President Bush Continues to Put Our Children's Health at Risk

There is a new Mr. Grinch in town. He is called President George Bush. For the second time, President Bush has vetoed the children's health bill. His reasons for the veto are spineless. His claims of being a compassionate conservative ring hollow. Increases of taxes on cigarette and other tobacco products would pay for the additional funds needed to support the expanded coverage. However, President Bush is far more concerned about protecting the profits of the cigarette producers. In addition, President Bush's suggested increase of five billion dollars for five years would not even keep up with the rate of inflation. The success of the SCHIP's program is well established. Protecting more of our children should be our first priority. President Bush can continue to ask for more funding for his private war in Iraq. However, when it comes to the health and welfare of our children, he has basically delivered a bitter pill to our nation's most vulnerable citizens.