Babe Magnet

The Governor and Senior Senator from the state of Washington cozy up to The Loser:

Appealing to the "conscience of a nation" that is the wealthiest in the world, Kerry urged an enthusiastic crowd of 700 at Town Hall to back his "KidsFirst" legislation. The bill calls for spending an estimated $264 billion during the next 10 years to extend health coverage to people under 21 with family incomes of up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level (currently $58,050 for a family of four).

Ahem, that's about 50% above the average income.

Washington is among a small number of states that already provide health insurance to children from families with incomes up to 250 percent of the poverty level, far beyond what's required by federal Medicaid rules. For instance, the state is required to provide Medicaid coverage to children through age 5 only up to 133 percent of the poverty level and children to age 18 only up to 100 percent of the poverty level.

The Kerry plan calls for the federal government to pay the full cost of covering people under 21 with family incomes at or below the poverty level. Washington state now pays about 50 percent of that cost. In exchange, states would be required to provide insurance for children from families earning up to 300 percent of the poverty level.

Democrats...party of the upper middle class.