It wasn't all that long ago that George Bush surrounded himself with Snowflake babies in a hail of flash bulbs and television cameras to veto expanded stem cell research.
It was a few minutes ago, relatively speaking, that he cried crocodile tears over fire victims in Souther California, many of whom could benefit from either the SCHIP program or stem cell research.
Smirking all the way, Bush wielded his veto pen in July 2006, as if it were some life-saving laser sword to protect future residents, when in truth he was extending the death knell for millions of Americans who will never have the life-saving cures they so desperately need.
In one stroke of the pen he erased all chances, even if the chances are slim to none, of these people having the most meager glimmer of hope that a break-through cure might be on the horizon.
In six years, extended stem cell research was the first of four Bush vetoes, and the fifth is not far behind. All of which worked to the detriment of the collective health of the country, as has every piece of legislation, signing statement and presidential edict he's put his pen to.
Just as his first three vetoes violated the trust of the American people, so did his fourth veto, that of expanding the SCHIP program, which seeks to add more children to it.
The House has already passed somewhat revised SCHIP legislation, which the Senate is also expected to pass this week. Also expected is another Bush veto, which Congress will have another tough time of getting enough votes to override.
Again, Bush will slink off into some dark, dank corner of the White House to take his veto pen to the revised legislation, condemning it to death as he did the first SCHIP bill.
No fanfare for that bit of poking us in the eye with his veto pen. No being surrounded by Snowflake babies or fire victims' children, because his actions violate them and their quest for medical care as well.
Could he be secretly ashamed? Is he worried that phantom images of Snowflake babies and fire victims are watching over his shoulder while he deprives them of needed SCHIP coverage as well as stem cell research?
If he isn't, he should be.
How many times can one point out that Bush is an gross monster who doesn't care one iota for the living?
How long before we hear that one of his precious, cooing, smiling Snowflake photo-op babies are in dire need of the results of stem cell research, and damning him all to hell for using them as props in his malevolent drive to save cells and not people?
What of their parents who willingly aided and abetted him in killing their own children when the research bill he vetoed could have saved them?
Snowflake babies won't protect Bush or his family from devastating diseases. Nor will they protect any legislator who's helped Bush defy science. Retribution would definitely be if they or a family member are ever in need of the benefits of stem cell research.
As long as these people remain in office they won't have to worry about their children needing the SCHIP program either. They have the best medical overage our money can buy.
