Although Mike Castle is totally and proudly impervious to reason when it comes to Iraq, it seems that Matt Denn has been able to get him on the right side of SCHIP. Last Friday Denn sent an email around to his fellow state insurance commissioners urging them to contact their members of Congress.
“Given the threatened presidential veto of this reauthorization, it is important that the bill pass with a sufficient majority to withstand a presidential veto. SCHIP programs are a significant part of the health coverage networks for children in each of our states, and expanding that coverage to additional children is a logical step toward lowering the number of uninsured children.” – Link
Denn got to Castle around the same time. While Castle voted with Bush and against American children last August when this came up for a vote and while Castle is loath to vote for bills that the President says he will veto (recall his hatred of “symbolic” votes here) , Denn got Castle to flip sides and they released a kind of joint statement.
Shockingly, in the statment, Castle neglected to mention his recent “No” vote on SCHIP.
“This program is close to my heart because as Governor, I worked with the Nemours Foundation to extend this health care program for children. I continue to believe this coverage is essential support reauthorizing and expanding SCHIP to ensure that all children who are eligible for this program will receive the quality health care they need. Ideally, the compromise reauthorization package will expand benefits without offsetting costs with cuts to Medicare programs, as the House bill proposed,” – Link
So Denn, once more, kicks ass. Hopefully through his efforts the SCHIP program will be passed with a veto-proof majority. I think they are voting as I type.
Editors Note: Denn would have totally kicked Castle’s ass if he ran for Congress.