Ben Nelson Sells-Out Nebraska and the Nation on Health Care

After 13 hours of negotiation under extreme pressure by Senate Democrats and the White House, Senator Ben Nelson caved in to supporting the bill falling for a shell game and bait and switch the Democrats have dangled in front of him.

Senate Democrats announced a deal Saturday morning on a wide-ranging overhaul of the nation’s health care system, setting a course for a vote by Christmas and delivering President Barack Obama a badly needed victory on his top legislative priority.

A 13-hour negotiating session that stretched into the night Friday finally clinched the support of the last Democratic holdout, moderate Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) The handshake deal cleared the way for a series of votes that could stretch until 7 p.m. Christmas Eve.

“Change is never easy,” Nelson told reporters. “I truly believe this legislation will stand the test of time. The lives of millions Americans will be improved.”

Nelson agreed to support the bill after Democrats strengthened restrictions on federal funding of abortion, by allowing states to opt out from allowing plans to cover abortion in a new insurance marketplace. Also, enrollees in plans covering abortion must pay separate checks – one for abortion, one for the rest of services.

The move by Nelson to support the bill surprised most politicos as his constituents in the state of Nebraska had opposed this bill by 3 to 1 and Nelson had the rare opportunity to kill this bill, which all polls show is highly unfavored by the American people.

What did Nelson get for his vote?

Nelson also won his own version of Sen. Mary Landrieu’s much-derided “Louisiana Purchase.” In Nelson’s case, the federal government will permanently pick up all the cost of new Medicaid enrollees in Nebraska, rather than splitting the tab with the state, as is usually done. Nelson’s Nebraska is the only state singled out for such treatment – a $45 million cost to federal taxpayers that shows the power of a single senator in this debate.

Shocking no one, who’s been paying attention to the ruthless unpatriotic way the Democrat controlled Congress has conducted itself, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled the vote for ObamaCare™, once again, in the dead of night.

• 1 a.m. MONDAY – To end debate on “a manager’s package” that includes all the latest changes to the bill. 60 votes required.
• 7 a.m. TUESDAY – To approve the manager’s package. Simple majority required.
• Also TUESDAY – To end debate on Mr. Reid’s original health care proposal, as amended by the manager’s package. 60 votes required.
• 1 p.m. WEDNESDAY – To approve Mr. Reid’s original proposal. Simple majority required.
• Also WEDNESDAY – To end debate on the finalized health care legislation. 60 votes required.
• 7 p.m. THURSDAY, Christmas Eve (or anytime after the prior vote if all senators agree) – To approve the final bill. Simple majority required.

Reid’s 400 pages of changes to the Obamacare legislation the Democrats are rushing through the Senate were revealed only this morning, so vote the Democrats scheduled for the middle of the night will come less than 40 hours after the amendments were made available — well short of the 72 hours Democrats promised the bill would be available before any vote:

The Senator mentioned, I note, having in mind the managers’ amendment, which he has not seen and, frankly, this Senator has not seen either. I have some ideas what is in it, but I have not seen it myself. I think as a practical matter this will be available for 72 hours, as the Senator suggests. Why do I say that? I say that because it is my expectation that Senator Reid’s managers’ amendment will be filed very quickly, maybe in a day or two [emphasis added]. (Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Congressional Record, S.13289, 12/16/09)

Critics are already saying Ben Nelson will have a tough time getting reelected 2012 and also cite many groups targeting democrats in next years election cycle saying “the American people are fed up with the way the Health Care Debate was handled by Democrats, subverting the will of the American people, voting in the dead of night, making outrageous deals for votes, rushing life altering legislation with light-speed and will pay a heavy price in 2010 and 2012″

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