10 Red States Now Questioning Nelson Deal

New York Times ^ | December 23, 2009 | Katharine Q. Seeleye

[reaganaut1]

At least 10 states are now raising questions about the legality of the deal that Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat, cut for his home state of Nebraska during the health care negotiations.

Under the agreement, which is on the verge of being approved Thursday by the Senate, Nebraska is permanently exempt from paying for its expansion of Medicaid, shoving that cost onto taxpayers in every other state.

Mr. Nelson was able to exercise such leverage because in exchange, he was providing the magical 60th vote that Democrats needed to advance their health care bill.

The deal has enraged other Senators, especially those from red states, whose Republican Senators didn’t bring home any pork at all because they were not part of the negotiations with Democratic leaders. Several other Democratic Senators did get concessions for their states, but no deal has hit the nerve struck by Mr. Nelson’s.

Attorneys general in at least 10 states held a conference call late Tuesday to consider how they might challenge the deal, which they call federally subsidized vote-buying.

Some say it is certainly unfair and may be unconstitutional.

Troy King, the attorney general in Alabama, told MSNBC on Wednesday that the Constitution was not written to allow “the subsidization of a backroom deal.”

The Constitution, he said, was written to protect citizens from arbitrary and capricious decisions by Congress, not “for Congress to force Alabama to subsidize vote-buying.”

...

Could the growing backlash threaten passage of the health care bill? Mr. Nelson has said that he would vote for the bill only if nothing in it were changed. That makes it seem unlikely that Democratic leaders would try to undo the bill before the Thursday vote because doing so could threaten final passage.

[cyn]

mark. more reasons for AG’s to sign on as details are finally unveiled and the impact hits more states and industries:

Last minute Healthcare Amendment addition singles out Construction Firms.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2414455/posts?page=2

[StAnDeliver]

"Even if the constitutionality of this provision in the bill it would only address Nelson’s bribe.

True, but to separate him from his bribe would be fitting indeed, and help banish him to the wastelands in 2012.

[ponygirl]

That was my thought exactly. They aren’t upset about the raw unconstitutional nature of all this? They’re just p.o.’d they didn’t get a cut of the deal?

[SeattleBruce]

That was my thought exactly. They aren’t upset about the raw unconstitutional nature of all this? They’re just p.o.’d they didn’t get a cut of the deal?
+++++++++++++++

Yeah, NY Slimes, RAT LIES. Well for some of the Pubbies anyway. The good ones.

[Colonel_Flagg]

The deal has enraged other Senators, especially those from red states, whose Republican Senators didn’t bring home any pork at all because they were not part of the negotiations with Democratic leaders.

Talk about being right for the wrong reasons. Republicans aren't enraged because they didn't get pork, they're enraged because they're paying for someone else's benefits. Yet another example of pathetic liberal media bias.

[antidhimmi]

Nelson should be stuffed into a REX 84 camp for his prostitution.

[Redbob]

"Just curious... why do they only need 51 votes NOW? i thought the nuclear option was for “budget” reasons...."

Because it only requires a simple majority to pass an ordinary bill.
High school civics...

[Political Junkie Too]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) Scores $10 Billion...

Isn't it amazing that one of the smallest states in the nation gets the largest payoff of them all?

I guess it's because Vermont is the weekend getaway for New Yorkers?

-PJ

[RobbyS]

Nelson was a Democrat elected by a Republican constituency who trusted him not to vote the party line. Will they trust him now?

[okie01]

All the Dem leadership has to do is remove this provision from the bill in conference committee. They only need 51 senators to pass it now.

To pass it out of the Senate...into the conference committee.

But, when it comes back from Conference, they will need 60 votes at least twice -- to open debate and to close debate. After they accomplish this, we're back to 51 votes again.

[samtheman]

People will not forget that he is the one who moved this bill on for final passage.

It depends on how the milquetoasts in the RNC decide to handle it in the campaign. I am cautiously optimistic (and deeply apprehensive).

[RJS1950]

Wonder what “bought and paid for Ben” will call the state attorneys general? Since he refers to Nebraskans in terms of being dogs albeit family dogs I doubt that he will be as kind to them.

[RJS1950]

Not so. There was a republican candidate. Rickets was not perfect but he was the best choice. Unfortunately a number of local “prominent” republicans threw their support behind Nelson over the republican. One of them was whining in a letter to the Omaha World Herald about how he was a republican and voted for Nelson, but no more. Jackass!