American Public vs. Bush on Children’s Health

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/10/08/american-public-vs-bush-on-childrens-health/

by Mike Hall, Oct 8, 2007



Last week, President Bush told 10 million kids their health care coverage wasn’t important enough to sign a bill that would renew the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

His veto ignited a nationwide mobilization to find the two dozen or so votes needed in the U.S. House of Representatives to override it and a firestorm of criticism. The bill passed with bipartisan support in both chambers, but while the Senate margin was veto-proof, the House vote fell short of the two-thirds needed to override.

With the vote expected next week, we thought it would be a good time to see what others are saying.

On The Huffington Post, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee describes how a coalition of unions and other groups are mobilizing a “big bold campaign” of rallies, phone calls, e-mails and letters to House members demanding they override Bush’s veto.

Who in the world—besides George Bush—is against health care for children? Our polling shows that we have the strength of the American public on our side, and our ground campaign will ensure that Bush and the few holdouts that want to go down with his “stinking” ship get the message.

Bill Scher on TomPaine.com points out that many in the mainstream media, including CNN and MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, are parroting Bush’s claim that the vetoed children’s health bill didn’t include funding to cover the more than 6 million kids currently enrolled and the 4 million who would be eligible under the bill.

FULL story at link.