Democrats: War Funding For SCHIP….
I read this and this and the air was blue in the computer room!
Don lays it out for you:
But they want to shorten their work week? How many of you would still have jobs if you performed this poorly?
Don continues:
44 Republican senators sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Plurality Leader Harry Reid urging them to pass stand-alone Defense and VA spending bills by Veterans Day. The letter included this zinger: “Our soldiers and veterans already have done so much for our county. The Democratic Congressional Leadership should not now cynically use them to shoulder a bloated ‘minibus’ funding bill up Pennsylvania Avenue and wrest billions in excessive spending.”
A minibus. I love it.Sean Kevelighan, a spokesman for the White House budget office, told CQ: “They need to send the president a clean veterans’ funding bill that we have already agreed to by Veterans Day, so we can keep America’s promise to those who have defended our freedom and are recovering from injury.”
Here’s an idea: Instead of wasting all this time investigating such Beltway Bull as why the president fired eight people who serve at the will and pleasure of the president, how about doing the job to which they were elected?
No. I have a better idea for Democrats: Keep acting like the incompetent, narcissistic bozos you are. When’s that election next year? Nov. 6? Many of us will be circling that date on our calendars.
The CQ article is here.
The Republican letter:
Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid:
We write this letter to request that federal funding for our nation’s troops and veterans not be further delayed and held hostage for partisan purposes. Congress must promptly complete its work on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) and Defense appropriations bills, and they should be sent to the President’s desk as freestanding measures by Veterans Day.
It has been nearly two months since both Houses passed their respective FY 2008 MilCon-VA appropriations bills, and nearly one month has gone by since both chambers approved their FY 2008 Defense appropriations bills. Plenty of time has passed for these measures to go through conference and get signed into law. Yet to date, this Congress has still not sent a single appropriations bill to the President – a failure of accomplishment that has not happened in decades. Meanwhile, our brave soldiers are defending us overseas, taking the fight to the terrorists, and keeping our nation safe. Veterans continue waiting for increased funding, which the President already has signaled that he would approve and will lead to improved medical care and other benefits.
Swift action on the MilCon-VA and Defense appropriations bills is not only fitting with Veterans Day coming in less than two weeks, but it also is one of our highest responsibilities as lawmakers. Our soldiers and veterans already have done so much for our county. The Democratic Congressional Leadership should not now cynically use them to shoulder a bloated “minibus” funding bill up Pennsylvania Avenue and wrest billions in excessive spending. Leading veterans groups have expressed strong concerns about such an approach. For months, the President has said that he would oppose it.
Our troops and veterans cannot afford unnecessary delay, and they rightfully expect Congress to put their interests ahead of politics. It therefore is irresponsible to attach VA and military funding measures onto a domestic spending bill which we know will get vetoed. Instead, we urge you to work with us in a bipartisan manner so we can quickly advance freestanding MilCon-VA and Defense appropriations bills for the President’s signature.
Sincerely,
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell
Republican Whip Trent Lott
Senator Judd Gregg
Senator Norm Coleman
Senator Mike Crapo
Senator Ted Stevens
Senator David Vitter
Senator Wayne Allard
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Larry Craig
Senator George Voinovich
Senator Chuck Grassley
Senator Johnny Isakson
Senator Jon Kyl
Senator Michael Enzi
Senator Tom Coburn
Senator Jim DeMint
Senator Jeff Sessions
Senator John Ensign
Senator Jim Bunning
Senator Saxby Chambliss
Senator Sam Brownback
Senator John Thune
Senator Mel Martinez
Senator Orrin Hatch
Senator John Sununu
Senator Christopher Bond
Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Lamar Alexander
Senator Richard Burr
Senator Bob Corker
Senator Chuck Hagel
Senator Pat Roberts
Senator Susan Collins
Senator Gordon Smith
Senator Bob Bennett
Senator Thad Cochran
Senator James Inhofe
Senator Elizabeth Dole
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Senator John McCain
Senator Pete Domenici
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Senator Richard Lugar
No more compromise. Enough is enough with this do nothing Congress!
Assorted Babble received a survey from Florida Dem. Robert Wexler that lays out the strategy:
When the President vetoed the bipartisan State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), I promised to keep fighting to make health care a reality for those 600,000 children in Florida and 10 million across the country. Unfortunately, Congress was unable to override that veto.
However, last week the bipartisan coalition behind SCHIP passed new legislation. This bill still covers 10 million kids while enacting stronger provisions that prevent illegal immigrations from obtaining benefits and ensure that SCHIP only benefits families that cannot afford private plans.
These changes enhance the original purpose of SCHIP – to provide health coverage for kids whose families work hard but simply cannot afford health care. The new bill has been sent to the Senate and will shortly arrive once again on President Bush’s desk.
The White House has said that this bill is too expensive. I disagree. It costs less than $3.50 a day to cover a child through SCHIP, and prevents taxpayers from footing the bill when these kids end up seeking the most expensive care out there – in emergency rooms.
Just this week the President announced plans to ask Congress for an additional $46 billion for the war in Iraq, a war that has already cost Americans almost a half a trillion dollars. Every single day in Iraq we spend $330 million. That means that we could provide 10 million low-income children across the country, with health insurance for a year, with less than the cost of 40 days in Iraq.
I’m writing you today to ask you what your priorities would be in Congress. Please take the time to fill out the survey on the right so that I can better represent you in Congress.
With warm regards,
Congressman Robert Wexler
What were Suzie’s choices?
1. Congress should provide health care funding for 10 million kids instead of the war in Iraq.
2. Congress should not provide funding for the health care bill, and continue funding the Iraq war.
3. Congress should fund both the children’s health care plan and the war in Iraq.
4. Congress should not fund the children’s health care bill or the war in Iraq.
Is that not insane? Throw the bum out!
Michelle has a great roundup, as usual!
memeorandum has more blog reaction
November 1, 2007 - 02:10 PM on November 1st, 2007
Wexler (D-FL): Survey – Fund War or SCHIP
Read this Weazel Wexler, Liberal Florida Congressman.From the desk of Liberal Democrat Congressman Robert Wexler, representing the 19th District of Florida, emails Floridians …
November 4, 2007 - 05:59 PM on November 4th, 2007
The federal government already has 5 programs to provide free healthcare to individuals between the ages of 18 and 25. Those Programs are known by the acronyms USAF,USA,USN, USMC, and for those wanting to remain closer to home USCG. They not only include medical coverage but also dental, optical,paid on the job training, travel opportunities and educational benefits.
There is also a wonderful program in the private sector that goes by the acronym of JOB.
November 4, 2007 - 06:06 PM on November 4th, 2007
Here are some questions for the liberals. Why is a 12 yr old enough of an adult to be able to make an informed decision about such health related issues as birth control, but a 19 yr old is still called a child in relation to firearms related violent deaths? If a 17 yr old isn’t mature enough to understand the implications of murdering someone during a hold up, how is 14 yr old mature enough to decide on whether to have an abortion or not? If an 18 – 20 year old isn’t mature enough to purchase a six pack of beer, why are they considered mature enough to vote?
November 5, 2007 - 06:44 AM on November 5th, 2007
FAO, You shouldn’t ask such loaded questions. The answers blow up in the liberals’ faces.
November 5, 2007 - 08:39 AM on November 5th, 2007
Why is “education” the answer to teenage pregnancies and STDs (now pushing sex “education” into grade school) yet when it comes to firearms safety, suddenly Liberals want none (NRA Eddie Eagle program).
Why does the Left babble about how “pro-choice” they are, except when it comes to how your tax dollars are spent on educating your children?
How can the Liberals be for “Free Speech” when everything that does not fit within the parameters of political correctness is repressed as “hate” speech by the Left?
November 5, 2007 - 08:59 AM on November 5th, 2007
5, the Democrats want “RE-education” as in the U of Delaware program and the “burn the flag” re-education at the Maine university I wrote about in the open post for the weekend.