Posted on 01/02/2010 11:35:06 AM PST by mdittmar
"Call off the dogs" is the message Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson (D) sent a coalition of Republican attorneys general examining the constitutionality of the Senate's healthcare bill, according to media reports.
At issue is a condition in the bill's Medicaid rules that would essentially cover all of Nebraska's new program participants. The deal, referred to by many in Republican circles as the "Cornhusker Kickback," seemed to assuage Nelson's fear that a manifest Medicaid expansion would harm his state's finances.
But a host of other states' lawmakers, equally concerned about the federal healthcare bill's local budget impacts, remain apoplectic at the deal. Some are now requesting the federal government play a bigger role in financing their new Medicaid patients, while others are clamoring for a constitutional challenge to the provision itself.
Leading that charge at the federal level are South Carolina Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint (R), who asked McMaster in a letter earlier this month to examine the legality of the Nelson deal. They argue Nebraska's exemption would unfairly and unconstitutionally saddle the 49 other states with an undue tax burden, as they would essentially foot the Cornhusker State's new Medicaid patients.
McMaster, a Republican with gubernatorial ambitions, concurred with the senators, and he has since rallied 12 other GOP attorneys general to join his ongoing investigation.
But Nelson's message last week was clear, according to Fox and other outlets that have obtained the memo. His office's call, which McMaster's office circulated in a memo later in the week, asked Republicans to call off their attack. So far, it seems the AGs have no intention of heeding his request.
Imagine if Governor Palin had sent such a memo....
aaaaaaaaaaand.... he wants us to call of the dogs? I guess he thinks it doesn’t hurt to ask?
Jeez. Get the pit bulls ready.
So a senator is attempting to pervert the course of the justice system? Isn’t that a criminal act in itself?
Fulllchroma's office tells AG's, 'more dogs!'
I try, but it just comes up "not imaginable" by default.
Call of the dogs? OK, how about Hockey Moms? Maybe Sarah will use her first Facebook note of 2010 to answer his plea!
And with the passing of each day since his sellout, Ben Nelson continues to infuriate.
How much did he offer them?
Pit bulls or mad-as-hell constituents, either way he's going to get his posterior kicked, and rightly so. He KNEW the ramifications of signing on to healthcare and he now knows the ramifications were not just idle talk. Not only did he tick off his voters, but he's got AG's across the nation less than enthralled with his abilities to make closed door deals with democrat hierarchy in the middle of the night.
>>How much did he offer them?<<
30 pieces of silver — the going rate.
“Ben Nelson is a United States Senator, after all - why should he have to answer to the little peoples’ law enforcers? “
Yeah, I mean, who does he think he is? Cold Cash Jefferson?
(Better check Nelson’s freezer)
Er...ummmm....Have they tried Beijing with their pleas of financial bailout?
I’ll wager Nelson was promisrd a very high paying job once his constituents broom him.
FU, Nelson.
Regardless of the banter back-and-forth by us, there remains one truth. If there’s no issue with Constitutionality, then where’s the harm in an investigation? So why bother to call off the dogs?
Rasmussen: Ben Nelson down 30 points to Heineman after health-care reversal
In for a dime, in for a dollar.
His personal gain for accepting the bribe is still in the works.
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