There’s some controversy about why Bush vetoed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) bill. Was it a previously dormant desire to hold down government spending that suddenly awakened in him? Was he determined to do what he can to slow the unstoppable juggernaut of socialist medicine? Does he simply hate poor and sick children? Bush gave an answer at a press conference yesterday:
Q I wanted to ask you about S-CHIP and why you even let that get to a situation where it had to be a veto? Isn’t there a responsibility by both the President and congressional leadership to work on this common ground before it gets to a veto?
THE PRESIDENT: Right, as I said, we weren’t dialed in. And I don’t know why. But they just ran the bill, and I made it clear we weren’t going to accept it. That happens sometimes. In the past, when I — I said, look, make sure we’re a part of the process, and we were. In this case, this bill started heading our way, and I recognize Republicans in the Senate supported it. We made it clear we didn’t agree. They passed it anyway. And so now, hopefully, we’ll be in the process. That’s why the President has a veto. Sometimes the legislative branch wants to go on without the President, pass pieces of legislation, and the President then can use the veto to make sure he’s a part of the process. And that’s — as you know, I fully intend to do. I want to make sure — and that’s why, when I tell you I’m going to sprint to the finish, and finish this job strong, that’s one way to ensure that I am relevant; that’s one way to sure that I am in the process. And I intend to use the veto.
So it’s not about any of that. He’s just trying to remain relevant and “sprint to the finish”. What if it happens to be a Defense appropriation bill that lands on his desk next time he’s feeling a bit irrelevant and winded?
I strongly recommend that you watch the Frontline episode titled “Cheney’s Law” (which can be watched at pbs.org). After watching that, the SCHIP veto makes a lot more sense.
The mentality of the current occupants of the White House is that the Executive Branch should be the most powerful of all the branches. This bill was passed by Congress and it was not endorsed by the President. Therefore, it should not pass. It could be a bill about anything. The important thing is that the President gets the final say.
This had more to do with saying F-U to Congress, and making sure they know their place, than it had to do with health care. That is what is being eluded to in Bush’s comments.
—Jen Clark • 2:44 pm, October 23