Yesterday I asked why Dennis Kucinich voted against the final compromise version of SCHIP. He had voted for the original house bill. Well straight from his website here is his explanation.
“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."OK, the version that emerged from committee was a bipartisan compromise of the House and Senate versions of the bill. When I was young, which was before the Newt Gingrich era changed everything, I was taught that compromise is the Congressional stock in trade. One side doesn't get everything it wants, but neither does the other side. Give and take. Give and take.
I guess Kucinich is a completely modern politician who eschews the old fashioned. Kucinich says that he can't support the compromise. As far as children's health is concerned its his way or the highway. Odd, doesn't "the decider" George W. Bush have that same "my way or the highway" approach to Democracy.
Maybe Dennis Kucinich could learn something about Democracy if he listened to Charles Grassley on how the legislative process works. Here is Grassley talking about President Bush's shameful veto of SCHIP and his unwillingness to work with Congress in the days prior to it's passage.
Dennis, if you are listening, do American democracy a favor and announce that you will vote to override.
Like I said Congress and the rest of our government used to be about give and take, not "my way or the highway." Those were happier days. Those were days of American greatness.
