BUSH'S WAR ON THE POOR

By voting to sustain President Bush's veto of SCHIP, House Republicans have guaranteed that another generation of Americans will grow up disadvantaged and disproportionately at risk for adult onset illness and chronic disease. Under the hypocritical guise of fiscal responsibility, President Bush succeeded in proving that compassionate conservatism was nothing more than a campaign slogan.

In addition, he has underscored what many of us have known for a long time: While Democratic presidents declare war on poverty, and Republican presidents declare war on the poor.