Puppy Shotgunning Update; Beyond Parody

Well, he did it. Bush vetoed the child health bill:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 — President Bush vetoed the children’s health insurance bill today, as he had promised to do, setting the stage for more negotiations between the White House and Congress. Mr. Bush wielded his pen with no fanfare just before leaving for a visit to Lancaster, Pa. The veto was only the fourth of Mr. Bush’s presidency. “Because the Congress has chosen to send me a bill that moves our health care system in the wrong direction, I must veto it,” Mr. Bush said in his veto statement, adding that he hoped to work with the lawmakers “to produce a good bill that puts poorer children first.”

Jon Stewart remarked about this the other day, that Bush has gone beyond parody. The president has rejected health care for poor children - going so far as to use a veto, which he rarely does - while claiming it's actually to *help* poor children. What can anyone do with that? It's Goebbels level propaganda; so bald-faced that it's startling.

Considering that he's the lamest duck president since Hoover, you'd think Bush'd be doing things that he'd *like* to do, regardless of the political consequences. And that may be. He really really may hate: kids, the poor, compassion, justice, and (given the previous items) God Hisself.

Shotgunning Those Puppies

The Times, top newspaper in human history, has this headline: "Bush Assails Democrats Over Child Health Bill."

Note: 'assail' is journalist lingo for 'lie.' Evidently.

Bush attacks the Democrats in Congress for passing a bill that is not quite evil enough for his tastes. The lead line of the attack:

“Democratic leaders in Congress want to put more power in the hands of government by expanding federal health care programs. Their S-Chip plan is an incremental step toward the goal of government-run health care for every American.”

Somehow, Bush thinks that this is an attack; that people within the sound of his weenie voice will be outraged that Congress wants to make health care more available. To people. And chlidren! How disgusting!

George's alternative:

“I have a different view,” Mr. Bush went on. “I believe the best approach is to put more power in the hands of individuals by empowering people and their doctors to make health care decisions that are right for them. Instead of expanding S-Chip beyond its original purpose, we should return it to its original focus, and that is helping poor children, those who are most in need.”

Aside from the outright lies - which a newspaper is supposed to highlight and expose - Bush's squeaky plea is supposed to resonate with the 29% of the population who hate children. And why is he not yet impeached?

{2009 Update: pic from here.}

Because Shotgunning Puppies Takes Too Long

That's the answer to the question: Why does the Bush Administration persist in trying to take money away from a federal program to give poor children health insurance.

I mean, we cynics joke about how all politicians need to claim that they support mom, family, baseball, etc. But here we have a case of a president who actually hates children and wants them to die.

Sick.

Rules May Limit Health Program Aiding Children - New York Times:

"The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families."

Aug 21 Update

I just saw this Aug 5 Tom Toles editorial cartoon that carries my point well.