Politics: SCHIP Has Sailed -- He Do'od It!

Trent Lott: " I only care about your babies if they're this big..."

The man who vowed to leave no child behind as President today cut four million of them loose from health insurance by issuing a rare veto against the State Child Health Insurance Program, as expected. The simian-esque executive tried to keep a low profile on this veto but his fellow GOPers in the House ought to be looking for a new job in 2008 if they fail to override his veto (the votes to override are already there in the Senate). Apparently these people only care about babies as long as they are unborn. Senate Minority Whip and Strom Thurmond Fan Club President Trent Lott had this to say: "We should not allow it to be expanded to higher and higher income levels, and to adults. " Of course no-one was suggesting it be expanded to adults, and we are still talking about kids who are too poor to afford health insurance. Way to protect the un-unborn Trent!

Politics: SCHIP Hits the Fan

Wisconsin's Jim Sensenbrenner (R) could be targeted for his vote. "Why can't the little buggers just use emergency rooms?" *Not an actual quote.

The House voted in favor of the new State Children's Health Insurance Program, setting up a veto showdown President Bush. Bush, who opposes the program on "philosophical" grounds, seems to feel that think-tank bromides trump sick kids. Though 45 Republicans sided with the Democratic majority on the bill, 151 Republican lemmings marched off this particular cliff -- allowing Bush's veto to stand and giving Democrats a prime election year cudgel in 2008. 8 Democrats also voted against the bill, among them Dennis Kucinich. Here are the full yeas and nays.