Let's see: Democrats want to expand the State Children's Insurance Program with increased federal funding. Republicans don't want to. In fact, they are looking for some cuts. In particular, the White House opposes possible expansion of the program through an increase in the federal tobacco tax and cuts in Medicare payments to insurance companies. On the one hand, we have sick and injured children who receive medical care; on the other, we have those poor tobacco and insurance companies. Awww, it's a Sophie's Choice situation here.
The White House opposes the Democratic plan for “philosophical and ideological” reasons, because it would steer us towards “a single-payer health care system with rationing and price controls.” Perhaps they'd like to deliver their ideological reasons to chronically ill children whose families can't afford treatment? But just to be safe, tell every kid you see to wash their hands, eat healthy, and try not to develop asthma from the polluted air or cancer from pesticide exposure. Because you know, there's some insurance executives who might end up having to get the basic Mercedes with the V-8 rather than the V-12 engine if this all goes through, and that would be a tragedy.
