Friday, October 19, 2007

President Bush’s SCHIP Veto Stands—Statement by Cincinnati AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-T

Posted by Media Release

Two Southwest Ohio Representatives side with the President to deny millions of children health care

President Bush’s veto of children’s health insurance—and Representative Schmidt and Representative Chabot’s decision to side with the President in an extreme vote against Ohio’s children—is just plain shameful. Their vote not to override Bush’s disgraceful veto of health care for children means that 128,000 of Ohio kids who would have been able to see a doctor when they needed one will instead continue to go without the basic services they need to grow up healthy. 

Doug Sizemore, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council stated, “We need elected officials in office that place the betterment of our children and our community first”.

In the richest country in the world, nearly 10 million kids have no health insurance and 250,000 of them are children in Ohio.  Rep. Schmidt and Rep. Chabot’s vote puts them at odds with a bipartisan majority in both houses of Congress which has made it clear that caring for children is not a political or economic issue.  Caring for our children is a moral obligation and is a test of the greatness of our nation.  Congresswoman Schmidt and Congressman Chabot failed that test.

Providing health insurance to children also makes good economic sense. For many Ohio children, coverage through SCHIP is the only chance they have to get regular check ups, or to see a doctor before an illness becomes life-threatening. Preventing health problems altogether or catching them before they get worse is a proven way to save money and studies show that the State Children’s Health Insurance Program has been a success on both counts.

There’s little doubt that Rep. Schmidt and Rep. Chabot will also side with the president when he asks for another $200 billion to support the war in Iraq, so it is hard to understand why he wouldn’t support spending $35 billion over six years for a proven program to keep children healthy. Southwest Ohio working families will remember this ill-considered choice and hold Congresswoman Schmidt and Congressman Chabot accountable.

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Peter A. Deane says:
20 Oct 2007  at  09:10 pm | #

“Rep. Schmidt and Rep. Chabot’s vote puts them at odds with a bipartisan majority in both houses of Congress which has made it clear that caring for children is not a political or economic issue.  Caring for our children is a moral obligation and is a test of the greatness of our nation.  Congresswoman Schmidt and Congressman Chabot failed that test.”

This is an outrage!!!!!!  Hamilton County has the highest percentage of infant deaths in the nation and the vote no!!!!!

Where is John Cranley on this, how about Leslie Ghiz, how about Roxanne Qualls, how about Monzel, how about Cecil Thomas, how about Brian Garry, how about Ms. Cole, Bortz, Berding, Crowley, Brinkman, Yates, Patton, Mallory, Bates, isn’t Winburn a Christian preacher, Owens, Minette Cooper??????

What is Patrick Fischer to busy playing baseball???

Justin Jeffre???

They and the Hamilton County Commissioners should be knocking down the doors of our Far Right Republican Congressmen Chabot and Schmidt and bringing them to the homes of parents that can not afford health care for their children in Hamilton County!!!!!!!

This is a major issue in our communities and nothing is being said by any candidate.  Health care for children???

Greg Harris and Wendell Young where the hell are you?

WTF Republican John Eby? Joan Kaup?

Independents Mitch Painter and George Zamary?

Hamilton/County Cincinnati is worse then a third world nation in regards to infant deaths and you all are letting these two idiots get away all because of the sake of politics????

This whole election is a shame!!!!!

If you don’t care about the children of Hamilton County then get the fuck out of the race!!!!!

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) says:
21 Oct 2007  at  10:12 am | #

This is the crux of what is wrong with our system of government. These politicians put their party’s power before the needs of the people.

Fascism is putting the power of government before the rights of the citizens.

Is there any difference between these groups?

It is ironic that Chabot’s power comes from the votes of western Cincinnati, which is closely tied to the claims that they are German, Catholic and typical of a hard working blue-collar ethic. I am reminded that these are the same characteristics of the Germans that allowed Hitler to besmirch the history of Germany.

cincysuz says:
22 Oct 2007  at  05:58 am | #

I attended Chabot’s “Town Meeting” by telephone just prior to his vote. He’s one slick son a bitch. Most of those on the line were mindless supporters but the few that could get through and challenged him on this, he gave the same argument that he always gives. That he’s essentially FOR the bill but can’t actuallly vote for it because of a couple of things in the bill. He was told that 70% of his constituency were for the bill and asked how high would the percentage be before he listened. He hit the mute button on that one.

But the interesting thing about Chabot is that he diverts every issue to that of illegal immigration. He promotes lies and stereotypes and the locals eat it up. The hatred is palpable. I couldn’t get through with a question but I did send him a follow-up letter asking him to stop profiling and promoting stereotypes and hatred. Specifically, one of the callers claimed that Springfield Township was being overrun by “them.” And he readily agreed. “Them” was supposed to be undocumented workers. I reminded Chabot that unless he and the caller had a crystal ball, they had no way of knowing the immigration status of a person simply by looking at them. I also informed him that he’s making life for latino children very dangerous in the tri-state. Attacks are becoming more frequent. Profiling, based on ethnicity is rampant.

But this is his hot button issue. He proudly cites all the knee-jerk legislation he’s supported and proposed that makes life harder for Spanish speaking immigrants but always finds something wrong with any legislation that is geared toward helping the less fortunate or ending the war.

I’ll be glad to see him and that nauseating flap over hit the road.

cincysuz says:
22 Oct 2007  at  06:04 am | #

And about the infant mortality rate. I’ve heard little about the causes. Are there any statistics at all? I would venture to claim that the rate is higher due to babies having babies, and the baby mothers (or mama’s) not getting pre-natal care and taking care of themselves during pregnancy and also being unprepared to care for the child once it gets here. For any young mother to get any kind of aid, she should be required to have parenting classes and also forced, if that’s what it takes, to have regular obstetrician visits, or she doesn’t get aid. That’s a small price to pay. Of course if all that’s necessary and she’s not mature enough to know to take care of herself, the prospects for the baby’s future is very dim.

Also drugs are a contributing factor. Addicted babies, babies ravaged by drugs.

Birth control should also be a focus. Free and readily available.

Peter Deane says:
22 Oct 2007  at  04:30 pm | #

This is a travesty to the highest degree!

They, Schidt and Chabot, represent the third poorest community in the nation and they vote against health care for children.  This is mind boggling! You would think the Enquirer would be leading the charge to kick these two out of office.  This has taken my breath away.

I just can’t understand who has control over the people of these districts who is the leadership of these communities that are remaining silent to Chabot and Schmidt who could have further help the health of our children???

Speak up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My God do you see what they have just done?????????

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