REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS HAVE A RESPONSE TO TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES: PENALIZE POOR CHILDREN BY WITHHOLDING HEALTHCARE

If he gets sick, you can throw him away and get a new one

There is an argument in economists' circles whether we are already in a recession or whether there is one around the corner. Bush Regime apologists claim everything is fabulous and pessimists say "forget recession," we're looking at the Bush Depression. No matter who's correct, other than the small handful of Bush Regime apologists, hard times ahead. With that backdrop, the Democratic leadership in the House decided to see if they could work with a few electorally-vulnerable Republican moderates to override Bush's veto of heath insurance for poor children. Their attempt failed today. Every single Democrat except arch-reactionary Jim Marshall in Macon, Georgia, voted in favor of children's health care. 42 Republicans joined the Democrats in trying to help needy children.

Among the Republicans who fought hard to prevent the override were this lot who are in danger of being defeated in November. They should be defeated; every single one of them (along with fake-Democrat Jim Marshall):

Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
Roscoe Barlett (R-MD)
Judy Biggert (R-IL)
Brian Bilbray (R-CA)
Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Dave Camp (R-MI)
John Campbell (R-CA)
Howard Coble (R-NC)
Thelma Drake (R-VA)
David Dreier (R-CA)- Blue America has endorsed Russ Warner
Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
Elton Gallegly (R-CA)
Scott Garrett (R-NJ)- Blue America has endorsed Dennis Shulman
Virgil Goode (R-VA)- Blue America is likely to endorse Tom Perriello soon
Robin Hayes (R-NC)- Blue America has endorsed Larry Kissell
Tim Johnson (R-IL)
John Kline (R-MN)
Randy Kuhl (R-NY)- Blue America has endorsed Eric Massa
Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Dan Lungren (R-CA)
Mike McCaul (R-TX)
Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)
Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
Buck McKeon (R-CA)
Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)
Steve Pearce (R-NM)
Tom Reynolds (R-NY)- Blue America has endorsed Jon Powers
Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)- Blue America asks you to stay tuned
Mean Jean Schmidt (R-OH)- Blue America has endorsed Dr. Vic Wulsin
John Shadegg (R-AZ)
Tim Walberg (R-MI)- Blue America has endorsed Mark Schauer

The most far right extremists and raving lunatics from the disintegrating Republican coalition are screaming for jihad against the Republicans who joined the Democrats to try to save the S-CHIP bill.

One of the heroes of the child-hating extremists, Tim Walberg, has an opponent this year who isn't letting him get away with this kind of bullshit. Mark Schauer sent out a statement after Walberg voted against S-CHIP (again):

"Ensuring access to health care for children should be an economic priority, not the victim of a misguided ideological tug-of-war. Continuing to embrace the status quo will only lead to further financial troubles for Michigan families who are already struggling to get by. Losing your house or going bankrupt to pay for an unexpectedly sick child is not a choice we should force anyone to make."

Mark hit the nail right on the head. We need representatives in Congress who are part of the solution. Tim Walberg and the radical right extremists have caused the problems with their narrow and pinched ideological fanaticism. Although Pelosi is still protecting Bush and Cheney from impeachment, at least she has enough of a shred of decency around her to remember when she was a decent progressive who fought for the American people. Today she made a genuine effort to reach out to Republicans (as well as reactionary Democrats) to override Bush's vicious and selfish veto. "The issue comes down to what is happening in America's households today. Unemployment is up, housing starts are down. The price of gasoline and food and health care is up, stock market is down. So the indicators, some that are felt very closely and intimately by America's families, some that are felt by our economy, all point to the need for taking a new direction."


UPDATE: 15 VOTES SHY OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR NEEDY CHILDREN

Or... get rid of reactionary Jom Marshall plus any 14 right wing Republicans and we can move forward like the rest of the civilized world. Which 14 right wing Republicans? Well, start with the list above; any of these goons your congresscritter?