Hypocrite Bush Proclaims "Child Health Day"

I think we've all learned by now that having George W. Bush express caring and concern about the American people carries about the same heartwarming sincerity as a prostitute saying "I love you." But his hypocritical statements of compassion get to me even more when they involve Veterans, the elderly or children as those are arguably the groups that Bush cares less about than any other Americans -- especially if they also happen to be poor.

So I felt just a tad more disgust than usual yesterday when I saw that Bush proclaimed Monday national "Child Health Day," a day in which the Republican Hypocrite-in-Chief says that Americans should demonstrate their "…duty to promote the health and safety of our children."

"On Child Health Day, we affirm that all children are a precious gift, and we underscore our commitment to helping them realize their full potential," said Bush in his stirring proclamation. "My Administration remains dedicated to helping younger generations achieve their dreams by supporting programs that encourage children to maintain healthy and active lifestyles."

I apologize if you're reading that right after lunch.

It certainly is a nauseating bit of sentimentality coming from a guy who not once, but twice last year vetoed reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a plan that would have used $35 billion to provide health care to 10 million American children.

Bush exercised two of his rare vetoes in October and December 2007 to kill additional SCHIP funding that over the planned five-year period would have cost less than the $40 billion we spend on the Iraq debacle in four months.

"The president is refusing to spend $7 billion a year on children's health while insisting on $10 billion a month in Iraq," said Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) in October, 2007. "The president and Republicans in Congress say that we can't afford this bill but where were the fiscal conservatives when the president demanded hundreds of billions of dollars for the war in Iraq?"

“Never has it been clearer how detached President Bush is from the priorities of the American people," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) of Bush's first veto of a bill that enjoyed robust bipartisan support in the House and Senate. "By vetoing a bipartisan bill to renew the successful Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), President Bush is denying health care to millions of low-income kids in America. Congress will fight hard to override President Bush’s heartless veto."

But thanks to Congressional Republicans unwilling to even challenge a politically-weak Bush, the vetoes stood and more American children went on with no health insurance.

And by the way, John McCain said at the time that he strongly supported Bush's vetoes of SCHIP.

Said Dr. Renée R. Jenkins, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics after the second veto: “With 2,000 newly uninsured children every day, and states facing unprecedented SCHIP funding shortfalls in 2008, millions of children are at risk of losing access to the health care coverage that keeps them healthy during this holiday season. America’s 9 million uninsured children is already a point of national shame, and President Bush’s veto in the face of bipartisan support for children makes the situation even worse."

And you want to know what Bush said to all of us yesterday?

"I call upon families, schools, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and State and local governments to reach out to our Nation's young people, encourage them to avoid dangerous behavior, and help them make the right choices to achieve their dreams."

And we "call upon" Bush to get the hell out of our White House.