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Help Stop the Massive Expansion of Government Run Healthcare

by: the american conservative union | published: 01 27, 2009

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Now that the Pelosi machine has rammed through the House of Representatives a huge expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funded by a tax increases, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to have the Senate follow suit this week. The Senate bill has the same bad provisions of the House bill, but, unlike the House, the Senate is expected to allow amendments that would remove some of those provisions.

TAKE ACTION RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW TO STOP THIS MASSIVE EXPANSION OF ANOTHER GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH CARE PROGRAM

PUTTING POOR CHILDREN LAST:

This program was designed to help poor children not eligible for Medicaid to access health care, but congressional liberals have distorted the program to expand government-run health care. Many states used these funds for adults and families with incomes from $60,000 to $80,000 per year. Poor children were left uncovered when the funds ran out. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told the states that before covering other population groups they must certify that 95% of eligible poor children are covered under the program. This directive is repealed by the SCHIP expansion bill.

STOP THIS BACK DOOR EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH CARE. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. TELL YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO VOTE "NO" ON THE SCHIP BILL!

A TAX ON THE WORKING POOR:

The SCHIP expansion bill also includes a 156 percent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco. Liberals in Congress claim they only want to tax the "rich." Instead this bill raises what the Congressional Research Service called "one of the most regressive taxes - a tax that falls more heavily on lower income individuals." In fact, 55 percent of smokers are working poor. During the presidential debate on October 7, President-Elect Obama said this: "If you make less than a quarter of a million dollars a year, you will not see a single dime of your taxes go up." The passage of this bill will be the first violation of that pledge. The bill also forces businesses to pay certain taxes earlier than they do now, surely the worst possible idea during a recession.

KIDS FIRST ACT:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Whip John Kyl will try to amend the bill to restore its original purpose, covering poor children first, and doing it with no tax increases. You can help pass this amendment by acting now.

ELIMINATING THE IMMIGRATION WAITING PERIOD:

This bill goes even further than the bill vetoed by President Bush. Since 1996, there has been a five year waiting period for legal immigrants to be eligible for these types of government programs. Unlike the vetoed bill, this legislation eliminates that waiting period.

GO HERE AND TAKE ACTION TO STOP THIS EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH CARE. CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND URGE THEM TO VOTE "NO" ON THE SCHIP EXPANSION BILL.

We at the American Conservative Union thank you for all you do to advance conservative free-market principles.