Nebraska governor to Ben Nelson: Keep the money

[RamboLiberal]

Nebraska’s Republican governor has a stern message for Ben Nelson, the senior Democratic senator from his state: we don’t want Washington to cover all the costs of the proposed expansion of Medicaid under health care legislation.

“The last few days have made Nebraskans so angry that now it’s a matter of principle,” Gov. David Heineman told POLITICO. “The federal government can keep that money.”

Told about the governor’s comments, Nelson said: “If he wants to subject Nebraska to future liability – it’s his call.” And he called it “foolish” since the money wouldn’t be available until several years down the road, when other states would almost certainly lobby to get increased federal aid.

Nelson is engaged in a tense war of words with his home-state governor over his health care vote and the Medicaid deal he helped secure for their state, a signal that Nelson’s political opponents plan to bloody him up for his health-care stand – and that could impact his standing ahead of his 2012 reelection.

“The reason he’s in hot water right now is that he’s not listening to Nebraskans – it’s very unusual for him,” Heineman said. “I am shocked.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30947.html

[DFW]

1. Not that I would be thrilled to see Ben Nelson get another term

But he would be far better than some whacko like the two space cadets from Oklahoma currently in the Senate.
I hope someone more progressive would be the Democratic nominee, although for Nebraska, Nelson might be the
best one could hope for.

Nelson needs a half-way savvy campaign team to show that he fought for the people of his state while the governor
fought against them. Small farmers have lost out against big agriculture for a while now, and in Nebraska, that
is a theme that resonates. If Nelson can frame the argument into "I'm trying to help out people in my state, and
Heineman is trying to ignore them," then no Republican candidate should be able to beat him unless the Republican
Senate candidate disavows his own governor..not likely in a statewide campaign in a red state. All he has to do is
organize a "Ben Nelson delivers" theme, and he's back in. As a pro-choice advocate, I would have to hold my nose
while doing it, but as a Texan, I'm used to being NOT represented in Congress by anyone who holds my views anyway.

[PATRICK]

2. When you take a bribe or deal

classically it is supposed to be immensely popular and not too exposed. This stuff is supposed to work, but the openness of corruption and obstruction is a typical power denial of other political realities. It is arrogant and caused by impunity, yet also extremely stupid, moronically so, since in some places it can be easily turned around and used against you.

Taking a deal that makes you bleed politically is reasoned away how exactly? If Obama wanted to destroy the the corporate Dems and replace them with true corporate GOPers(and protect the vanishing protection of two party humpty-dumpty parity all "centrists" adore it might be part of some long term shrewd strategy according to that bewildering rationale. This is the form arrogance and stupidity takes amongst our beloved Blue Dogs. It is only electable by the sufferance of the corporate press and the state of the GOP.

[DFW]

3. A Senate seat is a different animal

Tip O'Neill was right: all politics are local. Nelson couldn't even get the Republican nomination for US Senate
if he were from Massachusetts. In Nebraska, he ekes out electoral victory as a Democrat.

[Union Yes]

4. How about federal Highway funding Governor? Shouldn't you be rejecting ALL Fed $ for your state?

What a HYPOCRITE.

[Union Yes]

5. How about federal Highway funding Governor? Shouldn't you be rejecting ALL Fed $ for your state?

What a HYPOCRITE.

[Union Yes]

6. And for some reason I'm dupe posting this fine morning.

[notesdev]

7. This is pretty simple to figure out

Any person with two brain cells to rub together knows that corruption is killing our nation.

Nelson then demands and accepts one of the most corrupt deals in the history of US politics (and that's saying something).

He should not expect to be popular at this point. People are finally rejecting getting a payoff to the detriment of everyone else in the country - Nebraskans are setting a standard that we all should follow, if we want our country to be whole and prosperous again.