BUSH AND HIS REPUBLICAN RUBBER STAMPS BLOCK PASSAGE OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE

Only the wealthy need apply

You've probably heard by now that Bush-- whose approval rating is down to 24% (as low as Nixon's ever was)-- applied enough pressure on a handful of Republican trolls in Congress to have his disgraceful veto of children's health insurance sustained 273 in favor of health insurance to 156 in favor of Bushism, or 13 votes short of the necessary two-thirds majority it takes to override a veto. Very few people changed their votes. The only Republican shift was vulnerable Long Island congressman Peter King (R-NY) who had voted against health care for children when the bill came up twice before and ducked the issue today by staying away. Craziest comment of the day came from the other King, Iowa's whacked out neo-Nazi Steve King who renamed the bill that 73% of Americans would like to see made law "Socialized Clinton-style Hillarycare for Illegals and their Parents." As for the Democrats-- of the 8 who voted "no" last time, the House leadership convinced 3 to vote to override and grassroots efforts (including the Blue America PAC campaign directed at Baron Hill, Mike McIntyre and Bob Etheridge) helped crack 3 harder core nuts. That left 2 "Democrats," Georgia war-monger and reactionary Jim Marshall and Mississippi Republicrat, voting with the Republicans.

A friend of mine from Air America just asked me why the Democrats don't ask Marshall and Taylor to just go and join the GOP since they vote with them so frequently on all the core issues. The answer is simple. The ossifying Democratic political machine of the Inside the Beltway establishment doesn't care all that much about the core issues-- at least not in comparison to getting better offices, more power (apparently for its own sake, since they almost never use it for anything worthwhile) and better parking spots.

Madam Off the Table "vowed" she would "insist" all 10 million kids would be covered in any negotiated settlement. She is no longer a believable figure. Her empty promises and partisan rhetoric ring very empty. And her leadership team, Rahm Emanuel and Steny Hoyer, are far worse.

More and better Democrats? How about just "Better Democrats" and we'll worry about the "more" after that? Three who are credible are got us reactions right after the vote. Rep. Tom Allen, who is running for senator in Maine against the Bush-Lieberman hack who currently holds the seat, was, like almost three-quarters of the American people, very disappointed in the failure to swing any more Republicans over to the side of children's health care. "This bill has wide bipartisan support in Congress and will have a real impact on thousands and thousands of working families in Maine and across the nation who are struggling to provide adequate health insurance for their children. It deserves to become law. Though disappointing, the President’s decision was not surprising. It is yet another example of this Administration turning its back on working families and the middle class. Our nation deserves real health care solutions, and it deserves a government that will act in the best interest of American children."

Eric Massa and Larry Kissell are two Blue America-endorsed candidates running against Republicans who voted to sustain Bush's veto, respectively, Randy Kuhl and Robin Hayes, each a disgraceful rubber stamp tool. Speaking from Biscoe, North Carolina, Larry said that "Hayes claims he supports the State Children's Health Insurance Program and wants to see it strengthened. He had his chance today, and chose loyalty to President Bush over the working families of this District. I believe Hayes is wrong and I also believe that when he faces our District next November that the people will show their loyalty to North Carolina's children."

Pointing out how Kuhl has been bought out by Big Tobacco, Eric, a cancer survivor, was swinging a lot harder at his pathetic opponent. He said Kuhl had drawn a line in the sand. "Randy Kuhl, George Bush and their friends the tobacco lobbyists are on one side of the line and working families, the American Cancer Society, and doctors all around the country are on the other. Kuhl has once again shown his loyalty to his boss George Bush, by rubber-stamping the President's agenda, no matter what the cost. He does not understand the priorities of Americans if he's standing up against an overwhelmingly bi-partisan proposal to care for our kids. It doesn't get anymore black and white than that. We need a change in this Nation, not more rubber-stamping of the President's failed policies. My opponent has been right there on all of the important issues, lockstep with the President and our community deserves better. Randy Kuhl has decided to stand with the President and his downright lies to keep thousands of children out of the doctor's offices. George Bush wants a compromise that will deny health insurance to more children, and I don't think that's an acceptable compromise. Sacrificing the health of our children is unconscionable and I promise that I will stand up for our kids once I am elected to Congress."

And we shouldn't support any Democrats who aren't willing to take stands like Eric Massa, Tom Allen and Larry Kissell.