Tuesday, October 16, 2007
SCHIPS and the VETO
President Bush has VETOED the SCHIPS bill that was approved by a majority of both houses of Congress. While the Senate passed it with a "VETO Proof" margin the House did not. The House will attempt to override the VETO on Thursday with a vote. While a large number of people really do not have a full understanding of what SCHIPS is or how it is applied, the Labor Movement MUST stand together and get this VETO overridden. States do not have the money to continue to support the children on CHIPS and can not with out Federal subsidies. You will hear pundits against the bill say that we should not have to support children of parents that make $83,000 or more. This is a complete falsehood. The portion of the bill that discusses $83,000 is in relation to a New York State Law that would cover that high a salary. I say high but as most of us know $83,000 when making that for a family for four in New York is not very much. In California $83,000 for a family of four barely makes ends meat. Neither here or there $83,000 is not the issue it is more like $61,000 that would be the cut off. It is sad that the country has gotten to the stage of not wanting people to be able to provide basic needs for themselves or their children. I find it even more sad that this same President signed a similar bill here in Texas when he was Governor. The saddest part of all is that certain politicians want to play politics with the health of the next generation of this country. I read a couple of years ago that the average height and weight of North Koreans had dropped and the theory was that there was not adequate health care nor food for the citizens of that country. I would argue that may happen in this country if this VETO is sustained. It will not happen overnight but it could happen and that should sit on the conscience of every member of Congress that says they will vote to sustain the VETO. It is truly a sad day when the government by the people and for the people will not do what is right for those same people. This is an outrage and we all should remember it as we get closer to the 2008 elections.
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Well the SCHIP VETO has been sustained because of 10 republicans not changing their minds. I recieved an e-mail from Speaker Pelosi earlier asking to contact those Congresspersons and let them know ho we felt. I am including it here. This is truly a sad ending for the working people of America that may not have the health benefits to provide health care to their families. I only hope that those same people remember what happened today and do not keep electing those that voted to sustain the VETO.
"It is time to quit drinking the Kool-Aid. You know as well as the rest of us with at least two working brain cells that this vote was not about anything more than assisting the people you serve. You have not only let down the very people you serve (or at the very least the people who voted for you) but you have dealt a severe blow to offering health care to our next generation. A few years ago I read that the citizens in North Korea where getting smaller in either weight or height or both. One theory was that insufficient health care and lack of food. We should be so proud of you for bringing a little foreign culture to our shores. In closing, I find it incredible that your party works so hard to protect the children in the womb but when they get here, you could care less."
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