Getting Closer
President Bush has begun talking about a "compromise" on the SCHIP bill he recently vetoed, but of course hasn't indicated just what he would consider acceptable. Given the overwhelming national support for the program to insure children and the fact that the Democrats have already begun to use the issue for the November, 2008 election campaign, Republicans in Congress find themselves in an awkward position. The question is now whether once again the Democrats will cave, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Just what Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will do with the offer to "compromise" is difficult to tell at this point, but the Democrats did give some hints during yesterday's talk shows, as noted in a post by Brian Knowlton on the NY Times political blog, "The Caucus."
Although President Bush has said he is open to compromising with Congress over the State Children’s Insurance Program, or S-Chip, Democrats — aware that his veto of their bill to expand that popular program has left the president in an awkward spot — appeared in no mood Sunday to oblige him. ...
“I hope we override the veto before we start worrying about compromise,” said one Democratic governor, Jon Corzine of New Jersey, on ABC-TV’s “This Week.”
Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, said that Democrats probably needed only 14 more Republican votes to override a veto and sounded as if she would not want to be in the president’s shoes. “The American people support this overwhelmingly, and nearly 2 to 1 of Republicans support our initiative,” she said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Just 14 more GOP votes are needed in the House. It would be helpful if Ms. Pelosi produced a list of which Republican members are still holding out on the veto override so that their constituents can provide some strong pressure. It would be even more helpful if Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid made it clear that there would be no "compromise" with the President, especially since his idea of compromise is always the same: do it his way, or else.
This is the time to use the powder the Democrats have been so assiduously keeping dry for the past six years.
Just what Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will do with the offer to "compromise" is difficult to tell at this point, but the Democrats did give some hints during yesterday's talk shows, as noted in a post by Brian Knowlton on the NY Times political blog, "The Caucus."
Although President Bush has said he is open to compromising with Congress over the State Children’s Insurance Program, or S-Chip, Democrats — aware that his veto of their bill to expand that popular program has left the president in an awkward spot — appeared in no mood Sunday to oblige him. ...
“I hope we override the veto before we start worrying about compromise,” said one Democratic governor, Jon Corzine of New Jersey, on ABC-TV’s “This Week.”
Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, said that Democrats probably needed only 14 more Republican votes to override a veto and sounded as if she would not want to be in the president’s shoes. “The American people support this overwhelmingly, and nearly 2 to 1 of Republicans support our initiative,” she said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Just 14 more GOP votes are needed in the House. It would be helpful if Ms. Pelosi produced a list of which Republican members are still holding out on the veto override so that their constituents can provide some strong pressure. It would be even more helpful if Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid made it clear that there would be no "compromise" with the President, especially since his idea of compromise is always the same: do it his way, or else.
This is the time to use the powder the Democrats have been so assiduously keeping dry for the past six years.
Labels: 110th Congress, Election 2008, Health Care
posted by Diane at 3:48 AM
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