Pelosi Pimping S-Chip in Miami

On Monday, House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi was in Miami trying to drum up support for S-Chip.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited a Liberty City healthcare center Monday to meet with doctors and other medical professionals who support Congress' effort to pass a $35 billion spending increase for children's health insurance.
But at least three people she and fellow South Florida Democratic Reps. Kendrick Meek and Debbie Wasserman Schultz hoped to reach were not in the audience -- the Miami-Dade Republican House members who backed President Bush's veto of the bill.

Last Thursday, I watched and listened to our representatives all day long, and the more I listened the more disgusted I got as the Dems stated their views. This bill is worse than the one that was vetoed by President Bush. In addition, the Dems were really sneaky with bringing it up while Republicans were back home in CA helping fire victims in their state.

''I've tried to talk to them as a mom,'' Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, said about the local Republicans who voted against the latest version of the SCHIP legislation. ``We're trying to win them over.''

The visit coincides with a Democratic radio campaign criticizing Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Díaz-Balart and Mario Díaz-Balart for siding with Bush.

The three have said they agree with the concept of SCHIP, but have criticized the proposed $60 billion expansion, saying it would hurt tobacco producers, exclude the children of legal immigrants, and fail to prioritize coverage to children who need it most.

Mario Díaz-Balart, in a prepared statement, criticized what he called a 5,900-percent tax increase ``that will devastate one of Florida's most iconic industries.''

But he added, ``We strongly support the SCHIP program and ensuring that low-income children get the health care they need, but this is not SCHIP.''

The funding for the program expansion wouldn't come from general tax revenues, but from steep tax increases on tobacco products, including a 61-cent-per-pack increase for cigarettes and a tax on cigars.

The Dems refuse to work with the Republicans, they made a few little changes in secret, behind closed doors, and with only an hour notice, they tried bullying votes. Their behavior and timing stinks!! So watch latter this week for another battle on Capital Hill along with another hopeful veto. Pelosi ought to be working trying to do the right thing for a change, but no, both Pelosi and Reid are going to keep wasting time and tax payers money. They are a disgrace to our country.

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