Poor Ben Nelson. He went on John King’s show today and told King, “[I]f you think it’s fun having both sides on an issue mad at you when you’re trying to do something in good faith, just think, it’s like going home and getting bit by the family dog. So how — who enjoys that?”
We all know the truth, however. The proof is in the pudding of Ben Nelson’s arrangements with Harry Reid.
Nelson said he was standing firm on pro-life issues, but in fact his compromise will not help him. His compromise authorizes federal funding of abortions on Indian Reservations, but will make it difficult for white Americans to have access to abortions during Republican administrations.
That is the key. Under Nelson’s compromise, abortion access will fluctuate based on who the President is. A pro-life President will have the power to make it more difficult. A pro-death President like Barack Obama will make it exceedingly easy. The only constant will be federal abortion funding for Indians.
I guess Ben Nelson has no problem with the multi-century history of the feds trying to exterminate Indian populations. Surely Ben Nelson knew what he was agreeing to. The issue with abortions on Indian reservations is related to the reauthorization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is tied to the health care legislation and about which Nelson was fully aware of its implications.
What’s more, we should consider the rest of what Nelson got. Under Ben Nelson’s compromise, the citizens of the several states will now pay for medicaid cost overruns in Nebraska forever. That’s right. No other state gets the commitment Nebraska gets. From now on, your state taxes are going to be raised when medicaid costs go up in your state and your federal taxes are going to go up when medicaid costs go up in Nebraska.
The rest of the Democratic Senators have been taken for a ride by Ben Nelson, who has managed to put his state in a better financial position at the expense of every other state’s residents, all while ensuring the feds get to keep subsidizing the costs of exterminating Indian kids on Reservations. Poor Mary Landrieu really did turn out to be a cheap date.
Ben Nelson did not act in good faith. And the only thing biting him has got to be his conscience.
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Caleb Howe
Its nice to know that when we stand before God
jeannieology (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 1:42PM EST (link)the blood of unborn children will not be on my hands.
www.jeannie-ology.com
Welcome to Nebraska, "The Welfare State"
wayneinnh (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 1:59PM EST (link)I am going to hammer Senator Shaheen’s office tomorrow and ask her how she can vote for a bill that will raise our taxes and exempt Nebraska from ever having an increase.
Jon 14:6 –
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
It’s not intellectual to believe we evolved from hydrogen gas.
Senator Webb's Vote?
Sheet Anchor (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:05PM EST (link)Why is it that no one is asking Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, who has said nothing about his vote, anything?
He wrote an op-ed earlier last week and said he was undecided. His spokeswoman said the same thing on Thursday. Apparently, no one in the media has asked him anything since then, and he has said nothing about his vote.
So all of you who live in Virginia, in particular, need to melt his phone, fax, and e-mail now! He is likely tallying his contacts from constituents. Remember, Virgina just had a huge Republican victory in the Gubernatorial race. His contact information is below.
Danville
308 Craghead Street
Suite 102A
Danville, VA 24541
Phone: 434-792-0976
Fax: 434-972-0978
Hampton Roads
222 Central Park Ave.
Suite 120
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone: 757-518-1674
Fax: 757-518-1679
Northern Virginia
7309 Arlington Boulevard
Suite 316
Falls Church, VA 22042
Loehmann’s Plaza
Phone:703-573-7090
Fax:703-573-7098
Norton
756 Park Avenue, N.W.
Norton, VA 24273
Mail to: 756 Park Avenue, N.W.
P.O. Box 1300
Norton, VA 24273
Phone: 276-679-4925
Fax: 276-679-4929
Richmond
507 East Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-771-2221
Fax: 804-771-8313
Roanoke
3140 Chaparral Drive
Building C, Suite 101
Roanoke, VA 24018
Phone: 540-772-4236
Fax: 540-772-6870
Washington, D.C.
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4024
Fax: 202-228-6363
Toll Free Number
1-866-507-1570
He seems honorable
DerKrieger (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:42PM EST (link)…maybe he should consider switching parties. He seems more ideologically aligned with the GOP than with the Leftists in the Senate.
When you call, ask him to switch.
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” – Thomas Jefferson
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” – James Madison
Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.” — John Locke, 1690
I was thinking the same thing
earlgrey (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 3:30PM EST (link)I think that it is tooMuch to hope for, but I can’t help it. In my view, he could be a real hero for stopping this. I am no expert, but it is seems that way. The thing is that
moderates in this party are not valued. If Obama getsmthe America he wants, will there be any roo
for the Bayhs and Webbs of the party. I also think we should do away with any talk of Blue Dog democrats. Voting for this agenda makes you a hard core liberal.
Sorry for all the typos
earlgrey (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 3:35PM EST (link)I am using my iPhone and having some trouble. Should we encourage non VA residents to keep the lines clear for his constituents?
I knew schummer, deadfish, murray and boxer
bobojake (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:10PM EST (link)were perofrming torture worst then waterboarding and water boarding isn’t torture. Can you imagine getting a phone call from schummmmmer every 15 minutes and then deadfish all day long. Then you walk in that cold room with murray and boxer sitting at the far end of the reid cold room, staring like zoombies that couldn’t even speak to Nelson. Yes this is rico tactics and at worst. When schummmmmer was distorting what was in the riegate-obamagate healthcare, you to would be in a sleep deprived trance and final bow under the pressure. I can’t wait untill the taped recording of reid, deadfish, schummmmmer and Nelsons calls come out and my great grand kids find out who sold their freedom and future down the tubes.
They will be watered off also.
Just so we're clear.
NightTwister (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:12PM EST (link)Ben Nelson is a Democrat.
As a Democrat, Ben Nelson will always work hard to make sure there is a Democrat in the White House.
When there’s a Democrat in the White House, as many abortions as possible will be performed with federal funds.
…therefore…
Ben Nelson wants to make sure as many abortions are funded with federal funds as possible.
Ben Nelson sold his soul for a half trillion dollars. It would appear that just about everyone has their price.
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. – Winston Churchill
Ben Nelson
bobojake (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:18PM EST (link)will settle back in Nebraska and take schummmmmer pheasant hunting again only this time schummmmmer will have to shoot at the wild pheasants not the ones trained to sit on the ground to be shot by political hacks.
Hope Nelson is not welcome
Kyle-MI (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 6:08PM EST (link)I, for one, hope that the good people of Nebraska make sure that Nelson is never welcome in the state again – ever.
Eric, Obamacare is really going to be a cutting edge issue in 2010 and
kyle8 (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:12PM EST (link)beyond. We can separate the gold from the rust by demanding from every candidate a pledge to repeal it.
We should demand no less from any one for our vote. Repeal!
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
Agreed
DerKrieger (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:46PM EST (link)All candidates should make the repeal of this monstrosity a campaign issue. They also need to head off the inevitable “The GOP is in the pockets of the insurance companies” crap by letting voters know how much the insurance companies benefit from Obamacare.
I e-mailed Colonel Allen West’s campaign and explicitly asked if he would make repeal a campaign issue. I got a non-answer answer. Suspicious but we’ll see.
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” – Thomas Jefferson
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” – James Madison
Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.” — John Locke, 1690
No it won't
Menlo (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 3:20PM EST (link)Poll after poll has consistently shown that even where most voters oppose it, only a small percentage say it will affect their votes for Congress. The few who would are mostly reliably conservative Republican voters.
It can never be repealed because the numbers together with the political will will never be there. Elections will not matter anymore if this passes. That’s a big reason none of the Democrats could care less if they returned to power anyway.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
only the economy will affect votes for the next 10 years - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 3:26PM EST (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
maybe . . .
denniswayne Sunday, December 20th at 3:51PM EST (link)Hard to argue with the pessimism.
However, there are indications that this will influence seniors’ votes. A fifth will lose their Advantage plans. Others will lose their doctors or, as people reach Medicare age, find it very difficult to get care. And seniors vote in proportionately higher numbers, and there will be more and more of them (us) soon.
With elections of recent typically being decided by no more than ~6 pts, seniors plus a modest percentage swing among independents, could change the electoral results. An excellent analysis of NJ and VA showed that even if the Democratic base had turned out to the extent it did in 2008, the independents swing there would still have resulted in GOP wins.
Having said that, I don’t have a lot of faith in what the Republicans would do even with Congressional majorities. Total repeal would require getting over the same 60 hurdle in the Senate. Perhaps it could be chipped away at. Or perhaps if a Republican president with a Republican Congress . . .
I think it reasonable to conclude that, besides the accounting gimmick, for pushing actual implementation out beyond 2012 is so Democrats can have time to push aside this issue, counting on people to not yet feel the pain or to have other issues having taking its place.
It’s all so d***m insidious.
Doesn't matter
Menlo (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 5:20PM EST (link)The same seniors already vote Republican. Many “swing independents” are skewed because liberals will lack motivation to vote at all. Any other constituency is too small and too concentrated in one area to make a difference.
Regardless, nothing could happen that would lead to a repeal. In fact, I would put the likelihood equal to that of the majority of all the nation’s doctors quitting practice to the point of leaving a very obvious and serious health care catastrophe that would knock the US from a “developed” to “developing” status as a nation.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
sorta agree
denniswayne Sunday, December 20th at 6:40PM EST (link)I agree about the zero probability of repeal.
However – and of course no one has a crystal ball, so these are all educated guesses – I’ll go back to the demographics in the NJ and in particular the VA races of recent. The analysis indicates that the difference compared to ’08 was in abt a 4 pt drop in Democratic turnout coupled with a dramatic swing among independents – the latter being such that even had the Democratic showing been as good as previously, McConnell would still have won handily.
Looking at the Congressional districts that went for Bush and/or McCain and elected Democrat Reps in ’06 or ’08, if something close to VA happens in these districts, a heckuva lot of seats are going to change.
And as far as the seniors, IIRC nationally they went for McCain by ~4-6 pts. It is quite reasonable to expect Republicans to pick up at least another several pts among seniors, given that this is now by far and away the most important issue for them, and they are really, really ticked off.
I don’t mean to be pollyanna. But while definitely difficult and improbable, re-taking the House is not impossible. Charlie Cook only has 218 Democrats sure/lean. Another year of 10% unemployment will also be a factor.
This fight ain’t over till we’re literally in the ground.
Two different issues
Menlo (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 7:47PM EST (link)Republicans likely will do better next election than in 06 or 08. However, such gains will not be based on the “health care” bill.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
I disagree
kyle8 (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 10:10PM EST (link)It will be based on both the condition of the economy, the overall gloom of the electorate and ALSO on the passage of both the Tarp and Spedulous bills and this healthcare fiasco.
The people will indeed be incensed about the passage of several pieces of unwanted unpopular and budget busting legislation.
Also to say that it cannot be undone is just silly. All it would take is another bill with several different proposals to change it into something totally different than what it is now. Something that might actually have a chance of containing helathcare costs.
If candidates get elected on the promise to “fix” the bill then they will have a mandate to do so.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
It can't
Menlo (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 10:22PM EST (link)Republicans will never have the numbers to get any such proposal voted on. They never have. Any gains they make will be no more than a check on Democrat power, which at that point will be worthless.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
not true
kyle8 (Diary) Monday, December 21st at 7:17AM EST (link)simply untrue, the republicans have changed several democratic schemes in the past, most notably welfare reform,.
so you are just wrong.
They never made an attempt to decrease or change social security or medicare because they did not want to. The truth is that we have always had a big portion of republicans who supported big government.’
Maybe that will change now. Besides which, even if it is a mighty uphill battle it still would be a great campaign device and a way that we can get more real conservatives through the primaries.
your defeatist attitude is just wrong and also for another reason.
you see soon we will be totally bankrupt, and when that happens things will get so bad that the previously unthought of will be possible.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
You are living in fantasy land. nt
Menlo (Diary) Monday, December 21st at 11:05AM EST (link)“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
I'm no lawyer but...
DerKrieger (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:38PM EST (link)it seems the SCOTUS declared Obamacare unconstitutional in…1925
2. Direct control of medical practice in the states is obviously beyond the power of Congress. P. 268 U. S. 18.
Linder v. United States, 268 U.S. 5 (1925)
http://supreme.justia.com/us/268/5/case.html#18
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” – Thomas Jefferson
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” – James Madison
Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.” — John Locke, 1690
Different set of judges
Menlo (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 3:47PM EST (link)The Democrats have already stated explicitly that the commerce clause gives Congress the power to do anything it wants with health care. The Supreme Court ruled in the 40′s that they at least had the power to do anything and everything they wanted with regard to health insurance.
While the bill has a lot related to insurance and what the government and insurance may cover, this bill does not do anything directly with medical practice.
Today’s judges though do not look at the Constitution to determine Constitutionality. If they did, they could never have gotten a license to practice “law.” They look at “law” school textbooks, workability (where international law comes into play), and precedents. Any or all of these things (none of which are law) are consistently used to justify any outcome a judge wishes.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
How much of the bill would remain intact...
SoFiMil (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 4:09PM EST (link)…if SCOTUS did throw the funding mechanism out? I’m not optismist SCOTUS would bail us out, but if they did wouldn’t onorius chunks of this bill remain?
Regarless, I’m sure the Feds aren’t going to refund my money.
www.suvstrategery.blogspot.com
What funding mechanism?
Menlo (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 5:08PM EST (link)I have said repeatedly on this site that the sixteenth amendment gives Congress the power to tax income, but people here seem to pretend it doesn’t exist. Last time I checked, it was an explicit part of the Constitution.
As for the authority to spend, you would be delusional to think any judge with the ability to be confirmed by a Senate at any time in the last half century would find a problem with any spending (unless it went to a traditional Christian cause).
Whether on this, or on any other issue, you have to remember that judges in the US (and most of the world) are generally NOT honest, respectable, and reasonable people. If they were, they would have been tossed off the court so fast it would make your head spin.
Also keep in mind that the Supreme Court is no more than a figurehead. It deny certed itself out of relevance a long time ago and would not give such a case the time of day. It doesn’t hear cases anymore. They exist to pose for pictures and give speeches at “law” schools. The panel below is the court of last resort and would likely point and laugh at anyone who challenged this bill.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
Where's Planned Parenthood's praise? A segment of "undesirables" have been successfully targeted. /nt
Veronica (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:41PM EST (link)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on us. – St. Augustine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THIS, Senate GOP, is why you need to drag this thing out to the very last breath.
smagar (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 2:57PM EST (link)The more we study it, the more stinking things we find. I’ll bet a majority of Americans will think they stink as well—IF they get a chance to smell them.
So, give them that chance!
“Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?” (Macaulay)
analyzing the details of how dems cave is akin to Titanic deck chair re-arrangments, when what we must do is
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 3:13PM EST (link)call them out on moral outrage grounds not to be pre-ceded by addressing them as honorable friends
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Hey Ben Nelson
gnomechumpsky Sunday, December 20th at 3:27PM EST (link)How is it you’ll vote for a bill you want a large part of your state exempt from? God I hate these pigs.
Exactly my thought. Nelson feels the provision
throwback59 Sunday, December 20th at 5:33PM EST (link)of the bill Nebraska is exempted from is odious and a burdern to his state. But he has no problem imposing this odious, burdensome provision on the other 49 states, and forcing them to pick up Nebraska’s share of the tax.
This is obsene.
jtkell100
jtkell100 Sunday, December 20th at 4:04PM EST (link)why are 59 Democrat Senators ignoring their constituents and voting to make 49 states pick up the tab for Nebraska’s heath care?Seems to me at least like 20 or 30 would vote against this. Are they all afraid? Maybe some of the women should star leading them. They are selling their soul for this socialist bill which no one has even read. A bill which a big majority of the people do not want. Where I live We have mothers,fathers,sisters,brothers,uncles,aunts, children,grand childern friends and neighbors. Why would I want to vote something in that would reck their lives, just because I wanted money for my State. It just doesn’t make sense.
Maybe there willbea study that the glue
larryp Sunday, December 20th at 4:07PM EST (link)from hi wig will sink into his brain. He will be peeing in his shoe in a few yers.
Question?
snopercod Sunday, December 20th at 4:36PM EST (link)Question: Who is it that sells their favors for money and works at 1AM in the morning?
Answer: The U.S. Senate, of course.
One message many voices......
lunarmanathome (Diary) Sunday, December 20th at 5:09PM EST (link)It sounds like most of us have the same thoughts on what Nelson represents:
1) Nelson has obligated the rest of the country to carry his states debt in terms of Medicaid. Why is that ok with our respective Senators?
2) That this corrupt practice of buying a vote here and a vote there is common practice in both chambers of the Congress. If there is any principled leadership, why is it that none of them have objected to this?
2) Nelson did not, in the end, object to abortion language that allows federal subsidization of abortion. His objections were purely for political and fiscal gain at the expense of every citizen of the country – minus those of Nebraska.
I’m seriously pissed off at my two progressive Senators, Murray and Cantwell for letting this go this way.
maybe...
diamonddave Sunday, December 20th at 7:35PM EST (link)ben nelson wants to turn indian reservations into abortion mills, like they can have casinos and tax free cigarette sales, as another source of revenue. i mean not only indians can gamble at reservation casinos or buy smokes tax free at reservation shops, so what makes anyone think abortions on reservations will only be for indians?
i’m pushing a campaign to call obimbo and his ilk anti-freedom, anti-liberty, anti-constitutionalists to identify them for what they are. in my opinion calling them socialists or communists or fascists or nazis, which they are all that, doesn’t resonate enough with the average american. but calling them anti-constitutional makes them sound exactly like what they are, anti-american. it is specific and definitive enough to make it stick. it is also distinctly american. will you support me in this and help it go viral? and i’d like to have everyone wear white shirts on thursdays to show support for the constitution.
Nelson isn't an "equal opportunity" slaughterer?
jeannieology (Diary) Monday, December 21st at 8:19AM EST (link)That is so politically incorrect.
www.jeannie-ology.com
bin Nelson
spiff Monday, December 21st at 9:01AM EST (link)The article has an error in it – the last sentence is incorrect, Democrat
Senators have no conscience! It’s my opinion that the bin Laden and Nelson’s of this world seek only power and financial reward for themselves. regardless of the cost to others.
Spiff
analysis
Steven Ertelt (Diary) Monday, December 21st at 10:25AM EST (link)More analysis on how Nelson and Reid fund abortions and Indian abortions – http://www.lifenews.com/nat5800.html
IMHO Help, Save an American Industry
olddog Monday, December 21st at 2:31PM EST (link)send your Congress persons, a big lump of coal, for the Christmas present, they are giving us, this will in turn possibly help the 500 coal miners who recently lost their jobs. Coal generates the largest percent of our electricity. so this may help, and maybe send a message to these out of control legislators, They seem to be, out to steal our country’s wealth, and destroy our constitution, with every bill they pass.
Support our Troops, this administration prosecutes them for doing their job.
One Old Dog
All this reminds me of an old joke...
Ned Reck (Diary) Monday, December 21st at 6:06PM EST (link)Erick… please delete if you think this is inappropriate….. I tried to keep it nice….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One day… on the steps of the Capitol Building… Pat walked up and started talking to a politician named Ben (or Mary, or Bernie).
Pat asked the politician, “Would you agree to sleep with me in exchange for $300 million dollars or more?” To which Ben (or Mary, or Bernie) responded, unequivocally and emphatically, “YES, INDEED!!”
Then Pat asked, “Well then, would you sleep with me for fifty dollars?”
Ben (or Mary, or Bernie) sternly replied in the negative, “What do you think I am… a prostitute?”
To which Pat responded, “We have already determined what you are. Now, we are just haggling over the price.”
Ned Reck
On the plains of “Hesitation”… lie the blackened bones of
countless millions… who… at the dawn of victory…
sat down to rest… and while resting….. DIED.
~ Anonymous