HOUSE LAUNCHES SCHIP WITH A HUGE BIPARTISAN MAJORITY-- BUSH PROMISES TO SINK IT

As expected, the House passed the SCHIP bill 265-159, a far greater margin than the 225-204 by which it originally passed (before all the publicity and the pressure from constituents). The Democratic leadership was able to rein in 4 of the 10 reactionary slobs who originally voted with the Republicans: Jim Cooper (D-TN), Heath Shuler (D-NC), Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Brad Ellsworth (D-IN). The other six renegades [Dan Boren (OK), Bob Etheridge (NC), Baron Hill (IN), Jim Marshall (GA), Mike McIntyre (NC), and, of course, Gene Taylor (MS)] all stuck with their soulmates in the GOP-- even as far more Republicans (45) abandoned their sinking party leadership to vote with the Democrats.

Fake Republican moderates who wanted to vote for children's health care but were too badly roughed up by Eric Cantor and Roy Blunt to work up the nerve and serve the interests of their constituents, included:
Roscoe Bartlett (MD)
Scott Garrett (NJ)
Tim Johnson (IL)
Judy Biggert (IL)
Brian Bilbray (CA)
Tom Reynolds (NY)
Ginny Brown-Waite (FL)
Joe Knollenberg (MI)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Randy Kuhl (NY)
Jim Saxton (NJ)
Thaddeus McCotter (MI)

This afternoon Russ Warner, the Blue America-endorsed candidate against rubber stamp Republican closet queen David Dreier, wasn't surprised that Dreier stood with Bush and his funders from Big Tobacco against reauthorizing SCHIP but he was plenty angry that as a result of the vote hundreds of thousands of California families will likely lose health insurance for their children in the coming months. "At a time when we are spending $450 billion on the war in Iraq, David Dreier’s unwillingness to invest in California’s kids shows how out of touch he is with the priorities and concerns of people in the 26th district... After 27 years in Congress, all David Dreier has to offer are outrageous comments and unwavering support for George Bush’s failed policies. The money invested in covering children’s health today will save California money tomorrow, in identifying and catching illnesses earlier and in eliminating unnecessary emergency room visits. The people of the 26th district are ready for a representative who will fight for their interests-- not the interests of George Bush and Big Tobacco."


UPDATE: MITCH McCONNELL PLOTTING WITH BUSH HOW TO VETO THIS BILL. DOES THIS GUY JUST HATE CHILDREN? I KNOW PLENTY OF GAY PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT KIDS. WHY IS McCONNELL SUCH A DICK?