“The perfect is the enemy of the good,” Voltaire said, but Dennis Kucinich ignored the lesson this week.  The presidential candidate voted no on the the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP), joining most Republicans.  But it was for a different reason than the costs cited by President Bush, who is expected to veto the bill.

Rather, Kucinich said in a press release on his congressional website, he opposed the bill because it wsn’t as good as his own preferred plan.

“I cannot support legislation which extends health coverage to some children while openly denying it to other children,” Kucinich said. “This legislation is woefully inadequate: and I will not support it.”

“Legal immigrant children deserve the same quality health care as other children receive. It is Congress’ responsibility to address the main difficulties that prevent legal immigrant children from gaining access to health care. Today, we did exactly the opposite.”

“HR 676 guarantees full health care coverage for all children. When considering a universal health care proposal, HR 676, the Medicare for All bill, is the only health care plan that addresses three important issues: quality, accessibility, and cost.”

The no vote earned him low marks back home in Cleveland.  Buckeye State Blog called the vote “a progressive ’screw you’ salute to Ohio’s children.”  Kucinich, perhaps uncertain of his chances of being elected president, is running for re-election in Ohio’s 10th Congressional District at the same time he’s seeking the presidency.  He faces three Democratic primary challengers, including Rosemary Palmer, who said of Kucinich’s vote:

President Bush vows to veto the bill, and on the other hand, Dennis Kucinich votes against it because he doesn’t think it is perfect. This is a perfect example of what is presently wrong with Washington decision-making. Polarizing positions work against functional compromise resulting in a government that cannot serve in the nation’s best interest.  While fringe politicians like President Bush and Congressman Kucinich rant like petulant children, the nation remains stagnant and desperately needing effective leadership.

Kucinich is also opposed in the primary by Barbara Ferris, a former  Peace Corps executive and congressional aide who also ran in 2004 and 2006, and by Parma, Ohio, Mayor Dean DePiero.  All three share the same criticism: Kucinich has been spending too much time on his long-shot presidential candidacies and has been neglecting the district.  Buckeye State Blog worries that the big field of challengers may split the anti-Kucinich vote, but reports on internal Cuyahoga County politics (incomprehensible to any non-Clevelander) that may consolidate support behind one challenger.