In some states the supporters of SCHIP expansion are waging a fight to convince a handful of Congressmen who voted "no" on the final SCHIP bill to switch votes and support an override of the President's veto. While this has succeeded in a few instances, here in Maryland the state's only Congressman to oppose SCHIP expansion, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, is holding firm, reports the Baltimore Sun: "Mr. Bartlett has reveled in the attention, saying he was pleased to be identified as the only one who got it right."

The Sun editorializes: "What has been lost in the theatrics is the reality of what's at stake. In Mr. Bartlett's Western Maryland district, for example, between 565 and 665 children receiving health care through SCHIP - for which their families are paying premiums - would be dropped from the program if the veto fight ends in a stalemate. If President Bush prevails, tens of thousands more Maryland children would lose benefits."

For an editorial headlined "SCHIP on the Merits," you'd expect some real facts to be at play. In fact, no one expects this fight to end "in a stalemate." The President has supported a modest increase in the program that would preserve the kids on it.

Of course, it is true that Maryland may end up increasing its share of funding for the Maryland CHildren's Health Program if SCHIP spending isn't increased dramatically. That's because Maryland has been good at maximizing its SCHIP grant and taking advantage of the money retained by the feds that other states don't use. But frankly Maryland is taking advantage of a loophole and it should not count on that type of windfall continuing to come its way. Maryland budget staff has been aware of this for years (as the Dept. of Legislative Services puts it in bold letters, "State's share of the MCHP Costs Will Most Likely Increase.")

Regardless of SCHIP's "merits," Bartlett is holding firm. It will be interesting to see how many of his colleagues switch their vots in the face of the ongoing media campaign against them.