Story Published: Oct 18, 2007 at 1:57 PM PDT
Story Updated: Oct 19, 2007 at 12:30 PM PDT
About 15 people showed up to voice their anger over Sali's “no” vote on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) bill recently passed overwhelmingly by Congress.
"We'd like to have Bill Sali represent Idaho instead of some other interest, corporate interest," said Pete Gertonson, who is chair of the Nez Perce County Democrats. "We're spending $177 million a day on war so why can't we spend some of that money on kids for Idaho?"
Gertonson claimed the issue is not about partisan politics, and others agreed.
"I'm feeling very frustrated," said Anita Rognas with the Lewis-Clark Peace Coalition. "Most of our signs today are for the CHIP program, which is a program for children not covered by Medicaid, whose parents are working and aren't covered by insurance. So, they fall in that gap. They don't receive Medicaid. Their parents don't have insurance, so they don't have insurance."
Protests were scheduled Wednesday in four Idaho cities where Sali has offices.
Sali spokesperson Wayne Hoffman said Sali is opposed to SCHIP because the bill raises cigarette and cigar taxes to subsidize a program he says would let families earning as much as $82,000 a year get federal health insurance coverage, even if they're already covered by private insurance. Sali also believes the bill makes it easier for illegal aliens to get into the program by lowering the bar for proving legal residence.
President Bush vetoed the bill, which was passed by both houses of Congress.
The House failed to override the veto Thursday. Sali voted to sustain the veto.
