With Medicare vote, G.O.P. splitting from Bush

Despite the president's opposition, the bill passed with vetoproof majorities. By Gail Russell Chaddock Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor from the July 15, 2008 edition If President Bush opts to exercise his veto threat on a Medicare bill this week, he can no longer count on Republicans to back him up. That's the political fallout from last week's surprise Senate vote that saw 18 Republicans – including nine who reversed previous stands – vote with all Democrats to block a mandated 10.6 percent cut in payments to physicians who treat Medicare patients. On the House side, 129 Republicans broke with the White House in a June 24 vote on the bill.