Great points made in local LTTE on SCHIP veto

[NewJeffCT]

The reasons he gives for his veto are that the program is too expensive at $5 billion a year for five years, and that some children will move from private insurance to an expanded SCHIP program.

Considering that during his tenure as president, the national debt has gone up by more than $4 trillion with his approval, this sounds a trifle lame.

On the other hand, the idea that the insurance industry would lose some children to the SCHIP program would seem to be an acknowledgement of the shortcomings of the free market in the insurance industry.

There are more than 40 million people in the United States who are not covered by health insurance, more than 40 million potential customers for the insurance industry.

Why can't the insurance industry come up with products that would be sellable to any part of that 40 million customer market? Why must insurance executives have the president protect them from the potential loss of some children to the SCHIP program?

Perhaps if they do what is necessary to provide coverage in a free market, they would spend less time in trying to keep the government from stepping in where they decline to go.

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/letters/hc-letters1109.artnov09,0,2282572.story?page=2

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Good letter.

[unpossibles]

2. excellent point!

So essentially he is saying that in this case, the free market cannot compete with S-Chip.

[NewJeffCT]

4. that seems to be what Bush is saying

at least to me.

[gratuitous]

3. Because our country loves dead soldiers more than healthy kids

How obvious does it have to be? "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." What do we spend our money on? What are we willing to go into debt for?