JEFFERSON CITY — Hundreds of people rattling pennies in plastic piggy banks rallied Wednesday at the Capitol for expanded government health care. Republican lawmakers responded with a resounding no.

Moments after a crowd chanted and cheered for Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s plan to expand health care to children, the Republican-led House Budget Committee axed the governor’s proposal.

Republican budget writers said it would be wrong to expand a program in a midyear spending bill. They also doubted the state could afford it.

Read more from the original story:
Rally not enough to spur health care expansion