Bush, at this point, is the Republicans’ worst ally. On no issue is this more evident than in his sustained threat to veto the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Care Program. SCHIP is due to expire at the end of this month and it seems likely that the president and Congress are headed towards a showdown. As this report from the policy research group Mathematica illustrates, SCHIP has been instrumental in boosting access to health care for disadvantaged children. The administration recognizes the program’s unmitigated success, but it is that success that has inspired the GOP’s opposition. SCHIP’s success undermines the conservative rhetoric that public health care programs are a red menace that will turn Americans into communist layabouts. A veto would be deadly to GOP electoral hopes in 2008 and I really can’t understand the president’s strategy. His efforts to blame the impasse on Democrats are weak and ill-advised. He’s playing to a base that is quickly becoming marginalized from mainstream American politics.
Bush continues to follow the Rove playbook, but Republican legislators in suburban districts know that the game is changing. And denying kids health care is not going to make these lawmakers terribly popular in their districts.
