The Airing of the Grievances

"It's not a special deal for Nebraska."
- Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson

On this Festivus Eve, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to defend the now infamous "Cornhusker Kickback."

You see, Nelson was miffed because some other Senator used the wrong nom de plume -- "Omaha Stakes fix". While potentially funnier, it really doesn't roll off the tongue like "Cornhusker Kickback", and why should Omaha Steaks take the hit for Nelson's deal?

So Nelson continued on to first say,

"There is no carveout."

Um...what?

This is the same guy who just a day ago -- or was it the same day, said that this carveout should be called the "Heineman exemption".

And then Nelson went on to claim, on the floor of world's greatest deliberative body, "It's not a special deal for Nebraska."

Kids, lest anyone think Nelson has any sort of point here, just read the language:

Reid Manager’s Amendment: “For The State Of Nebraska…”

“The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage … With Respect To All Or Any Portion Of A Fiscal Year That Begins On Or After January 1, 2017, For The State Of Nebraska … Shall Be Determined As Provided For Under Subsection (Y)(1)(A).” “Notwithstanding subsection (b) and paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the Federal medical assistance percentage otherwise determined under subsection (b) with respect to all or any portion of a fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2017, for the State of Nebraska, with respect to amounts expended for newly eligible individuals described in subclause (VIII) of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i), shall be determined as provided for under subsection (y)(1)(A) (notwithstanding the period provided for in such paragraph).” (Manager’s Amendment To H.R. 3590, Pg. 98)

· “(Y) INCREASED FMAP FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR NEWLY ELIGIBLE MANDATORY INDIVIDUALS.— “(1) AMOUNT OF INCREASE.— “(A) 100 PERCENT FMAP.—during the period that begins on January 1, 2014, and ends on December 31, 2016, notwithstanding subsection (b), the Federal medical assistance percentage determined for a State that is one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia for each fiscal year occurring during that period with respect to amounts expended for medical assistance for newly eligible individuals described in subclause (VIII) of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) shall be equal to 100 percent.” (S.Amdt 2786 To H.R. 3590, “Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act,” P. 399)

Here's the deal:

A couple of days ago, Ben Nelson said his vote couldn't be bought.

And then a couple days later, an offer is made for his vote, and he accepts said offer.

Now he's trying to pawn it off on the Nebraska Governor, as if Dave Heineman had a vote.

How do Nebraskans feel about this?

As per the Festivus tradition, for the Airing of the Grievances, we simply link to the OWH's Jeff Koterba's cartoon today.

**Update 8:00 AM Festivus morn***

Let us air one more grievance:

The OWH discussed the "Omaha Stakes" in their story this morn.

Completely SKIPPED the "This is not a special deal for Nebraska" part. Like he never said it. But they did get Nelson's shot in at MJ.

(shaking head)