Junior Vetoes Kids.

A couple years ago, in pursuit of continuing education credits, I attended a one day event where there was a speaker on law and the health care industry. He had an insurance industry attorney with a fascinating perspective on the business. He harped about how insurance companies should work with the state and the feds to do everything possible to provide health insurance to kids. Not because it was the right thing to do but because he believed it was a "gold mine." Yeah, kids who get sick cost a lot, but overall if you look at the numbers, kids don't get sick that much. It was a good investment and insurance companies could make a killing.

That whole talk seemed rather crass to me. It seemed like another reason to hate insurance companies and their division of all of us into tiny risk pools. Maybe that's why I'm not in that business.

Anyway, not really related, but sometime later the federal government sees a real gap in health coverage for kids. Congress actually works out a bill supported for both sides that will help those kids not quite on welfare but with parents that don't make a lot. Great program that helps those that are most vulnerable. Ten million of them.

Junior's response is that status quo is good enough which means the expiration of the current program this week. Too close to socialized medicine. He has never been the compassionate person he pretends to be. In a quiet room without any fanfare, he vetoes this legislation.

Truth of the matter is some kids are probably not going to get the healthcare they need because of his decision today. Some may die, but the cost (how much for his war?) and the socialized medicine thing are his best reasons. Sad.