SCHIP vetoed by President Bush

Here is HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt defending this policy on c-span.

Family income of $75,000 -- isn't what it used to be. Bush and Leavitt are playing on people's perceptions, formed years ago when $1 bought a gallon of milk. (Note to non-parents -- it's pushing $4 now).

More on that 75K number Bush is afraid that someone, somewhere, might get their children insured without paying a big slice of their income for it. More on that number here. A hint, just a few states with high costs of living actually have extended SCHIP to these "fat cats." Certainly not South Dakota.

It isn't like the health care is free for those $75k "fat cats" -- remember that's total family income... the SCHIP plan would protect families from a child's cancer or something utterly throwing them to the credit card wolves and sinking them financially for the rest of their lives. If they get to keep their kid with the minimal care they can get without insurance.

Of course, the credit card companies, now protected from middle-income bankruptcies by Congress, are the big winners here if this veto isn't overriden.

The enormity of this problem and its brutality is brought home by this photographic art piece by Chris Jordan. Every kid without health insurance has a whole family around them affected.

Credit card and insurance industry profits, or basic health care for kids? Is it really that brutal a choice?