CBS News is out with a new poll (PDF format) that makes it clear how popular SCHIP - the State Children's Health Insurance Program - is among the American people. How about these numbers?
WOULD YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE EXPANDING SCHIP?
Favor 81%
Oppose 15
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY MORE TAXES TO EXPAND SCHIP?
(Among those who favor expanding SCHIP)
Yes 74%
No 17
Well, you can't get any clearer than that. Now, when Democratic leaders in Congress reintroduce SCHIP with minor changes, we'll see if hard-hearted Republicans finally give in to the overwhelming will of the American people and stand up to the Bush White House for a change. According to the Washington Post article, that's likely to happen: "Republicans sent signals that minor changes may be all that will be needed, if not for the president's signature, then for the votes of balking House members."
This issue isn't going away, but if Republicans keep voting against expanded health care coverage for poor children, they might see their own jobs going away. The choice is theirs, but the answer is as clear as it ever gets in Washington, DC. We'll see if recalcitrant Republicans are smart enough to realize that.
P.S. Of course, we would nevereverever expect the likes of Eric Cantor, Virgil Goode, Thelma Drake and Bob Goodlatte to show a scintilla of political independence (or common sense). The only hope with those people is to find strong Democrats to run against them and beat them.
The SCHIP issue is one all can understand, and candidates should cry to their districts that if we vote for THEM, Republicans, this is what we get: no coverage for the kids. Maybe that would partially penetrate and help sway some.
As for Marshall of Georgia and Taylor of Mississippi, I doubt if they could be pushed out of office for voting against an override of the Chimp's veto, but, hell, that's what some Dems in those states are for--a counterpoint to what's right in the world in order to be the new Zell Miller.
And as a last note: We should be able to understand Stark's frustration as he emitted that primal scream comment yesterday. When you watch the despicable press conference Bush held yesterday, his moronic and frivolous nature revealed before the cameras, his grinning and his vapid stupid responses and non-responses to legitimate questions, how could you not react as Stark did, had one the opportunity? Our troops ARE getting their heads blown off for this simpering fool who uses their lives for political favors for his money-contributing corporations like Halliburton, Blackwater, etc.
Dems should use issues like these to scare Them, just as they use the BS about they being better to defend us against terrorism in the form of 16 guys with boxcutters.