or not) or they risk losing their certification/Federal money if the facility turns a patient away. Which is why numerous ER's near our borders are closing down because they have been completely overrun with patients that don't pay... I was a single mom w/2children and ALWAYS managed to take care of their health and dental needs...and I don't have a college degree. I'm just willing to WORK instead of sucking off the government.

So, we can fund vacations (oh, I meant work retreats) for Wall Street biggies out of the TARP money, but cannot fund health care for the future of our country, our children? Will someone please tell me why?

To Griff: double the amount of staff means double the amount of health professionals working. Even though healthcare professionals have been less affected than some industries, there are still employment issues there. As for training, if there are professional staffing positions available, there will probably be funding for training available. And if those jobs are available, there is need for support staff = more jobs.

Have you BEEN to a big city hospital? I've been to Parkland Hospital on a weeknight when they said the patient load was "light"... I got news for you, the wait for a heart attack victim was over an hour, and I gave up after 12 hours. That meant that, because I was not insured and therefore couldn't go to other hospitals, I suffered. Trust me, ANY wound not treated appropriately can be dangerous. Luckily, my family doctor who is barely making it in a single physician practice, treated me for a miniscule amount, and gave me drug samples rather than a prescription. You try being unemployed and uninsured and try to get treatment anywhere! But you are, probably, at least mostly an adult and can survive a lot more physical ailments than a child can. Preventive care and good care when needed for our children is a MUST.

As a republican for over 40 years this is why I voted for Obama this year!!! The republicans care about no one but themselves and their rich old friends!!!

This program works and is needed. This is a program that doesn't need to lose funding but gain it. With the high level of autistic children and kids with developmental delays, this program ensures they are provided healthcare.

so, when the number of people that smokes decline - hmm, who will be paying for it then, oh yeah, the tax payers. wake up people to the reality that each and every government program will eventually be paid by taxpayers, which is what will happen over time, and we will basically just turn our paychecks over to them. where will the govenment be once the tax payers run out of money to spend on their all to wonderful ideas, will the people working in the govnment making those huge wonderful paychecks help out us taxpayers, just like that great stimulus package the president elect is going to sign and the tax payers will get what a whopping $40.00 per month extra to spend or a nice fat $500.00 to spend, which banks, etc just pocket the cash. who needs the bailout money more, the people or the companys that got us into this mess. obviously obama is siding with the company, like he said he would not - hmmm, twist of words on his part - wake up people.

Why is it that when State Government and Federal Government needs
more money for children's health care they look to the people who smoke? Oh, thats right, we're a minority and even if it was brought to a vote they would lose. Wouldn't it be more logical to tax somthing that everybody uses, like toilet paper. Yeh,slap a 61 cent per roll and see
what kinda reaction you get!!! Now non-smokers, ex-smokers think about that a feel what the smokers feel and have felt for years.
How about a tax on big macs, or for each pound you are overwight or underweight. How about a tax on if you are not in perfect health. Hell
how abount a tax if you don't have health insurance.

If you are going to tax somebody- -Tax everybody
So you can bail out somebody else. When will it end?

Fantastic for the children that need it....All kids deserve good healthcare.

Why stop with children. Let's increase the tax to extend medicaid to working poor adults too. And the great thing about this cigarette tax is it is applied equally in all states. So, no more shipping cigarettes from South Carolina to New York as a solution. As for the GOP siding with the cigarette industry......the party is over, guys!

The problem isn't the fact that they're taxing smokers, the problem is they're taxing an item that is decreasing in use for a program that is increasing in cost. And if you do the math they're upping the tax on cigarettes 158% and cigars (not mentioned) 800% per cigar, not per box.

Robert and southerncousin:

This is about childrens' rights and well being, for crying out loud! I keep hearing this usual talk about "government taking over". Why are you so afraid of government. There's a few things that are MUCH scarier than government: Wall Street, big corporations, rich suburban people, and religious fanatics.

Government is the only solution to our woes (which were caused by Wall Street and the criminals known as "investors" and "shareholders"). This is hopefully just a beginning to the end of "small government", lack of regulation, and unchecked corporate power. Time for those rich people to start paying their fair share, and for poor folks in the city to have a decent life.

Twenty one hundred square foot homes, two or three cars in the drive, $40,000 income and I can't afford insurance for my kids, so I"ll let the government give it to me. Spoken like a true Democrat and it is only the beginning.
Of course, it is also a continuation of the end as more and more family leaders turn their responsibilities over to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and their friends in the House and Senate. Good by, US.

What do we do if smoking declines because of this? That is after all the best case scenario. Where will the money come from then? By the way, I don't smoke, never have.

I bet Bush would have not sign the bill Thank God for Obama why would some republican would not sign the bill to help poor children

With many Republicans voting against it, again. How they can sleep at night, I have no idea. But then again, I'm not a greedy, heartless person, so I can't relate.

It's about time. This is a great step towards making health care more affordable for low income families, which helps the economy recover overall, because it allows people to circulate money elsewhere. This private insurance catastrophe is on its way out. Hopefully forever.

I have this with my job, and I can barely afford my son's monthly medical/prescription costs, with the high cost of living on everything else. If I had to pay full price for insurance, I wouldn't be able to get by each month.

I have paid my dues in taxes each month over the last 15 years for everything else, and I believe my kids and I are entitled to such a program.

southerncousin January 14th, 2009 3:33 pm ET

This is absolutely ridiculous. Hope PEBO has enough sense to say no. This is just another union sponsored left wing robbery of the citizens of the United State
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A Nation that can't even take care of its children is a sad State. You need to move to Alaska and secede if you want to stay the island that you are. I for one am going to vote to take care of our Nation's children.

What a great idea! Lets tax the minority to support the majority. Idiocy in action.

Yes, what a horrible thing, getting children medical treatment.

I'm a recent ex-smoker and I would have no problem with raising taxes on cigarettes for something like this, well if I was still smoking of course. Maybe it would result in more people quitting!

We in Canada are taxed heavily on alcohol and cigaretts (plus others) and these monies go towards healthcare etc........and we do appreciate our universal healthcare.

We do gripe when these taxes are raised, but the griping doesn't last long.

Less ciggies sold would be a good thing! Screw the tobacco industry. They're nothing but drug dealers.

As for SCHIP, I think it's a great idea. It's an investment. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And it's not a child's fault that his/her parents don't make enough money to pay for insurance coverage! Call me a bleeding heart...but I'd rather be that than heartless.

Griff, I truly haven't understood ANY of your posts.

THANK GOD, IT'S THE RIGHT AND UNSELFISH THING TO DO FOR OUR CHILDREN.

If we can spend billions on war and arms, including new ships named after HW Bush, surely we can spend a few billion on our children's health. They are our future. If we can't afford this then the answer is clear, spend less on war and arms. This is the right thing to do in a caring, civilised nation.

Good to see the GOP siding with Smokers over Children.

What's next Griff? Will you claim that 'THIS IS SOCIALIZED MEDICINE'? Or support Rep. Herger's claim that due to the nex taxation there is going to be a decline in the number of cigarette-packs sold?
I'm not saying that the bill is perfect or that it will change all the problems related to the Health Care, but it's a start. There are many problems with the Health Care System as of NOW, and instead of doing nothing (or worst, doing things that in the end only increase the problems) at the very least they are acting. The bill is not perfect? Then let's see what are the deficiencies and work on them. Simple like that. Just because you can't afford to pay the bills doesn't means that your children have no right to receive the proper care if needed.
If you have a better idea, please tell us.

When has small government EVER worked?!

This is absolutely ridiculous. Hope PEBO has enough sense to say no. This is just another union sponsored left wing robbery of the citizens of the United State.

"CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!"

And if it is in your pockets, I'm coming to get it.

Thats a great idea. It is a well needed bill and it might even get smokers a reason to stop smoking

Oooh, those "can't do" Republicans make me soooo mad. Can't do this, can't do that, but never offering any viable alternatives.

Griff, please take your meds, go back to your room, and leave these comment boards for people who make sense.

Lets just keep on printing more money!!

This is great news. I'm a hard working free lancer who makes too much for Medicaid but can't afford private health insurance for my children. Glad to see the Democrats understand these hardships.

This is ridiculous. Government is slowly putting its fingers in every part of our lives. What ever happened to a small government that did its job instead of expanding bureaucracy and taxes?

Double the Amount of Hospitals, means double your staff.... Double your Training.... Where's all the staff coming from???
Outpatients Loaded with any kind of small accident wounds....
They will expect treatment...

Then you will twice as many Hospitals...