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Ben Nelson’s “Cornhusker Kickback,” as the GOP is calling it, got all the attention Saturday, but other senators lined up for deals as Majority Leader Harry Reid corralled the last few votes for a health reform package. Nelson’s might be the most blatant – a deal carved out for a single state, a permanent exemption from the state share of Medicaid expansion for Nebraska, meaning federal taxpayers have to kick in an additional $45 million in the first decade. But another Democratic holdout, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), took credit for $10 billion in new funding for community health centers, while...

Did not see an official thread. If you are still awake-here it is. Watch live here.

Here is video of Gov. Mitt Romney on with Sean Hannity tonight where he discussed the Democrats' push to pass a Health Care Bill in the Senate by Christmas. On the economy, Mitt Romney said the Democrats have failed to create jobs, particularly with the Stimulus Bill passed early this year. Romney said "borrowing your way to prosperity" is a strategy that will not work. Romney said the "American people are a lot smarter than the Democrats give them credit for." Romney said he would give Obama "a failing grade" on his performance as President thus far. Instead of focusing...

Nelson: Health bill to stand ‘test of time' as historic reform Omaha World-Herald ^ | December 20, 2009 | By Joseph Morton Posted on Sunday, December 20, 2009 9:55:44 AM by Oldeconomybuyer WASHINGTON — Ben Nelson has spent his life negotiating big deals, but never one this big. Now he must face the consequences of his decision. It may make him popular at the White House and among some of his fellow Senate Democrats, but his announcement brought swift, scathing denunciations from Republicans — in Washington and in Nebraska. Nebraska GOP chairman Mark Fahleson declared Nelson's decision “the death knell...

The pharmaceutical industry's powerful Washington lobbying group backs the healthcare reform legislation that is President Barack Obama's top legislative priority, but its important support for that effort could evaporate if drug imports are included. White House adviser David Axelrod said the administration will pursue the issue, but not in the healthcare reform bill. "Let me be clear. The president supports ... safe re-importation of drugs into this country," Axelrod told CNN's "State of the Union" program. "There's no reason why Americans should pay a premium for the pharmaceuticals that people in other countries pay less for." The importation of drugs...

Per the link, buried on page 328 and entitled, "SEC. 10502. INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXPAND ACCESS TO..", there is an appropriation for an undisclosed state to receive from the Federal Treasury $100,000,000, to build or expand a state university medical school. The language reads... "(a) APPROPRIATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated, and there are appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, to remain available for obligation until September 30, 2011, to be used for debt service on, or direct construction or renovation of, a health care facility that provides research, inpatient tertiary care, or...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dcnow/2009/12/gop-sharpens-attack-on-democratic-healthcare-bill.html GOP sharpens attack on Democratic healthcare bill December 20, 2009 | 3:38 pm Part of the cost of securing key votes for healthcare overhaul comes down to dollars and cents as well as politics, so Republican senators today argued that other states should get the same benefit that was given to ensure a key Democratic vote. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) won changes on tougher restrictions on abortion funding in order to get his vote. But he was also given language that the GOP says pays 100% of his state’s added costs to fund the expansion of Medicaid that the...

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has set the stage for a major vote Monday morning at 1:00 AM – one that would require the support of 60 Senators. That would, if all goes according to Senator Reid’s plan, set up a late-night Christmas Eve vote on final passage. Senator Reid also used a rare procedure to block any further amendments from being offered, debated or voted upon. When it comes time for Senators to cast their vote at 1:00AM Monday morning, shortly after Sunday Night Football ends and most Americans are in bed, they will have had less than...

Senate Democrats are warning the House not to make any significant changes to the health care package heading toward a vote in their chamber if they want the bill to survive past Christmas. Speaker Nancy Pelosi smiles at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol Nov. 7, as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer looks on. (AP Photo) Do not mess with this bill. That was the message Senate Democrats sent to their colleagues on the House side over the weekend, warning them not to make any significant changes to the health care package heading toward a vote in their chamber...

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) announced Sunday evening he will support Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) $871 billion health care reform package but warned that he could withhold his backing for the final bill as negotiated in the House-Senate conference committee if he is unhappy with any changes made to the legislation.

The health reform Christmas gifts for Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Ben Nelson of Nebraska are well known . But somewhere out there is another good little legislator who got funding for a hospital in their state. But which senator? Which hospital? It is a health care whodunit. Somewhere out there in the United States is a “Health Care Facility” “at a public research university in the United States that contains a State’s sole public academic medical and dental school.” We know this because in the bill Democrats released Saturday morning is a $100,000,000 check for that hospital (presumably...

Uncle Obama has gotten ahold of your credit card. And he's amassing charges on it that - you - not he - are liable for. You can call the fraud line, you can call the police, you can call any politician or government agency, and they will all tell you the same thing. Shut up and pay up.   Since misery loves company, you might feel better knowing that you're not the only one being extorted. Uncle Obama and his buddies have the credit and debit cards of every man woman and child in America. And they're charging up a...

Sleeping has been all but non existent for me. I get up 2 or 3 times throughout the wee morning hours to see if I still have a country left. This morning, I read..

WASHINGTON (AP) - The little town of Libby, Mont., isn't mentioned by name in the Senate's mammoth health care bill, but it's one of the big winners in the legislation, thanks to the influence of Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. After pushing for years for help for residents of the area, thousands of whom suffer from asbestos-related illnesses from a now-closed mineral mining operation, Baucus inserted language in a package of last-minute amendments that grants them access to Medicare benefits. He didn't advertise the change, and it takes a close read of the bill to find it. It's just...

Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod said today that supporters of health care reform are "right on the one-yard line" to push through passage of the legislation now that the Senate Democratic leadership says it has the 60 votes necessary to pass their version this week. Axelrod offered that optimistic prediction, when asked on CNN's State of the Union to describe progress with a football analogy, even though the Senate bill still would have to be reconciled with House legislation that has provisions that didn't pass muster in the upper chamber, and in the face of numerous public opinion polls...