In Defense of Life: Benedict Nelson
Betrayed, Caved, Sell Out, Treason, Bribe, Judas–those are terms I’ve seen to describe Ben Nelson’s decision to vote for cloture on the health care takeover bill. I won’t say he threw his principles under the bus, because people with principles hold to them. Benedict Arnold received a commission and money from the British for his betrayal. Benedict Nelson receives:
…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.
Perhaps no one feels Nelson’s betrayal more deeply than Julie Schmit-Albin, Executive Director of Nebraska Right to Life. Kathryn Jean Lopez has her statement at The Corner. This is a portion:
“Senator Nelson and his Chief of Staff, Tim Becker, called me last night at 7:30 p.m. Central time as a matter of ‘courtesy’, to let me know that he was pitching alternative language to Democratic leadership. We spoke for about 40 minutes.” said Schmit-Albin. “When I asked them at the outset of the conversation to include National Right to Life in the call they declined and said they were going with the language. Senator Nelson claimed that their newly-drafted concepts/language was Stupak-plus and that it would pass pro-life muster. When I countered that we had no assurance of that because we were not allowed to review the language, I was reminded that this was merely a courtesy call, not a call for our input or approval.”
“There is no pro-life Nebraskan more devastated by Senator Nelson’s actions than myself.” said Schmit-Albin. “I have defended his record to Nebraskans and believed that he would stand on pro-life principles as he has on numerous occasions in the past. I have had a good relationship with Senator Nelson and his staff throughout the years . I personally met with him on healthcare in July and in mid-November and have been in frequent contact with his staff over the past six weeks. Just Wednesday afternoon, I was apprised of the Casey language by his staff and I urged them to strongly relay to him that we could not support it. When he rejected the Casey language we were bolstered by that action and believed he would hold firm to his commitment to vote against cloture if Stupak language was not included.”
“Moreover, NRL Political Action Committee gave Senator Nelson a sole endorsement in his re-election race in 2006 based on his record and actions both as Governor and Senator.” said Schmit-Albin. “It is a very sobering day for myself personally and for pro-lifers across Nebraska and the nation. Senator Nelson obliterated the hope of pro-life Americans who saw him as the last man standing between expansion of government funding of abortion and the Hyde Amendment.”
I don’t think giving the mantle of Benedict Arnold to Ben Nelson is hyperbole. I do not think he’s a stupid man, and he surely understands the implication of his vote for my country. The abortion language is weaker than that of Casey’s, which Nelson objected to earlier this week. My take is that Reid knew he not only had to get Nelson’s vote, but he also had to get him to stop fighting for strong abortion exemption language. Reid obviously kept talking until he found Nelson’s price.
I don’t know how Nelson will sleep at night for the rest of his life. He has betrayed the United States for blood money–he has given up the lives of unborn children for his own gain.
Considering the season of Christmas, perhaps Herod would be a better name.
__________
N/T: Big Government, The Corner.
[1]
He is a vile criminal.
[2]
You’ll get no argument from me.
[3]
Surely there are 14th amendment/equal protection issues here, same with La, same with Nelson (Fl) exempting 3 counties.
Of course the Dems dont care about this, they will pay the extra claims later and take it out of the elderly’s care….
[4]
RWY, I’ve already seen that issue raised elsewhere. Equal protection would kill Reid’s mess of bribes.
[5]
I always thought Nelson’s abortion screen was mostly smoke.
Same with McCain’s objection over pork…
Anyone who will support a gov-run healthcare system, is not going to have problems killing babies, because we all know that government healthcare will do many more equally sinister things than that….
[6]
But it may be that Reid doesnt care, and indeed the Nelsons and Landrieu won’t care either.
The voters will care….
These people have thrown away their seats, especially the ones up next year.
[7]
The bribes were not meant to be permanent, only to get a couple more votes. The dems will be glad to see them tossed out.
A government of traitors. Bush and amnesty, now this. Both parties taking a chainsaw to the country.
[8]
Well, Nelson had voted against expanding ESC research. That made me think he would hold.
[9]
I think the pro-life community is reeling. You can read how betrayed Julie Schmit-Albin feels. That call she got from Nelson’s Chief of Staff last night was an in your face brush-off.
[10]
I agree on the bribes. The Dems will easily toss them away now that they have the votes.
[11]
He is a democrat first. I knew he wouldnt.
We should suppose ourselves lucky no Rs are voting for this.
We have to resist this.
refuse to comply
remove those who voted for it
repeal the legislation by court action, or by starving of funds, or by states legislating their own opt-outs…..
[12]
115.What I dont get about this HC stuff is it can be SO easy and rational.
Here is my “WylieCare” plan in my fantasy world of perfect freedom and with a government that only exisited to protect your Constitiutional rights:
(1) No government interference in HC – period
(2) You pay your own bills for routine and minor medical costs
(3) You (not your employer) buy your own insurance (ie real insurance that protects you against unlikely and unforeseen events) that covers whatever you dont feel comfortable with taking the risk and having to pay yourself if it happens.
(4) Paintents and Providers would be protected in a sane way with special medical courts with real medical experts to decide cases to keep the John Edwards of the world out.
(5) Communities and providers would provide charity for any of the truly needy in their area.
No I refuse to promise 100% “insurance coverage” as insurance doent equal care. Nor do I promise perfection for everybody either. I do promise noticiable improvement in medical care at less cost then what we have now as patients would ask for the best care at the lowest cost and medical providers would compete for their business based on both quality and price.
I wont promise you utopia for everyone as the liars pushing CrappyCare or single payer falsely do – I would only promise you much much better for a vast majority of us!
I do promise it will be WAY better and cheaper then CrappyCare.
I do promise that it will be WAY WAY WAY better then single payer or socialist medicine.
Does anyone want to sign up for “WylieCare”?
Do you want to vote for me or Ben Nelson now lol?
[13]
Sen. Mike Johanns (R., Neb.) on the Nelson deal:
[14]
Everyone has his price. Nelson came high.
The abortion language was a sellout. He compromised his principles there.
So, to make him feel better, Reid gave him medicaid relief forever. That was equal to $45 billion over ten years, but take that on out, say 50 years, easy over a half a trillion dollars. Do some more math at your leisure. 100 years = a trillion. Nelson is having fun just scribbling on a napkin with these numbers.
He is a rather expensive whore, and it is with your money, if you don’t live in Nebraska.
[15]
I think the pro-life community is reeling. You can read how betrayed Julie Schmit-Albin feels.
The pro-life community are stupid blankety-blank blank -blanketys if they actually thought they could trust these Democrat scum.
Sorry, but we trusted Bush and he showed us what he really thought of us.
These people are dupes. Plain and simple.
How a state can vote 70%R and elect someone like Nelson, well, let them burn I say. Perhaps they can atone, but they’ll have to wait 3 years to do it. Nelson, that son of a *****, is betting they’ll forget.
[16]
Johanns is an amnesty supporter.
[17]
Half the R Senators are blowing their outrage horn, and they will vote for amnesty and turn Texas and FL dark blue.
Leading to the entire leftist agenda being enacted.
So Mike Johanns can light it and smoke it.
[18]
What we are seeing is the total corruption of the Democrat party, and the near-total corruption of the R party has been on display the last few years.
Revolution?
[19]
I hope you are right about the bribes being tossed. It’s getting to be a pretty big number. I wonder if CBO scored them.
Where’s my napkin?
[20]
#5 Your correct – forcing socialist medicine/rationed care will kill millions unnecessarily and abortion is only one of many death streams that feed into this….
We kill thru rationing….
We kill thru encouage euthinasia….
We kill thru abortion….
We kill thru the encouragement of unhealthy lifestyles as many now beleive they can engage in many risk behaviors since they thing another or the “government” will pick up the costs…
I could go on and on….but you get the point
What really gets me about it is that the carnage will be inflicted on the most weak and vunerable among us – the very young, the very old, and the politically unfavored groups!
And it will be done in the most dehumanizing and clincial manner imaginable – by rules and waiting list and technocrats “quality life years” formulas.
You dont even get to see the politician that is behind youe execution on the alter of “cost savings for the government”…..but I wont forget….I will remember Ben Nelson and his kind when the bodies start stacking up!
[21]
RWY, there have been pro-life Dems–but when they get to D.C. they leave it behind. I guess the thing to consider is whether someone has stood for something against the odds or in the face of difficulty. I suppose it was easy for Nelson to be pro-life when he was in Nebraska or voting under other circumstances. This was his moment of test of his character, and he failed.
[22]
Saints are attampting a comeback, down 24-17, under 4:00 and mounting a drive.
[23]
Wylie is right. You made an excellent point in #5.
[24]
Well, Nelson voted for stimulus and would probably vote for cap and trade, he voted for trillions in spending and for the choking regs on banking.
I never saw what all the fuss was about with any of these so called moderate Dems, there has never been a thing moderate about them.
The only restraint on any of the Dems has been the polls. That is the surprising thing, that they would be willing to literally throw their pathetic yet lavish careers into the fire for something that generations will curse them for.
[25]
You have to be an out and out communist to vote for this bill, plain and simple. Let everyone see who the communists are, and never forget it.
But, here comes amnesty. Trust the Rs to remind the whole country who THEY are for sale to, and how much we hate them, too.
[26]
Saints lose.
[27]
Democrats lie. Period.
Republicans lie, often…..
We cannot trust them.
[28]
Amnesty will be the death blow and the pro-amnesty forces are stronger than last year. Graham, McCain, possibly Kyl.
[29]
I would not have thought the Cowboys could beat the Saints. Would have put a hundred on it, easy. Two hundred.
[30]
#18 I totally agree with you on the D – they are an utter facist party right now – collusion with big union and big company and the uber rich – the politicians collude with the moneymen to control you and line their own pockets on the people work….and give you the fig leaf of a handout to keep you passive.
The D are the party of big government for big business with populist retoric to fool you.
The R are split as you say….
The R establishment and RINOs are every bit the same as D – a big government for big business party only with fiscal “responsibility” rehtoric instead….
There is an element in the R party that is truly limited government for the common people/small business. But its definitely pushed aside or undercut by the RINO wing quite a bit in the past few years.
In this HC fight, I suspect that the establishment types really gave it their best effort and perhaps were in collusion with the statists out of commitment to the lobbies or out of short term political gain for them.
Either that or they are totally ignorant on how the D HC plan was supposed to “work” and what the real objectives of the left were.
In either case, I will try to lay it all out on my final CrappyCare Mega post lol
[31]
“The pro-life community are stupid blankety-blank blank -blanketys if they actually thought they could trust these Democrat scum.”
EXCELLENT !!! AMEN!!! BINGO!!!
Could not have said it better myself
[32]
ANY “pro life” DEM who votes for thsi sh#tplate is not pro life.
There is no price tag on G-d’s unborn children
[33]
If The GOP Senators chose not to stall this week, A third party is needed.
[34]
#24 Nelson probably had no clue how the hell the scheme worked anyways….if you spent 71 years thinking that government can jump into any damm thing and “improve” it you are blind so to speak mentally anyways…….
But as I said many times – I read what NELSON SAID about CrappyCare from his WWW site and press statements. They were ALL DNC talking/sales points – HC is a “crisis”, we “must” lower costs, etc
He was ALWAYS down for the CrappyCare….he was out SELLING THE NEED FOR IT!
The ONLY thing he said had to go was the government option (the diversion) and abortion “language” which we see was just an exercise in semantics….
He probably has many sacks of gold coming his way for his sellout and likely voluntary or voter induced retirement – again, he is 71 and why not retire to some place other then Nebraska and live the high life eh?
He got his…..no doubt
And yeah, these sacks of crap really do beleive we will forget by 10 even much less 12
They shouted “governement option” so much they thing they can now claim the rest isnt a takeover but a “watered down” plan of no significance…..we see the KOS etc helping create this fiction now!
[35]
This is an excellent piece by Kimberly Strassel…..
The money quote….
“So why the stubborn insistence on passing health reform? Think big. The liberal wing of the party—the Barney Franks, the David Obeys—are focused beyond November 2010, to the long-term political prize. They want a health-care program that inevitably leads to a value-added tax and a permanent welfare state. Big government then becomes fact, and another Ronald Reagan becomes impossible. See Continental Europe.”
Read it all.
Democrats on the Health Care Precipice
[36]
#33 Stalliing is just more theater for those who dont understand its a meaningless gesture…..its not like it will change things…..unless byrd drops dead soon…..then the WV D will just break the law and get another shmuck up there anyways….
I would perfer not to perpetuate the fiction that the “Republicans did all they could” as I dont thing they did!
Maybe I will write a book and expose all of these liars, cheats, and murders – I can call it “Wylie’s Crappy War” or something lol
[37]
#35 Yep she is correct. Thats the only logic behind this for the left. As many many who called this from the political CW perspective have now found out.
Doesnt she sound like your crazy pal Wylie writing eh? lol
[38]
#37
Strassel says the liberals are willing to take the losses if they can expand government so that in the long run, it benefits the party of government.
The party of government……?
So the democrats and the republicans go away, and the party of government remains. So who is the loyal opposition?
The people, uh peons.
[39]
Just understand what the end game looks like. That is all one needs to understand to know what is coming long term.
[40]
Via Dan Riehl, this is one way Reid juggled the numbers:
From Major Garrett of FOX:
From The Hill:
The pay cuts won’t take place for a couple of months–so Congress has to either pass a bill or stiff the doctors.
[41]
Who’s left standing?
[42]
INC – more and more doctors are opting out.
[43]
gnqanq, I’ve read that. You can’t blame them. I’ve read that some say they’d rather treat patients for free than go through Medicare.
[44]
If I was a bright young doctor, I would take my talent elsewhere.
Capitalism – such a hated word among the left.
Servitude is better.
[45]
I cannot type what I think of Nelson, and all the rest of these phony baloney Democrats…
[46]
#42 Good, then maybe a seperate free market HC system can evolve in parrallel to the CrappyCare government system.
Of course the commie will probably pass a law compelling them to take MediCare and other government medical welfare case patient or their licience will be yanked….
This is probably coming in about 10 years when CrappyCare is done trashing the free market and a government option/single payer is being pushed….
Or ban socialist will go for a private medical care outright ban ala Canada….
The communists never admit its there government interventions are at fault (ie the medicare price controls) but rather its the “free market” or the “greedy” doctor…..
Yep one repression that jacks crap up used to justify a newer even bigger repression….
[47]
INC – if doctors were smart, they would go to a cash basis and avoid all insurance paper work.
[48]
Favoring Nebraska insurers without naming them directly might be effective if other companies could conform their operations, but naming Nebraska directly as the sole state exempt from federal chargebacks, which are likely to be crushing, would seem to clearly violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution – will be overturned but could take years and by then we are all well and truly screwed.
[49]
#44Why would you stay as a doctor now if you were young? To be paid government technocrat pay and get all the respect as the local DMV employee….
What the hell would anyone in college consider becoming an MD for either – 200K in debt to become an SEIU government employee?
Ya, if you are young smart and hard working you will go to something profession is still free and you are rewarded for your efforts….
Prepare for big waiting list and lots of doctors from Fiji lol
[50]
Judiciary is a joke from top to bottom
Chrysler’s SECURED debt holders were denied standing to challenge the Chrysler bankruptcy
Constitution, what’s that…???
[51]
My brother in law is a doctor, the work to get through medical school is amazing
Wait till they see what happens to doctors over 55 who have a few bucks saved…
[52]
#48 that would only overturn that one section of crappycare and not the whole plan….
Its only money (yeah alot) so I am not that concerned as 6 or so trillion is flushed out the door here with CrappyCare….
Now hitting the Invididual Mandate in court would unravel the WHOLE plan….
Without that coersion it cant work….
Just a question of how fast it can be gotten into court as you say as the entrenchment will build each year as hundreds of thousands of new SEIU for lifers are hired by the Feds!
[53]
MFG – at each step they undermine what the rule of law means. At some point the people are going to realize that the rule of law does not apply. Once you have crossed that threshold you are on dangerous ground.
[54]
The GOP is as much to blame as anyone. From 2001-2006 they controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress. Rather than being conservative – even fiscally conservative, they were all looking to buy votes by taking care of special interests or earmarks for their districts.
Bush’s second term was a total disaster. He refused to communicate with the American people or defend himself. We have only had two conservative Republicans nominated since 1940: Goldwater and Reagan.
[55]
#51 Yeah it will be like Canada and the UK – waiting list and foreign doctors as no US citizen will become a Doctor except those who just want to be one as a kind of calling…..
Not to say there wont be quite a few of them but not nearly enough to keep up with demand for medical care – especially as demand will spike with boomers aging
[56]
#54 You are correct – the GOP suffered from 34 years of essentially being a big government for big business ie D lite party…..Goldwater changed them into a limited government for common people party…..but we are still contain a huge RINO/establishment wing that hangs on….
The D have effectively killed their old traditional Cleveland/Jacksonian limited government wing forever….
As we see from Nelson here – the D only run “moderates” to get liars elected who can win…
Yes the MSM enables this by calling them Moderates – I guess if you except the premise of government intervention in every affair of man the mild distiction of insisiting you actually “pay” for it seperates you from the crazy statists an earns you a “moderate” or “conservative” title lol
[57]
How is this for irony? I emailed Nelson to wish him a happy retirement and I might reminded him of what a phony he is trying to pretend to care about life.
My sister, an avowed and annoying socialist, emailed him as well to tell him that the left would never forgive him for passing the “Republicans” health care bill and that every socialist group will now make it their cause to make his life a living Hell.
Quite a trick Ben. Congrats
[58]
It is just plain WRONG to give Nebraska and Loisianna special treatment.
[59]
Even if the special treatment is tossed in court, which they will be, the country is still stuck with this disastrous bill, until it can be repealed, if it ever can.
And that is all the Dems care about. Even if you beat the side deals and the mandate in court, you’re still stuck with the government run healthcare atrocity.
Unless you can figure out a way to throw out all of it, based on some of it, and that is very doubtful.