Winner of the Month (tie): Judy Baar Topinka and All Illinois Kids who will get health insurance

Judy Baar Topinka. The woman has not announced her campaign for Governor, but has already been coronated by much of the corporate media (sorry Eric) and big business in the state. She’s allegedly leveraged $10 million in pledges and she definitely enjoys spontaneous support from surly Democratic committeemen from around the state. With Jim Edgar bowing out, she is the last, best hope of rich people around the nation that can’t stand to see the biggest state in the Union with a Democratic Governor, Democratic Senate and Democratic House.

Middle-class families in Illinois who will have affordable health insurance for their children through the AllKids program starting this summer, regardless of their employment or income. I’ve written about the significance of this program here, and it’s a shame that the Governor’s political problems have overshadowed the innovative move to make government improve the quality of life of all people. In a decade from now, when (if) Congress finally extends the universal health care that old people enjoy through Medicare to all children, Governor Blagojevich and the success of Illinois’ AllKids will be a significant reason why.