SOLD: Sen. Nelson's Bribe (Posted for Documentation)

BigGovernment ^ | December 19, 2009 | Publius

[Syncro]

SOLD: Sen. Nelson’s Bribe

by Publius

We’ll be blunt.

The ‘health care reform’ legislation under consideration in the Senate is the most corrupt piece of legislation in our nation’s history. Yes, we understand that is a strong statement and there have been other abominations throughout our nation’s life. But never before did corrupt legislation threaten to radically and forever change the live’s of every American.

Exhibit A is the outright bribe extracted by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Corn Huckster State) from Sen. Harry Reid. As a result of Nelson’s performance in his role of Hamlet in the health care deliberations, we will have two health care systems in this country; one for Nebraska and one for the other 49 states.

In its quixotic attempt to ensure everyone has health insurance, the Reid legislation greatly expands Medicaid eligibility. Because Medicaid is a program whose costs are split between the federal and state governments, this expansion in eligibility raise costs dramatically for states. States will be forced to either raise taxes or cut other services to accommodate the forced increase in Medicaid spending.

Unless that state is Nebraska.

Below is the text for Nelson’s bribe. Under this language the federal government will forever cover the costs of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska. Taxpayers in every other state will forever be responsible for the expanded Medicaid program in Nebraska.

Outrageous doesn’t do justice to describe this situation. Sen. Nelson also secured an exemption from a new insurance tax for non-profit companies in his state. Mutual of Omaha and Nebraska’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield won’t have to pay a tax other companies will be required to pay.

Continues in post #1

[Syncro]

Link for that last post of mine

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126123257035198659.html?mod=rss_Today’s_Most_Popular

[onyx]

Landreui got her $300 million in Medicaid funding for fiscal 2011 because Louisiana qualified for special relief funding because of Katrina. At least that was the argument.

Nelson's bribe, err, I mean deal, is without precedent.

I don't know whether Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1 applies or not and my lawyer-neighbor has gone home.

[p. henry]

Hey, all you seniors who now rely on Medicare and Boomers (like me) who are now approaching Medicare eligibility, what quality of care do you think you will receive from doctors given the reductions in Medicare payments provided for in this bill?

Hey all you 20 somethings who currently do without insurance on the theory that you are young and healthy and that, if you have an accident, you'll just refuse to pay your hospital bill, how do feel about paying $750 per year for that privilege as required by this bill?

Hey, all you folks who have chosen a high deductible policy with an HSA, how do you feel about this choice being eliminated?

Hey, everybody who might reasonably have expected to benefit from new medical devices in the future, how do you feel about a new tax on such devices that will inevitably result in reduced investment in the medical device industry and therefore fewer new devices?

Hey all you Californians (like me), New Yorkers, Texans, Floridians and others who live in States with large Medicaid populations, how do you feel about federally enforced expanded Medicaid eligibility that will blow holes in your state budgets (or, in California's case, a bigger hole) unless you happen to live in Nebraska?

Hey, all you folks who believe the claim that this bill will reduce the federal deficit, please explain why you hold that belief in light of the imminent insolvency of Medicare?

Hey, all of you who oppose the federal funding of abortion, how will you feel when this bill results in such funding for a very significant part of the nation's population, i.e. at the very least those residing on the West Coast, the upper Midwest and the Northeast?

Hey, all of you American patriots who learned in school that the United States Senate is "the world's greatest deliberative body," how do you feel about a process in which a bill that dramatically affects 17% of our economy is drafted in secret by the majority leader and passed within 24 hours of its release?

There is nothing good about this bill. If the Democrats pass it, every Senator voting for it should be removed at the earliest possible opportunity.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I suggested to someone sending Nelson 30 pennies and tell him Jesus was sold out by Judas for 30 pieces of silver. And Ben Nelson has sold out America to be crucified by this health plan.
Fregards,
Lex

[Irish Eyes]

How can they exempt one state at a time ?

[haroldeveryman]

“Hey, all you seniors who now rely on Medicare what quality of care do you think you will receive from doctors given the reductions in Medicare payments provided for in this bill?”

After the govt refunds all the unused medicare payroll taxes (plus interest) that they took from me during my working life, I’ll have no complaints. Right?

[ought-six]

“Our Senators make back alley crack whores seem like paragons of virtue.”

Back alley crack whores are somehow...cleaner.

[ought-six]

“...but be prepared for a knock in the dead of the night!”

That knock will be answered by some loud bangs.

[ought-six]

“They like this bill - with mandatory purchase of insurance, weak cost control and a three-quarter trillion dollar transfer of taxpayer money to the industry - just fine.”

I work in the insurance industry. The industry does NOT want ObamaCare to pass. Where did you come up with your comment that there will be a “three-quarter trillion dollar transfer of taxpayer money to the industry”? Even assuming, arguendo, that your comment is correct, if the insurance industry must accept ALL applicants, and cannot restrict or deny pre-existing conditions, the industry will collapse within 24 months — unless it is allowed to raise rates to cover that exposure, a rate increase the government would never allow; then, the left will get its wet dream of a single-payer. Insurers cannot arbitrarily raise rates. They must apply to the government (vis-a-vis state insurance commissions) for the approval of any rate increases, and the federal bureaucracy created by ObamaCare will trump local commissions.

[ought-six]

“This kind of nonsense created the political environment of 1860....”

You, my friend, are so right.

[Parawan]

“What happens when Congress becomes criminals against their own country?”

I expect your question will be answered in the near future. Perhaps we should take Joe Bidens advice and ‘Gird our Loins.”

Merry Christmas All

[ought-six]

“And a few brave souls who are willing to take matters into their own hands.”

It’s likely to come to that.

[ought-six]

“what is happening to our beloved country??????????????????????”

Liberals.

[ought-six]

“I have a lawyer here who says it’s unconstitutional and said that all parties know it’ll be tossed out....”

You mean like McCain-Feingold was tossed out?

[Presbyterian Reporter]

These are the Democrat Senators up for re-election in November 2010.

One thing FReepers can do in the next 10 months is to post negative/critical news about these particular Senators. Many of the postings at FR get copied to emails for further dissemination.

Bayh, Evan - (D - IN)
Bennet, Michael F. - (D - CO)
Dorgan, Byron L. - (D - ND)
Lincoln, Blanche L. - (D - AR)
Reid, Harry - (D - NV)
Specter, Arlen - (D - PA)

Boxer, Barbara - (D - CA)
Burris, Roland W. - (D - IL)
Dodd, Christopher J. - (D - CT)
Feingold, Russell D. - (D - WI)
Inouye, Daniel K. - (D - HI)
Leahy, Patrick J. - (D - VT)
Mikulski, Barbara A. - (D - MD)
Murray, Patty - (D - WA)
Schumer, Charles E. - (D - NY)
Wyden, Ron - (D - OR)

[Freedom56v2]

Wow, so the other 49 (or 56 states if you go by the dear leader’s total of 57 states....) have been screwed because their senators did not hold out for a better deal. So Nelson, Landreiu, etc. played the game like card sharks...

Eh maybe better analogy is buying a used car. Fold your arms and start to walk away, the dealership will come running. Sad thing is that Nelson personally sold out our children’s and our country’s future :(

Sadly, a couple days ago, I actually admired him for standing firm when the dear leader’s minions were threatening closing military base in Nebraska.

[onyx]

No, possibly tossed out during reconciliation with the House. It’s that blatantly unconstitutional in his opinion.

[ought-six]

“No, possibly tossed out during reconciliation with the House.”

I sure hope you’re right.

[onyx]

Well, my neighbor's the lawyer. Nevertheless, you can bet that lawyers across the nation are readying lawsuits to challenge the legalities of this monstrosity. I mean, this thing was crafted behind closed doors by the likes of Reid, Dodd, Harkin, Schumer, Rahm, Andy Stern of SEIU and other unknown Marxist criminals.

Everyone we known of, has no regard for our Constitution, so we can already know that it's rife with unconstitutional mandates.

[ScottinVA]

I feel sick also............. what is happening to our beloved country??????????????????????

Barring an all-in revolution, I think the strong, vibrant 50-state entity that we knew years ago, last seen during the Reagan Administration is dead. Dumbed-down, Marxist-centric schools and demographics have seen to that. Obviously there are still parts of it that wish to live free, and I hope they can constitute something reminiscent of the America we once knew.