House Republicans Fight and WIN!

SCHIP Veto Override FAILS!

Democrats failed to override President Bush's veto of the States Children Health Insurance Program. The vote was 273 to 156 (roll call here) which fell short of the 2/3rd's required to pass.

What became clear is that the bill, which went far beyond the billions of new spending authorized by the President, was more a political vehicle for Democrats rather than a serious effort to help children.

That became all the more obvious when people learned that Democrats had refused all efforts to negotiate an acceptable compromise, even one with greater spending. Voters also learned that the bill wouldn't be covering just the poor, or children, but was a an attempt to federalize the health care of millions of adults and families making up to $83,000 per year.

Rather than work towards a solution for those who need the program most, including a very generous extension of benefits, Democrats preferred to use the debate for politics.

Democrats lost and have nothing to show for their efforts. So much for Nancy Pelosi's plea on the House floor that a vote to override is the "right thing to do for our children and for our country....Let's give a vote for the children and against the president's veto."

Another Democrat Slimes Our Troops!

Remember when Nancy Pelosi promised that if voters allowed her party to take control of congress she would guarantee fiscal responsibility and a new "civility."

Well, in the wake of the State Children's Health Insurance spending bonanza One of Pelosi's fellow San Francisco Bay Area Representatives went off on this tear against our troops, our President and every member of Congress who stood up against a massive new intrusion by the Federal Government into the health care system.

“You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement.”
– Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)

Here's the video.

Our side isn't putting up with this latest slime. House Republican Leader Boehner:

Leader Boehner Calls on Democratic Rep. Stark to Retract Statement, Apologize to American Troops and their Families
Office of House Leader Boehner

Washington, Oct 18 - House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement regarding remarks made on the House floor by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) during the debate on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP):

“Our troops in Iraq are fighting against al-Qaeda and other radical jihadists hellbent on killing the people we are sent here to represent. Congressman Stark’s statement dishonors not only the Commander-in-Chief, but the thousands of courageous men and women of America’s armed forces who believe in their mission and are putting their lives on the line for our freedom and security. Congressman Stark should retract his statement and apologize to the House, our Commander-in-Chief, and the families of our soldiers and commanders fighting terror overseas. ”

Expect the usual suspects to come out of the left wing woodwork to pooh-pooh this latest slime. No doubt they'll once again trot out the lie that "both sides do it." Sorry, but that old moral equivalence excuse is getting pretty tired. I can't think of one statement by a GOP House member made on the floor of the House of Representatives that comes anywhere close.

Thanks Times are a Changing for the excellent graphic at right as a reminder of how Democrats support our troops!

House GOP Stops Bad FISA Terrorist Monitoring Bill

Remember earlier this week when we reported that the restrictions Democrats insisted were necessary to protect the civil liberties of Americans through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) process of Americans actually ended up killing American troops in Iraq?

Democrats seem hell bent on providing civil liberty protection to terrorists and are apparently deaf to the pleas of citizens whose basic right to life is being threatened.

House Republicans have taken up the cause and successfully stopped the latest Democrat efforts. From House Republican Leader Boehner's web site:

Washington Times report:
“House Democrats, confounded by a Republican procedural maneuver that would force an embarrassing vote on terrorism, yesterday called off a vote on an electronic-surveillance bill that the White House opposes. Republicans would have forced Democrats either to vote to effectively kill the bill that restricts federal wiretap power or to vote against authorizing the government to spy on Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and other foreign terrorist groups.”

• “House Surveillance Bill Pulled” – Associated Press
• “House Democrats Pull FISA Bill” – ABC News
• “GOP Halts Wiretapping Bill” – Washington Times
• “GOP Ploy Halts House Spying Bill” – CQ Today
• “FISA Bill Pulled After GOP Maneuver” – CongressDaily

Senate Cans Hillary Clinton's Hippie Museum

"Whole lot o' legislatin going on" is how some southern good ole boy might put it. And it seems that the Senate is eager to get in on the act that has played so well in the House.

Reader's may recall the $1,000,000 in taxpayer dollars that Mrs. Clinton was directing to the Hippie Museum to reward campaign contributor Joel Rosenman, who is also linked to the Norman Hsu fundraising scandal.

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced an amendment to the budget for Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments which would "provide additional care for pregnant women, mothers, and infants by eliminating a $1,000,000 earmark for a museum dedicated to Woodstock."

Hard to beat pregnant women, mothers and infants! Nancy Pelosi eat your heart out!

A motion to "table" or shelve the amendment failed by a vote of 52 to 42 (roll call here).