Snub for American families

New York Daily News: The number of Americans who lack health insurance leaped by more than 2 million last year, continuing a trend that has persisted through the Bush presidency. According to Census Bureau figures released Tuesday, the United States was home to 40 million uninsured people in 2001. Last year, there were 47 million.

Heckuva job, Georgie!

The percentage of workers with private coverage fell from 2005 to 2006, as did the percentage of people cared for under government programs. As a result, almost 16 percent of the population goes without insurance, including, unconscionably, 8.7 million children.

Way to go, 43!

National disgrace

And now, finally, President Bush has swung into action on this pressing national disgrace. Except he has decided to make the situation worse. Bush has gone on a mission to block states from extending a federal safety net to insure more kids. Here in New York, he has squelched Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s plan to buy, with the help of federal funding, insurance for 400,000 New York youngsters in working poor and working-class families.

Gee, thanks, W!

The government had been going along with proposals to make coverage available higher up the economic ladder — until the administration imposed Draconian new rules.

Thanks for nothing, Mr. President.