You know how children, especially the strong-willed ones, will occasionally decide to test the will and determination of their parents, just to see how much they can get away with?
Well, that’s pretty much where we are on the bill reauthorizing and greatly expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
When children decide to test parental determination, they will push an issue right up to the line, maybe even go over the line just a little, to see if the parent stands firm or caves. And if the child thinks he or she is losing, look for him to try and elicit the support of the other parent, in an effort to pit parent against parent. Divided they fall.
What’s at stake in these trials usually isn’t some moral principle. The issue is power, not principle. And the one who wins determines who is in control.
With regard to SCHIP, President Bush wanted to provide some extra funding for the program—about $5 billion.
That wasn’t enough for the Democrats. Senate Democrats wanted $50 billion to $60 billion more, and the House, well, the House was off the charts.
All along President Bush—the parent in this instance—has stood firm: $5 billion more or bust.
Then Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), not realizing that this is a fight over power rather than principle, decided to cave and give the Democrats most of what they want. His defense is: “At least I didn’t give them everything!”
That’ll teach those Democrats to throw a spending tantrum!
Now it looks like the House and Senate will pass the Grassley compromise bill and send it to the president—in essence, trying to see how far they can push the president. “Parent Bush” says he will veto it; the question is whether either the House or Senate will sustain the veto.
At this point, it looks like the Senate won’t. But it also appears that the House Republican leadership understands what’s at stake: Cave now and there will be no end to the demands from the “children” who will want everything they see.