Until the 111th, that is. No doubt they’re counting on picking up additional seats, which would make it easier to shove down the American taxpayer’s throat. The program won’t go unfunded until then, as Democrats have signed onto a Republican demand to extend funding for the current program until March 2009.

The Democrats’ yearlong fight to boost federal spending on children’s health insurance ended with a whimper Tuesday.

After coming up short in their efforts to enact a $35 billion expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) — enduring two presidential vetoes along the way — congressional Democrats signed off on Republican demands to extend the program until 2009…

The GOP stood fast against the Democratic bill, which received veto-proof margins in the Senate but came up about a dozen votes shy in the House, despite attracting some GOP support. In doing so, it also stood fast against a multifaceted public relations campaign waged by the Democrats, allied liberal organizations and practically every industry in the healthcare sector. That strategy appears to have paid off, with Democrats abandoning, for now, their plans to ramp up SCHIP.

The GOP claimed victory. “It’s certainly another example of the Democrats caving to the Republican position at the eleventh hour,” said a spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Not only did the GOP prevent the Democrats from expanding the program, the minority party prevented the majority party from using an SCHIP vote and veto next fall as a wedge issue just before Election Day.

“Making it January or February or March of 2009 limits the possibility Democrats would use this as an election-year issue to try and create a false sense of urgency to pass inherently bad policy,” Boehner’s spokesman said.

As a result, proponents of expanding SCHIP might have to wait for the next president and the 111th Congress to get a result. This could be risky, since in 2009 SCHIP could well be subsumed by a much larger debate over the future of the U.S. healthcare system if the focus of the presidential candidates on health issues holds steady.

The Senate approved the 2009 extension by unanimous consent, something the House is also expected to do soon.

Boy, Democrats really don’t know how to hold their lines, do they?

It should be noted that the very liberal  Oregon voters had an opportunity to provide universal health care by raising the tobacco tax. They rejected it.

(Via Michelle)