Desperate Conservatives Try To Save Face on SCHIP

Conservatives are continuing to sweat.

They clearly realize that they have failed to sell their misinformation about the proposed expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Now, panicked that voters will remember on Election Day who stood for kids and who didn't, conservatives are trying to slap together their own legislation.

Heritage Foundation's Robert Bluey reports on Red State:

...sources on Capitol Hill tell me that Republicans are working feverishly to introduce an alternative that would satisfy conservatives and shore up enough support among moderates to sustain the veto.

That indicates they are afraid they won't be able to sustain a veto next week.

And what is this "alternative" bill, that Bluey describes as a "true compromise" (not like that actual SCHIP bill which has significant bipartisan support)?

Reauthorize SCHIP for eligible children. The bill would continue to cover kids in families with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

But underfund the program so it can't even keep pace, and ensure that the 9 million kids currently uninsured stay that way.

Enact a child health care tax credit. Rather than putting more people on a government-run program, the bill would offer tax credits to families with incomes between 200% and 300% of the poverty level. This would cover the population targeted by liberals with their bill, but instead of forcing them to drop their current coverage, it would provide assistance to keep their current insurance plan.

That's very nice that some folks that have insurance would have a little help to "keep" what they have. But what is it about NINE MILLION KIDS CURRENTLY HAVE NO INSURANCE that conservatives do not understand?

(Hey Rick, help a blogger brother out. Are these jokers falling for their own spin?)

And finally:

Adopt a "federalism" health-care initiative. The bill encourages greater experimentation at the state level to expand health-care coverage.

Of course, the current SCHIP is supported by almost every governor in both parties because it already gives states flexibility to meet the needs on their populations -- and conservatives like Bluey are furiously trying to stop that by imposing arbitrary limits on eligibility.

The conservative attack on kids is getting more pathetic by the minute.

Congresspeople ask yourselves: do you think this wisp of a bill is going to provide any shelter from the millions of voters demanding that we take care of our kids?

Views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Campaign for America's Future or Institute for America's Future