Mr. Edwards Goes to Washington

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Sunday that his plan for universal health care would require higher taxes and cost up to $120 billion a year.

"The bottom line is we're asking everybody to share in the responsibility of making health care work in this country.

Higher taxes. Asking everyone to share.

How sweet.

"Yes, we'll have to raise taxes. The only way you can pay for a health-care plan that costs anywhere from $90 [billion] to $120 billion is there has to be a revenue source," the former North Carolina senator said on "Meet the Press" on NBC.

$90B+ to cover 47M. That's about $1900/year per uninsured.

Wonder where he got those numbers?

Edwards said his plan would aim to provide health-care coverage for the 47 million people who now lack it and reduce the cost for middle-class families, partly by making health-care programs more efficient.

More efficient. This from a guy who made millions filing med mal suits.

Uh-huh.

To accomplish all this, Edwards said he would expand Medicaid and a program that now provides coverage to 6 million people, mostly children, and provide federal health-care subsidies.

Well there are a few issues with this. Medicaid is failing in most (if not all) states. Federal funding has been cut back. Many states are kicking folks off who were previously covered and making it more difficult for new applicants to qualify.

Doesn't anyone bother to check the facts before taking politico's at their word?

Apparently not.