Although the revised bill costs the same, 35million dollars over 5 years, Democratic leaders say that they have addressed the concerns brought up by the President who vetoed the original bill and the members of the House who voted no on overriding his veto.
Namely it will not allow coverage to families who make more than 3 times the federal poverty line, it would phase out coverage to young childless couples over a one year period (some states offer this, not all), and require stricter checking of applicant’s social security numbers.
“This is a clarification of the legislation” stated Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi denied requests from moderate Republicans for more time before the vote, which is scheduled for today, in order to try and get more supporters from their conservative partners.
The bill will almost certainly pass a majority vote before going on to get vetoed by our obstinate president. The changes made to the bill address his concerns except that the money is still coming from a cigarette tax which he opposes. Let’s hope that this time our Representatives will be able to override the veto and get the protection in place that our children deserve.
Mike Viqueira, NBC News’ reporter, has seen a lot of anger in the House Republicans who feel that these changes might just cause enough Republicans to deflect and actually support America’s children. The changes are specifically targeted to 38 Republicans who supported the veto and then wrote a letter detailing their concerns. The bill’s supporters are certain that these concerns are addressed now in the new legislation.
This just may mean success, now that their “legitimate” concerns have been addressed it will be harder for them to refuse to listen to a majority of American citizens, their constituents, without seriously damaging their opportunity for reelection. My fingers are crossed.
The real story in this topic, is the democratic congresses behind the scenes attempt to knock off an ally in war on terror in the Iraqi front. I see congress as intentionally using this resolution to anger Turkey, in order to cause Turkey to back out of their support of the war. This is divisive and this does not facillitate building alliances. We need to get the dirty politics out of the war on radical Islam. We need to defend our country, for we were attacked in 90′s and then again sept 11th. Islam says kill the infidel. Their goal is total world domination under shariah law. We have to take their writings and speeches serious. I make make little distinction between suni, shiite, wahaabi sects. They all rely on the same basic source documents – Kuran and Hadeeth. Our present congress seems to be deliberately trying to sabotage the war in order to win elections and power, in this latest attempt of disrepecting Turkey.
Sean, I’m not sure we should be sending the message that all you need to do to get away with genocide is to build strategic ties with the US. Also, why isn’t the right attacking Bush for pissing off China? China holds a huge portion of our debt and is pivotal in our attempts to enact any sort of pressure on Iran.
If the contention that we shouldn’t label Turkeys killing of 1.5 million as genocide because we need them is true then it should be even more true of China. That is of course assuming that the right wants to enact sanctions on Iran, which they don’t. Being unable to enact sanctions (because you pissed off China) would give the neocons a good excuse to bomb Iran.
I find the timing of these resolutions to be suspect. These resolutions follow many failed attempts by this congress to out-right villify the President for waging war against an enemy that first attacked us. This congress has threatened or led many investigations into the war, the President, and White house staff. These investigations look to me to be politically motivated. Also the congress slings mud, so to speak, and hopes something will stick. They are almost always negative and they have little show in doing the people’s work on capitol hill.
I am not too familiar with the Turkey’s culpability in genocide but I will look it up. I do question why if this is 100 year old crime it is being voted on now as a resolution of condemnation. And hasn’t the congress passed similar resolutions in the past in regards to Turkey? Why do it again and again? And why is now the right time to bring it up?
“These resolutions follow many failed attempts by this congress to out-right villify the President for waging war against an enemy that first attacked us.”
When did Iraq attack us?
You have mischaracterized the war. The enemy is not the Iraq, per se. The enemy is radical Islamist, who were in Iraq and are still there. In fact, Iraq has drawn hostiles from other nations to Iraq; Hostiles that would have otherwise been able to devote their full attention to planning and attacking America and other democratic countries. We are winning through patience and strength in Iraq. Iraq is going to be a strong ally against radicals in the future who want to do us harm. These same radicals would like to detonate a dirty bomb in a US city. These same radicals, motivated by the Koran, have already bombed trains in Spain. They are haters, they are violent, and they are deadly, and they must be stopped.
There was no “Al Queada in Iraq” until 2005, and it was brought there, not by Iraq but by hatred toward an US occupation of a sovereign nation.
We invaded and occupied Iraq, who had NOTHING to do with 9/11;. Sadaam Hussein was a secular leader and not a radical islamist. The Iraq war was illegal, immoral, and continues to kill both our troops and innocent Iraqis every single day.