Here's an even simpler way to frame the issue: congress gives itself excellent, thorough health insurance for life that WE pay for; if it's good enough for them, why isn't it good enough for us?
That's the bottom line, I think - our government gives itself health insurance and denies it to the rest of the population
Posted by nyc at October 17, 2007 10:56 AMIF the Dems could do anything, they'd be in the driver's seat.
Having said that, there should be one override vote, Thursday, and that's the end of the matter. Insurance for kids fails, thanks to the GOoP and their endless support of Worst President Ever. Trillions for Iraq, no health care for America's neediest kids.
And no "do over" votes later in the year, next year, you had your chance, Repubs.
If you want a chance of annihilating the GOoPs, they have to be seen as always, always on the side of stagnation and blocking any hope of progress, like with SCHIP.
So SCHIP ahoy, GOoPs, take these torpedoes dead amidships, hopefully right into the overcrowded engine room, with KKKarl stoking the boilers.
Posted by euzoius at October 17, 2007 11:15 AMabsolutely right euzolus. And when the GOPers and Bush start talking compromise, the Dems need to just say "sorry, you had the chance and turned your back on the kids and we're moving on to other stuff".
Posted by T22 at October 17, 2007 01:04 PMcongress gives itself excellent, thorough health insurance for life that WE pay for; if it's good enough for them, why isn't it good enough for us?
That argument has actually always been weak to me. For the most part in this country, employers provide health insurance. Members of Congress are employed by us, the taxpayers. Therefore we provide their health insurance. We can certainly argue that once they leave office they no longer get health insurance through the taxpayer. They have to get COBRA and find another job in order to get it, just like everyone else. Maybe we should start there.
Posted by CG at October 17, 2007 03:01 PM