Kucinich’s ‘no’ vote on SCHIP

Jerid posted on this over at BSB last night (after I had gone to bed, actually). I specifically wanted to comment on Kucinich’s comments about his no vote.

?I cannot support legislation which extends health coverage to some children while openly denying it to other children,? Kucinich said. ?This legislation is woefully inadequate: and I will not support it.

?Legal immigrant children deserve the same quality health care as other children receive. It is Congress? responsibility to address the main difficulties that prevent legal immigrant children from gaining access to health care. Today, we did exactly the opposite.

?HR 676 guarantees full health care coverage for all children. When considering a universal health care proposal, HR 676, the Medicare for All bill, is the only health care plan that addresses three important issues: quality, accessibility, and cost. HR 676 stands alone in an increasingly crowded field of efforts to provide health care coverage to all,? Kucinich said.

Sigh.

Look, Dennis. I appreciate your dedication towards getting coverage for all. I really do. H.R. 676 appears to have reasonably solid support (83 cosponsors), but it will be undoubtedly more difficult to pass, especially with a President who will undoubtedly veto anything that, you know, helps people.

You should have supported this bill, and modified H.R. 676 to make obsolete the parts of this bill in conflict. We should be trying to do the most good for the most people, with the goal of providing perfect coverage for all people. Just because you can’t provide for all doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do what you can for those you can help.