Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his caucus Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas.
“We’re there,” said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), as he headed into a special meeting to outline the deal.
Democratic leaders spent days trying to hammer out a deal with Nelson, and worked late Friday night with him on abortion coverage language that had proved the major stumbling block. Nelson also secured other favors for his home state.
Under the new abortion provisions, states can opt out of allowing plans to cover abortion in insurance exchanges the bill would set up to serve individuals who don’t have employer coverage. Plus, enrollees in plans that do cover abortion procedures would pay for the coverage with separate checks – one for abortion, one for rest of health-care services.
Something affecting 17% to 20% of the American economy shouldn’t be ‘rammed through’ Congress. Especially when 40% or so of the legislators oppose a measure.
When you throw in the fact that a majority of post-election voters oppose the legislation as proposed, then the action by the Congrssional Democrats seems clearly to be an attempt to impose legislation on the American people through a dictatorship of the elected majority.
Speaking as an Independent, it is clear to me that the current elected Democrats are not now, at this moment and as the polls show, honestly representing many of those who voted for them. Instead, they are permitting themselves to be ‘cowed’ by an ideologically committed minority within the Democratic Party.
This ideological minority would not even have been considered to be Democrats 20 or 30 years ago.
The end result. A Democrat disaster in next November’s elections and then legislation to undo the damage done by the radical ideologues of the Democratic Party.
I await the analysis of Rep. Stupak, et al., as to whether this abortion compromise passes muster.
I still think the individual mandate is unconstitutional, but I’m not sure that the courts will so rule, at least not quickly enough to stop this from being implemented.
Isn’t there an old saying, “every man/woman has their price?”
Proof of an old adage..
Grandmother in SC
And all because of the lack of one more opposing vote. Let’s hope that people remember in the future that all elections can have real consequences.
Politutes, one and all.
And [url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/nelson_agrees_to_abortion_fund.asp]here[/url] is my answer. Sen. Nelson has agreed to language which will use federal funds for abortions in states which either allow or require it. States would have to pass legislation to opt out of abortion coverage, and where their state courts have required it, federal funds will be used for it under this plan. Sen. Nelson has sold out.
Senator Nelson was whoring with the lives of God’s Holy Innocents!
I just pray that the Republicans can at least get the whole thing read before the vote! I am appalled and disgusted with the whole bunch!
It appears Sen. Nelson has literally sold out. He got an agreement for the federal government to pay Nebraska’s extra Medicaid costs — forever. This, combined with Sen. Landrieu’s Louisiana Purchase, means that these two states will get special assistance with Medicaid unavailable to other states. Why is this not considered corruption?
This begs the question as to whether Sen. Nelson ever had a truly conscientious objection to the abortion language and was just holding out for the highest price he could get.
Well, more proof that a pro-life Democrat is an oxymoron. Of course the left would say that a pro-choice Republican is one too, and I would agree with them.
Well, I guess we stepped over the line into rendering unto Caesar what is God’s. Lord have mercy upon us.
The more I think of it, the more the term POLITUTE accurately defines these critters. They trade favors among themselves but they insist of paying for said favors with our money. The concept is fascinating. Certainly encourages a POLITUTE to increase his/her favor trading activity as there is no personal price to pay and infinite gain to be had. And as the POLITUTE’s constituents seem inclined to perpetually rehire their POLITUTE the party can go on forever. Could almost become a religion. Sort of like Anthropomorphic Global Warming.
The term I wanted is Anthropogenic – human caused. Sorry, fat fingers.
If this bill, or something close, becomes law we will in many ways have crossed the Rubicon. [i]Jacta alia est[/i]. The far left cannot move a single Senator. Conservatives cannot move a single Senator.
Legislation of unbelievable social and economic impact appears on the verge of being rammed through by a Washington-based elite absolutely uninterested in the will of the people, who by at least 3:2 absolutely hate this bill and the people shoving it down our collective throats.
Every other piece of landmark legislation in America has had broad social consensus behind it and solid bi-partisan support in Congress. Not so this time. America is about to be pushed into its latest time of reckoning, because power-hungry idealogues are forcing through what amounts to an un-repealable, but unsustainable, entitlement program.
At this point I do not see how it all can end without absolutely appalling violence. America’s new self-appointed nobility are unlikely to halt their grasp for power until they are piled into the 21st century equivalent of tumbrils. Very sad.
We have one more chance at the ballot box in 10 months or so. If parasites continue to outnumber the producers when voting, the only remaining recourse is not the ballot box, or the soap box, but the ammo box. I pray we never arrive at that point.
Shorter #15: Because our arguments fail to persuade the majority of voters, let’s start shooting!
15 and 16: I do NOT subscribe. 16, not fair. 15 That just means we have to work a little harder.
The current balance of Democrat versus Republican in the House and in the Senate represents a ‘snapshot in time’ of the political sentiments of ther American voters on Election Day 2008.
The political sentiments are much different today and the Democrats are not supported in their healthcare efforts today. Infact, as we all know, their is strong opposition to what the Democrats in Congress are trying to do.
There is no need for conversation about anything but the American democratic process ‘setting things straight’ after the 2010 national elections for Congress.
Starting after that date will be a process of undoing the damage that is now being done. Remember, those adversely affected by this legislation are a very large voting bloc.
Please change ,
“…their is strong opposition…” to “…there is strong opposition….”
My foreign language study is affecting my writing in English.