Congressional Democrats plan to attempt to override President Bush’s veto of the State-Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. They have not yet the votes to override. As a result,the NY Times finds Democratic House Leader Steny Hoyer looking to compromise with Bush. There is plenty you can do to help change that.

What Can You Do? Citizens’ Action of New York is calling upon all of us to call the two Republican Congress Members Tuesday. John “Randy” Kuhl and Thomas Reynolds voted with President Bush and against children.

National Call-In Days on Health Care for Kids Monday, October 15th through Wednesday, October 17th

CALL RANDY KUHL AND TOM REYNOLDS 1-866-544-7573

All New Yorkers, wherever you live, should call Kuhl, except for Western New Yorkers, who should call Reynolds. Tell Congressmen Kuhl and Reynolds to override the President's veto of SCHIP and to expand health care coverage for hundreds of thousands of New York kids.
The vote to override the President's veto -- expected on October 18th -- will be extremely close. We need you to call now and tell everyone else you know to call!

Or -- call directly: Rep. Randy Kuhl: (202) 225-3161 – Karen Livingston (staffer)

Rep. Thomas Reynolds:(202) 225-5265 – Tina Mufford (staffer)

Children's Defense Fund suggested phone riff “New York needs you to support Congress’ SCHIP compromise bill. Child Health Plus has provided NY’s children with access to vital health care for our children. New Yorkers expect you to vote to override the President’s veto. It’s the morally right thing to do.” More, including links to some of the better ads, after the jump.

For a good survey of the state of play on S-CHIP, read Scott Thill's post at Alternet which concludes with a host of action links.

Democracy For America asks people to call voters in key swing districts here .

The Children’s Defense Fund is also sponsoring a less targeted call-in:

We need your help! The House will vote to override President Bush's veto on Thursday (Oct. 18) and we need you to call your Representative today and tell him or her to stand strong for children, support this critical children’s health bill, and override President Bush's veto.

Please call 1-800-861-5343 today!
We'll provide you with talking points and then connect you to your Representative's office using your zip code.

Families USA asks people to call their Congress Member here In addition, the The National Council of Jewish Women solicits eletters here and Senator Patrick Leahy’s PAC calls for eletters to electeds and editors here

Some of the efforts to overturn President Bush’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program have been creative, perhaps even inspiring. None more so in my view that the advertising program of Catholics United an anti-Iraq war group which targets “pro-life” Congress Members who sided with Mr. Buch against children: Click here for their press announcement with links to hear their radio ads.

1199 SEIU has taken out ads aimed especially at our NY State Bush clones: “Randy” Kuhl and Tom Reynolds; a link to their efforts here .

If you have not been following the S-CHIP debate you may have missed the bizarre attempt by the right and the White House to swift-boat a child whose story (of accessing needed care through S-CHIP) appears to have driven child-hating ideologues even crazier than usual.
The American Prospect , among many others has that story. Need more on this? One consequence of this right-wing craze, by the way, has been to encourage others to begin ad campaigns featuring more children. Here is US Action’s -- campaign featuring Bethany .

Of course, Mr. Bush's allies have an S-CHIP proposal: cover fewer children. The Center on Budget Policies and Priorities shows how their plan will harm kids. Indeed, the NY Times reports that kids in New Jersey are losing coverage now. DemFromCT who has been covering the S-CHIP struggle at Daily Kos has good survey of the political-electoral issues at play here .

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