As promised, President George W. Bush vetoed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program on October 3, sending it back to Congress where a wild fight over about two dozen Republican votes will begin.

Bush vetoed the bill, and with it a set of crushing taxes on large cigars, little cigars, roll-your-own tobacco and pipe tobacco that could have wrecked U.S. tobacconists and cost thousands of jobs in cigar-producing countries such as the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Democrats passed the bill in both houses with large margins, but potentially not large enough to override a veto: 265-159 in the House (with 45 Republicans voting for the bill) and 67-29 in the Senate. That Senate vote would be enough to override the veto, as it meets the two-thirds requirement, but the House total is still short. The House vote was much stronger for the compromise bill than for the original House bill, which passed only by a 225-209 margin. But even with 265 votes, supporters need 26 more votes – almost all from Republicans – to reach a two-thirds majority total of 291 (out of 435 House seats) to override President Bush’s veto.

The Congressional Democratic leadership has vowed to try, however, and has put off a vote on the issue until October 18 at the earliest, so that they can bludgeon Republicans in the press and on television on the issue as "heartless." The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is working on radio ads likely to run only in districts where Democrats believe they might have a chance to (a) turn around a vote from a Republican representative, or (b) set up that representative as uncaring in next year’s elections.

Liberal interest groups such as labor unions have pledged up to $5 million on their own efforts to try and get House Republicans to change their vote. But House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said that the Republicans were "solid on this" and would sustain the veto.

Bush said he would be willing to work with Democrats to craft a bill he could accept, that maintains the focus of the program on low-income children instead of children of middle-income and perhaps even upper-middle-income families. He said he was willing to support some increase in funding from present levels – the President has proposed a $5 billion increase already – but will not accommodate "the desire by some in Washington, D.C., to federalize health care."

You’ve come a long way from being just a flavored cigar, baby.

It isn’t enough today to make quality cigars. You have to have an angle, a reputation or a product which tells people what your brand is about.

For many years, Oliveros Cigars were about flavors. Although on the market in some form since 1927, the Oliveros Kelt Cognac line and the sweetened and flavored lines were well known all during the 1990s and the bar was raised even further with the elegant and sweet all-maduro Oliveros Platinum series that debuted in 2000.

Things started to change in 2001 with the introduction of the well-made and unflavored Gran Reserva series. In 2002, the Habana Cuba Premier Selection – made at the Tabacalera Perdomo – was introduced and impressed smokers and critics alike. Then came 2004.

With the debut of the powerhouse Oliveros XL for Men line, attitudes about Oliveros changed quickly. This was a no-holds-barred blend that dared smokers to get on the bandwagon of bolder tastes, and it succeeded. Last year’s introduction of the LTD line just dropped more fuel on an already burning fire.

Creating a new persona for a cigar line is difficult, but the Nodals and Bischoff have achieved it. While the flavored lines have their place and continue to sell, the XL for Men, LTD and Gran Reserva have made Oliveros a cigar that serious smokers need to know and have opened the way for their lesser-known, but also well-made brands such as Habana Cuba and Vista de Cuba to satisfy those looking for a relaxing cigar at a reasonable price.