Ben Nelson Faces Outrage in Nebraska Over Health Care Reform Vote
Are His Days in the Senate Numbered?
Ben Nelson can console himself with the fact that not only is he not up for reelection until 2012, but that Nebraska does not have a state wide recall law.
Nevertheless, the fury that Nebraskans feel for their senior Senator is palatable. Nebraska Right for Life, which has endorsed Ben Nelson in the past, has now dubbed him a "traitor" for caving in on abortion language in the Senate health care bill. Nebraska's Chapter of Americans for Prosperity held a tea party style rally in Omaha on Sunday, attended by 1,800 people. According to AP, former Governor of Arkansas and Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said "that the last time a deal like the one Nelson negotiated with Democratic leaders was when '30 pieces of silver exchanged hands.'" In essence Huckabee compared Ben Nelson to Judas.
Nebraska State Republicans have set up a website called GiveBentheBoot.Com, dedicated to raising money for Ben Nelson's defeat in 2012.
So far Senator Ben Nelson seemed undeterred. AP says that he referred to the outrage in Nebraska as "orchestrated", "thinly disguised", and "almost laughable." Ben Nelson points to the Medicaid subsidies that he won for Nebraska in exchange for his vote.
Still it is unlikely that the unhappiness with Ben Nelson is going to go away soon. Whether health care reform falls apart in conference or it actually becomes law, growing numbers of Americans oppose the bill. While fifty nine other Democratic Senators voted for cloture and some of them will suffer as a result in 2010, Ben Nelson must come in for special unhappiness on the part of his constituents. Ben Nelson was the last Democratic holdout in the Senate. If he had held firm, cloture would not have passed in the Senate and health care reform possibly would have died.
Instead, Ben Nelson sold his vote for some subsidies for Nebraska and weasel language on abortion in the Senate health care reform bill that doesn't fool anyone. It is a small enough price indeed for a decisive vote on legislation that could upturn the entire system of health care in the United States, raise taxes, cut benefits, and increase premiums.
Ben Nelson sold something else, though. He sold his honor. Honor is a cheap enough commodity in Washington these days, but few people have been so conspicuous in dribbling it away as Ben Nelson did.
Sources:Neb.'s Nelson sees backlash on health reform plan, Margery A. Beck, AP, December 20th, 2009
Huckabee: Nelson like Judas on health care reform, AP, December 20th, 2009
GiveBentheBoot
Ben Nelson's Price is Met on Health Care Reform, Mark R. Whittington, Associated Content, December 19th, 2009
Published by Mark Whittington
Mark R. Whittington is a writer residing in Houston, Texas. He is the author of The Last Moonwalker, Children of Apollo, Dark Sanction, and Nocturne. He has written numerous articles, some for the Washington... View profile
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23 Comments
Post a CommentThe only comment i can make is Berni Madoff needs a cell mate and i can easly name 61 qulified canidates.
I sincerelly hope you made a deal for a cushy job inside the remaining 3 years of the Obama club because you could not run for village dog catcher in the state of NE! I have been voting for you for years. I will vote against you from now on you sold us down the river! Oh yeah what ever deal you worked out for the state will prove unconstitutional so hope that work out well for you.
I e-mailed you a few days ago encouraging you to stand up to oboma. You caved! You are chickenshit
i guess prostitution is common in nebraska
Ben;
YOU ARE A TURN COAT - I AM REALLY DISGUSTED WITH SENATE A CONGRESS BUY OUTS,
KICK THE TURN COATS OUT! DISGUSTING POLITICS IN THE DIRT BAG WASH, DC !
2010 OUT THE DIRT BAGS! Thank you dirtbag
Oh, and Mark, I didn't want to register for an account, so have to contact you here. Our fury is not palatable -- it's palpable.
The only thing that is thinly veiled and orchestrated about this entire fiasco is Ben Nelson's grip on reality, and what's almost laughable is that this pointy headed prick, ensconced in his tax payer protected castle, think that we are too stupid to see his whoring ways and exaltation of Party above the People.
We will NOT take this lying down.
Ben Nelson is a disgrace. I cannot wait to vote him out of office in 2012. I will not forget this betrayal...Period.
What a sell-out! Shame on him!
I want him to go on a talk show and describe in detail how it feels to sell your soul. Or, write a book--he'll need a new income in 2012--the Nebraskans will NOT forget, I am sure! How can someone go from being a hero to a pansy in less than 24 hours?