Think of the Children!

Now, HERE'S a good way to piss off your population base.

Many Americans will vote for anyone who promises to lower taxes before considering the ramifications. However, it is very difficult to argue with funding an established healthcare for children, especially after the nation is talking about the movie "Sicko" over their dinner tables.

It probably doesn't help, either, that the tax money would come from cigarette sales. I typically do not support prohibitions on smoking; regardless of the risk, people reserve the right to do to themselves what they want. However, I am all for taxing the right to smoke; people who exercise their privilege to smoke should also take responsibility for the healthcare cost burden they create by smoking. That aside, I have a hunch that Philip-Morris is ready to put a nice chunk of change in a few people's pockets to make sure their cigarettes do not get taxed and their profit margins do not sink.

I hope that funding for the SCHIP program does come through. It would be a good step in expanding access to adequate healthcare coverage. I also hope that the red tape around the program is released soon. Right now, many qualifying families do not know they are even eligible for the program. The registration process is more complex than it needs to be.