Bush blasts Democrats on health care

WASHINGTON -- President Bush ratcheted up his confrontation with Democratic leaders Wednesday, laying out what he said is a stark ideological divide between a fiscally prudent, free market-loving GOP president and a Congress that aims to raise taxes and nationalize health care.

His remarks were part of a broader effort to seize the offensive against the Democratic-led Congress in a series of legislative battles involving budgetary matters and health care policy. But, particularly aggressive in tone, the speech also had the appearance of throwing down a political gauntlet.

As part of his argument, Bush took a not-so-veiled swipe at Sen. Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, despite promises to stay out of the political fray. In seeking to prove that Democrats really are working toward federalized care as a replacement for the current private medical system, he criticized the comprehensive and famously unsuccessful effort led by then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in the early 1990s to reshape U.S. health care and dramatically expand access.

Even without mentioning Clinton's name, he set her up as a chief target by invoking the biggest failure of her past.

"We've tried by the way here in Washington to have a major effort to put the federal government square in the center of health care -- in 1994 -- and the legislation didn't pass," Bush said before a friendly audience, the fall conference of the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Products Association.

"Believe me, the Democrats in Congress who supported that legislation have learned from the experience. So instead of pushing to federalize health care all at once, they're pushing for the same goal through a series of incremental steps. With each step, they want to bring America closer to a nationalized system where the government dictates the medical coverage for every citizen."

Many Democrats suspect the White House is trying to fire up the Republican electorate in the 2008 race by subtly bolstering the view of Clinton, a controversial figure in their party, as a shoo-in on the Democratic side. But White House press secretary Dana Perino said politics weren't behind Bush's speech. "I can assure you the president has no intention of getting involved in primary politics," she said.

According to Bush, Democratic baby steps toward nationalized health care include allowing younger people into programs designed for senior citizens, allowing adults into programs aimed at children and allowing the middle class into programs for the poor.

"I'm not making it up," Bush insisted.

The main evidence the president offered of Democratic ambitions on health care was an ongoing debate over expanding a children's health insurance program.

The popular program now provides coverage for 6 million children whose families make too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance.

Bush has proposed adding $5 billion to the program over five years. Democrats want to go much further, adding $35 billion over the same period to cover a total of 10 million children by raising qualifying family incomes.

Bush opposes their proposal to use a tobacco tax increase to pay for the change, and says that any expansion should not raise eligibility substantially, but instead focus on bringing into the program those who already qualify but are not participating.

The debate has already produced one bill and one veto from Bush, which Democrats failed to override in the House. Now, Democrats are moving ahead with a second bill that is similar to the first, and the president has threatened to veto that one, too.

It has become a key flashpoint between Bush and Congress, though some Republicans are showing signs they may yet abandon the president on the issue that resonates broadly with the public.

"It's really a 'trick' on the American people," he said in his speech delivered on Halloween.

Responded Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus: "At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Bush is having what he calls SCHIP Halloween -- it's all trick no treat. He's preventing health care for millions of kids."