Bush Fights Losing Battle Over Kids' Health Care

The president hopes to fight off his image as a lame duck, but he has chosen a strange fight to pick with Congress.

The expansion of the SCHIP program would be funded by a small tax increase on cigarettes. A recent poll by the American Medical Association found that 70% of Americans support a tax hike to pay for children's health care. In addition, incremental increases in cigarette prices are thought to have played a role in decreases in smoking. This sounds like a win-win situation for public health.

Bush, however, prefers to fight expansion of the program. He favors funding care for poor children only -- rather than the lower- or middle-class families who'd be covered under the Senate bill -- and suggested that expansion would cause middle-class families to cancel private policies in favor of public policies. The expansion only affects people presently lacking coverage.

The president took preemptive measures trying to gain political leverage last month. He chose to restrict eligibility for the program by placing heavy burdens on states and reducing their ability to retain enrollment flexibility. This could deny children health care coverage. The maneuver was highly unusual because Republicans often favor states' rights on many issues.

Bush took questions after giving his statements, and I found two of the answers of interest. Speaking on fiscal responsibility, he says he's a "supply-sider." "I got a B in Econ 101, but I got an A, however, in keeping taxes low." He disputes former Fed chief Alan Greenspan's assertion that his administration is fiscally irresponsible.