Posted Oct. 4, 2007 – President Bush kept his word to Congress and the American people when he shot down a bill Tuesday that would have renewed and expanded health insurance for poor children. 

The veto was no surprise, but the political fallout might be. The White House sent a tsunami of e-mails explaining how bad it would be if this bill were signed into law and the state-federal partnership insurance program was expanded to cover more children.

In a statement from the White House, Bush said, “The policies of the government ought to be help poor children and to focus on poor children.  And the policies of the government ought to help people find private insurance, not federal coverage.”

Bush maintains the expansion that would include up to 10 million children (the cost of which is equivalent to what the United States spends in for 41 days in Iraq) and take the nation’s health care system in the wrong direction. 

 “I believe in private medicine, not the federal government running the health care system,” Bush said.   He wants Congress to come back with something covering fewer children and costing less. 

The reaction from Sen. Edward Kenney’s (D-Mass.) was forceful.   “Today we learned that the same president who is willing to throw away a half trillion dollars in Iraq is unwilling to spend a small fraction of that amount to bring health care to American children,” Kennedy said.
 
The Senate has the two-thirds votes it needs to override Bush’s veto. But it’s not clear whether the U.S. House of Representatives has the  votes it needs. But House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) remains hopeful. “I call on my colleagues in Congress to join the broad bipartisan consensus of senators, representatives, governors and advocacy groups who want to improve the quality of health care that America’s children receive and override the president’s veto,” he said.

The Democrats postponed the vote to override the veto until Oct. 18, which may give members time to take the pulse of folks in their respective districts.  Republicans are worried the veto is a kitchen-table discussion item that could hurt them at the polls in 2008.

 But the real pain may be felt by the 10 million children and their families who will be without health care.

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer