Matt Denn gets Mike Castle to do the right thing on SCHIP
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.
It just Failed to get a veto proof majority.
Thanks for trying Matt.
Good, it deserves to die in its current form. It had little to do with helping children, it was about expanding entitlements.
“Editors Note: ‘Denn would have totally kicked Castle’s ass if he ran for Congress.'”
It is a shame that Denn’s office as Lt. Gov. will have little bearing on such important matters as SCHIP. If Denn were in Congress, his integrity and persuasion could do immeasurable good for the citizens of Delaware and the citizens of the U.S.
Its good that we support incumbents who work hard for the public. We’ve mentioned a few on here despite the fact that some are Republicans. It gives me a warm fuzzy that we’re able to see past party lines drawn by a few for the apparent sole purpose of holding on to their power in the respective party.
On the other hand, we have the regurgitated Party Leader opinions of the FSP Brain Trust.
David Anderson is an idiot.
A lot of kids are going to needlessly suffer because of this. The only good thing about this is that the Republicans will be a very small minority in the next Congress.
Not only a small minority, but apparently a very dim-witted one.
If somehow we could elect Denn to Congress, his presence would weigh in against idiots on both sides of the aisle.
Please. ($720 million A DAY for Iraq.) You can’t make a finacial argument here. The only reason this is vetoed is becuase Bush is a dipshit.
The only reason you defend him is because you are too.
Under SCHIP, the taxpayers fund health coverage for children in families of four earning as much as $72,000 per year, though not all eligible families enroll. Democrats in Congress want to open the program to families of four earning $83,000 per year or more. President Bush is OK with expanding SCHIP to cover well-off families – but only if the states enroll 95 percent of those lower-income children first.