President Bush Will Veto Plan to Expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program

Mr. Bush plans to veto expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program because it does not include any of his proposals to change the tax treatment of health insurance to make it "more affordable" for many Americans. Not to mention, some Americans may give up their private insurance to go "on the dole".

Whether Mr. Bush's prediction that a few children may slip in under government radar turns out to be true or not, all eight million children, about to lose their health insurance at the end of September, will know, is that the country they pledge their allegiance to every morning, the government of the People, by the People, and for the People, very clearly, does not include them.

The proposal would increase current levels of spending by $35 billion over the next five years, bringing the total to $60 billion. The Congressional Budget Office says the plan would reduce the number of uninsured children by 4.1 million.

The new spending would be financed by an increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco products. The tax on cigarettes would rise to $1 a pack, from the current 39 cents.