[StBernard] La. Republicans rapped for vote against health plan

[Westley Annis]

Sorry, but this legislation absolutely needed to be defeated and I'm glad
President Bush has vowed to veto this bill.  Even the leading advocates for
this program increase asked President Bush for a 3 time increase in the
program to $20 Billion.  They said that would "more than fund the program
over the next several years allowing for anticipated increases in cost."
Yet, the Demos insisted on an absurd and irrational $35 Billion....Why?
Because they even admit it's part of their plan to eventually get "children
of illegal aliens" into the program and basically create a "socialized
medical program" for children as a first step to an eventual socialized
system for everyone.  That is nuts!!!

 

Only in America do you have a situation where leaders of a medical program
ask for $20 billion, the president agrees, but the dumb asses on Capital
Hill want to waste nearly double what the program leaders ask for.  Go
figure.

 

Why isn't what the program leaders asked for enough for the liberals?  This
is why several major newspapers in this country criticized the Demos efforts
wanting to needlessly increase the spending.  If they reintroduce this bill
at the original requested spending of $20 billion, then it will be signed by
Bush.  That should be more than sufficient for now, according to program
leaders.

 

John

	> ----------------------------------------------------- 
	> La. Republicans rapped for vote against health plan 
	> By GERARD SHIELDS 
	> Advocate Washington bureau 
	> Published: Sep 27, 2007 - Page: 18A 
	> 
	> WASHINGTON - Louisiana child health-care advocates on Wednesday
criticized 
	> Louisiana House Republicans for voting against expansion of a
federal 
	> children's health insurance program. 
	> 
	> The U.S. House of Representatives passed the State Children's
Health 
	> Insurance Program by a vote of 265-159 late Tuesday, voting mostly
along 
	> party lines. Likewise, four Louisiana Republicans voted against
the $35 
	> billion in additional funds to cover 3 million more uninsured
children in 
	> the country. 
	> 
	> Louisiana covers about 110,000 children through the program and a
f ederal 
	> expansion would add an additional 10,000 Louisiana children to the
rolls. 
	> The program would cover children who are considered low-income but
not poor 
	> enough to qualify for Medicaid. 
	> 
	> 
	> Sandra Adams, executive director of the Louisiana Maternal and
Child Health 
	> Coalition, expressed disappointment by the votes of Republican
House members 
	> of the Louisiana delegation. 
	> 
	> "Children do not choose who their parents are," Adams said. "It's 
	> unconscionable in my opinion to be voting a party line and leaving
children 
	> uncovered." 
	> 
	> The only Louisiana Republican not opposing the measure was U.S.
Rep. Bobby 
	> Jindal, R-Kenner, who was absent for the vote. Jindal, who is
running for 
	> governor, was in Louisiana but released a statement supporting an
increase 
	> in SCHIP funding and an extension of the program if necessary. 
	> 
	> U.S. Rep. Ric hard B aker, R-Baton Rouge, said that the children's
insurance 
	> issue is just one part of the nation's health-care needs. Trying
to address 
	> the matter without taking other parts of the health-care puzzle
into account 
	> would be detrimental, Baker said. 
	> 
	> "It's difficult to vote on a matter of this sort because you'll be
portrayed 
	> as not caring for the afflicted," Baker said. "But it's not
responsible 
	> government given the financial liability of all the various
programs." 
	> 
	> Dr. Steve Spedale is a pediatrician who specializes in premature
births. 
	> Spedale also operates a Web Site, www.lakidsaccess.org, that tries
to ensure 
	> that Louisiana children get health benefits available to them. 
	> 
	> Spedale said 68 percent of all children born in Louisiana are
covered by 
	> Medicaid. 
	> 
	> "For our state, SCHIP and the continuation of the program is just
critical," 
	> S pedale said. 
	> 
	> Republicans have criticized the expansion, saying that it will
result in 
	> more people joining the program instead of obtaining available
private 
	> insurance. 
	> 
	> U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, is a retired vascular
surgeon who 
	> has made health care a key plank to his agenda. About 90,000
Louisiana 
	> children are already uninsured and should first be considered
before any 
	> expansion, Boustany said. 
	> 
	> "We have to really be accountable on how we provide this coverage,
that it 
	> provides access and not just coverage on paper," he said. 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> Find this article at: 
	>
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/10060096.html?showAll=y&c=y