| A fairly smart politico emailed me this morning observing that a lot of the state papers are playing up the Bush veto of SCHIP as a partisan thing and down-playing the voice of non-partisan sources, including service providers, who have come out strongly against the President's action.
Also interesting in that discussion is just the polling data. Nationally, something like 77% oppose the veto, even when told it was done to constrain spending. People just aren't buying that line.
Equally important is the sense here on the ground where, in my experience, this issue has massive cross-over appeal. Calling into legislative districts on the issue and talking to voters of every political persuasion, support for CHIP ranged from 60% to 95%, with much of that fluctuation likely due to caller quality.
That's not to say that spending concerns weren't raised, just that it's a marginal position, held, it seems, by the Bush Administration and roughly 22% of the population locally and nationally (but, somehow, nearly 100% of Republican Presidential candidates and a majority of Republican members of Congress).
And this, of course, is another question -- how will Dennis Rehberg, who has said he supports the veto override, deal with a candidate at the top of the ticket when that candidate has pledged to stymie any serious attempt to reform our health care system. |
