SCHIP and Perspective
For the fourth time in his presidency, Bush used his veto power and denied the SCHIP bill that was passed by large margins in Congress. I admit I'm mostly ignorant of the issue, but in general, I tend to be sympathetic to federal health care programs. Insurance and credit are the two biggest oppressors of the poor in our country, and that's when I feel like government should get involved.
Still, maybe the bill should be vetoed. I don't know its provisions. However, if you're going to kill a bill, you should do it for good reasons. Thus, even more appauling than Bush's veto is the rationale of the few Congressmen/women who stand between the bill and a veto override. According to CNN, Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri "said the legislation contained 'all of these little hidden gizmos, among other things that we're going to provide health care to the children of illegal immigrants.' "
So let me get this right... you're going to deny thousands of American children relief just to spite the children of illegal immigrants? Somebody needs to give that guy some perspective. And where are the rational people to stand up and say that every child in the U.S. should have a right to be healthy, regardles of whether they were lucky enough to have parents who are American citizens? When did our Great Society become the Selfish Society?
Totally agree. I can't add anything to your post because you have already said everything I would say. Give me your tired, your poor.....
One thing I would add...we already ARE providing health care to children of illegal immigrants, be it through Medicaid (for the ones born here) or through the ER, or through federally qualified community health center. I think we are so very stupid to deny health care to the next generation. Very short-sighted. They are kids. I vote we treat them.
Beth Ann, I am so glad that you brought up the poem from the base of the Statue of Liberty.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
(I love that the last line is Lady Liberty welcoming the oppressed through the golden door of our Great Society... why have we lost our welcoming generosity that this country was founded on?)
Did you know that the statue of Liberty is placed at just an angle as to be a welcoming face to the ships headed toward Ellis Island?
Just because immigrants are not floating by Lady Liberty anymore, doesn't mean that those words are null and void.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...
THESE are American values! Not neglecting children... "legal" or otherwise.
We all know that the real issue is bigger than just health care... it is a whole anti-immigration mentality that has taken over our country like a plauge.
Jesus came to save us all, not just the upper-middle class white people. And as Christians if our charge in life is to reflect the light of Christ on others and work to become "Christ-like," maybe we should start acting like it... I am pretty sure that Christ didn't pick and choose whom he let into his fold by the color of their skin, the language that came out of their mouth, the country that they came from, or their current legal status.
(And if you’re not a Christian, maybe you could work on being more Statue of Liberty like).