McCotter to Granholm on SCHIP
Here's the text of a letter I wrote to Governor Granholm of Michigan regarding the vetoed SCHIP bill.
The Honorable Jennifer M. Granholm
Governor, State of Michigan
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Dear Governor Granholm;
Given your recent statements regarding the S-CHIP [MI-CHILD in our home state], I need a clarification of your position on the following:
1. According to the State of Michigan’s own budget projections as submitted to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in 2008 you will be spending 71.6f Michigan kids’ S-CHIP funding on childless adults. Is this true? (If so, it makes Michigan number one in the country.)
2. According to the Congressional Research Service, in 2006 approximately 46f all Michigan S-CHIP enrollees were adults – not kids. Is this true? If so, will this percentage of adults increase under the proposed S-CHIP expansion?
3. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed S-CHIP bill’s new sin-tax on tobacco requires at least 22 million new smokers to fund its promised expansion. How many new smokers do you believe Michigan is going to contribute to this number, and how are you going to encourage non-smoking Michiganders to “pick the habit?” (For the record: I, at least, am paying my fair share of tobacco taxes “for the kids.”)
4. Speaking of sin taxes, if the recent S-CHIP proposal’s tobacco tax proves insufficient to fund an expanded program, do you support raising other federal and/or state taxes to fund it? (I am, in fairness, not assuming that, because your Michigan tobacco tax preceded your recent state income tax hike on working families, you will necessarily support similar federal tax hikes on working families.)
5. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed S-CHIP expansion will allow illegal immigrants to enroll in the program and, by 2012, cost federal and state taxpayers $6.5 billion dollars. Do you approve of federal and/or state taxpayers’ money being spent on illegal immigrants? If yes, since states must put up a matching share under the current and the proposed S-CHIP program, how much of our recently hiked state income taxes are you going to give to adult illegal immigrants?
6. Do you agree reasonable people acting in good faith differ over means and still support a common goal for the common good?
7. Hey, will you reconsider your recent state income tax hike? (It was worth a shot…)
As ever, I look forward to your input on this important issue, although it would admittedly be nicer through a phone call than press accounts; and, despite some people’s oratorical pyrotechnics launched from the partisan darkness, I remain dedicated to working with all stake-holders to ensure poor kids get medical care and all kids inherit the best health care system in the world.
Respectfully,
Thaddeus McCotter
U.S. Representative
Michigan’s Congressional 11th District
NOTE: While hosting a press conference in Detroit today asking Michigan Republicans who have voted against the expansion of S-CHIP to reconsider their vote, Governor Granholm singled out two Members of Congress, including U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11). A vote to override the President's veto of the S-CHIP bill is scheduled for this week in the House of Representatives.
| Posted by Chairman Thaddeus McCotter (MI - 11) (10-16-2007, 10:46 AM) filed under Chairman McCotter |
Comments
Congressman McCotter you raise some very good questions. However, I wouldn't count on Granholm addressing them. As a Michigan resident I know first hand that she is a tax and spend liberal who doesn't want to hear anything that counters her views.
Rep. McCotter thanks for taking the lead on this important issue. We can't let the Dems demagogue this like they have done with so many other social programs.
Rep McCotter,
My favorite point is "According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed S-CHIP bill’s new sin-tax on tobacco requires at least 22 million new smokers to fund its promised expansion." Maybe the Dems will have to wage a campaign to encourage smoking. Afterall it is for "The Kids".
Seems everytime the Libs want to increase the size of government it is done in the name of kids.
We need more House Republicans to raise these questions!
Thank you so much! I'm not a Michigander, but do appreciate your leadership in this fiasco of a bill.
Congressman McCotter, I just have to say you did a great job! It's not often that Republicans successfully point out the problems with social programs such as these.
Comment by: Spartan Fan
October 16, 2007 11:20 AM
Comment by: Arthur V
October 16, 2007 11:24 AM
Comment by: Dc Gal
October 16, 2007 11:26 AM
These are some good points that congress should consider. Sadly the Democrat leadership is more interested in scoring cheap political points.
Comment by: Vern B
October 16, 2007 11:29 AM
Comment by: 49erfan
October 16, 2007 01:50 PM
Comment by: Gordon B
October 16, 2007 02:03 PM
Comment by: charlotte
October 18, 2007 00:23 AM
Comment by: Adam Z
October 28, 2007 12:58 PM