Click here or below to watch (new ABC window opens):
In the interview (where they must have just gone back and forth about 12 times), Nelson says:
- He wouldn't have voted for the House of Reps Health Care bill that just passed
- He won't vote for a bill with a "robust public option"
- He won't vote for a bill without a similar Stupak amendment that restricts taxpayer abortion funding
- Oh, and he wouldn't have voted for Bill Clinton's 1993 Health Care bill
Of course the kicker with Nelson on all of this will be the procedural votes.
In other words, if he votes to end a GOP filibuster to let a vote go through, but then votes against the final bill that will pass with a Dem majority -- well who cares? That is all about the procedural vote on the filibuster.
Nelson has pretty clearly drawn a line in the sand on procedural votes on the abortion issue. On public option? Not crystal clear.
Feel free to refer back here as the voting continues.
Oh, and "Dean-iacs"? Chuckle...
Feel free to refer back here as the voting continues.
Oh, and "Dean-iacs"? Chuckle...
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26 comments:
I won't be supporting Sen. Ben Nelson for re-election in 2012. If you Republicans want him, you can have him.
I've been talking to a lot of other Democrats from all over the state and I guarantee you, I'm not alone. I have been amazed at some of those that were staunch Nelson supporters who now are saying they're done with him.
Let him eat cake.
The Republicans don't want Nelson, we just don't want him to vote for a Bill that that would ruin our country.
Does anyone know anything about these "Bold Nebraska" ads attacking Lee Terry about oil industry money?
Joey,
If you look closely enough, you'll find people financing the attack ad on Terry are also associated with the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee.
Senator Nelson is publically saying all the things pro-life Nebraskans have been wanting to hear. It does remain to be seen on the procedural votes what will happen. Pro-life voters are being encouraged to relay their concerns to him about procedural votes as well. For now we appreciate that he appears to be the only pro-life Dem in the Senate who is willing to push back on abortion.
BTO...
With the Dems not liking him...and Republican and Independent voters not liking him...I would say it isn't going to hurt Ol' Earmark to vote for ObamaCare. His political career is over. Believe me...Ben will vote for it when the time comes. He has more "waffles" than the local IHOP.
The problem is...who are the Republicans going to run against him...Heineman? He will still be stinking from all the taxes and "fees" he has to impose on voters to balance the budget. I guess that leaves Stenburg.
Thank you Lee Terry for not having Bold Nebraska's agenda of $8 a gallon gas and millions of jobs destroyed for "Green" projects!!!
BOLD NEBRASKA is a White surrogate group. Ask Tom White about independent expenditures!!!
"Benny" likes the attention, but I bet he will vote with the Dems to get the health care bill passed.
I heard on the Sunday talk shows that Harry Reid told Obama he could get 57 Senate votes, but that Obama had to get the other 3 needed.
So I predict Obama, masterful politician that he is, will get those 3 votes.
ricky from omaha
1/3rd,
But you're forgetting about his post Senatorial career - leading the health insurance industy's lobbying efforts. He can't actually start acting like a Democrat now and ruining his future employment opportunities. He and his BFF, Joe Lieberman, have to take care of themselves first and foremost don'cha know?
That is why I like Ben Nelson so much-
not partisan
moderate, common sense
pro-life
thinks of how it will affect Nebraska
we are lucky we have him as Senator
I did not think of Benny r e his post Senate career;
you don't think he will act with future employment in mind do you?
What about State Senators Tom White and Tony Fulton?
Will they act in the Unicam in ways that will help them get the other jobs they want, or will they vote in ways best for Nebraska?
So it looks like a vote for the status quo from BN on health care system reform. He'll have lots of splaining to do to the AMA, AARP and tons of others that want leadership to reform a broken system that is busting the budgets of both the public and private sector. Maybe he'll endorse Lee Terry's one page plan - "Just say no to illness"
BTO is correct about Senator Nelson. He will never vote against his own source of wealth. The one and only time BTO has ever been right about much of anything.
Ricky,
If you think that Nebraska has a single Congresscritter that isn't looking out for himself, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.
The problem with candidates that would actually look out for you and I is that they can't attract the kind of money that it takes to get elected. If you aren't willing to sell your soul to the highest bidder, the corporations that own our political process won't fund you. It is exceedingly rare that a person who really does have our best interests at heart can whip up enough support to actually get elected.
After hearing all the folks bitching about how Congress wastes our money, why is it that they'll elect the same damned fool over and over again until he gets a free ride on a government pension for the rest of his life? It doesn't take long either - just six years. I recall Adrian Smith stating as much to a reporter back in 2006. He wanted to serve long enough that he could retire. Six years to retirement? What a sweetheart deal!
I wish I could write the rules that would give me a cushy golden parachute after six years of doing diddly-squat. They even get to set their own pay raises. What a country we live in!
GeosUser,
So you're saying I'm one up on you. Thanks.
What's funny is that BTO actually thinks he speaks for Democrats, when in fact we all know he's nothing but one of the wacko fringe left who are an an extreme minority in Nebraska.
Ben Nelson is speaking with what a majority of Nebraskas think. And I'm sure he could care less about BTO. Only BTO thinks so highly of himself.
I think highly of BTO.
What is more, I bet he agrees with me that Sen White deserves a chance to serve in the U S House.
But even BTO the liberal thought Fahey street was a dumb dumb dumb idea.
But it passed anyway. What does that tell you about the Omaha City Council?
That it listens to the powers that be in Omaha and not their constituents?
That is what Fahey Street means to me.
ricky from district 6, Omaha
Anon 2:35,
I don't claim to speak for all of Nebraska's Democrats. I never have. That you say that I think so indicates to me that you have not been paying attention. Wake up!
I have always admitted that I am on the fringe of the Nebraska Democratic Party. I have always stated that I am proud to be one of those left wing Liberals in the party. So what else is new? Have you discovered America yet?
Another thing that you are apparently unaware of is that I have always stood up for the RIGHT of Nebraska's Democrats to be able to speak their own minds. And, I have always fought for the right to speak MY own mind, even if I am in the minority on a lot of the issues. I don't necessarily want them all to agree with me, although that would be nice. I just want them to stand up and have their own issues receive the attention they are due, rather than merely be told what they are supposed to think and do by the party hierarchy. Isn't that what democracy is supposed to be all about? What have you got against that?
Ben Nelson is speaking what his supporters, the insurance industry, want him to support. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm certain that Ben Nelson could care less about me, just as he could give a rat's ass about any other Nebraskan that isn't filling his coffers full of cash.
BTO has a HUGE ego, even he would admit that. But it doesn't hold a candle to what Ben thinks of himself. Ben Nelson loves to be the center of attention and be coddled to. Most Senators would use this power to advance the causes of their stat. But the only causes Ben advances are his own corporate interests.
And 1/3rd Heineman or Bruning will be our next US senator. Stenberg? What is this 1994? He's old news. He won't even be elected treasurer. Bruning is the next star of the Nebraska GOP. Not saying I agree with it, but it's a fact.
BTO,
I was just letting L Street readers know you were correct on one issue, one time. As for being "one up" on me, did I miss hell freezing over???
GeosUser writes, "did I miss hell freezing over???"
Evidently, as you have with every single other thing.
Even Jim Esch was smarter enough to know that Cap and Trade was a bad Bill and would have voted against it.
What does that tell you about Tom White?-He will say whatever it takes to get the commercial run on his behalf-now who's "BOUGHT AND PAID FOR"?
Tommi Boy White, "I never saw a free campaign commercial that I couldn't agree with".
Sorry no links. If you have something to say, say it.
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