Why Is Nelson OK With Using Reconciliation For Tax Cuts For Millionaires But Not For Health Care...

[ProSense]

Why Is Nelson OK With Using Reconciliation For Tax Cuts For Millionaires But Not For Health Care For Americans?

<...>One idea that has been floated is for the House to pass the Senate’s health care bill and also immediately amend the bill to make it more progressive and acceptable to members in the House via a reconciliation bill, which requires only a simple majority vote in the Senate to pass.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) rejected this path, telling the Politico that he does not support the reconciliation process and that the health care bill should be broken up and voted on “a piece at a time, as opposed to a comprehensive approach.” He explained, “We’ve tried a comprehensive approach and it’s clear that it won’t be possible.” While Nelson rules reconciliation out of the question for health care, he was singing a different tune in the past. The Nebraska senator has voted in favor of four of the five bills passed through reconciliation since he came to office in 2001, including Bush’s tax cuts for the super-wealthy:

– Nelson voted to use reconciliation to pass Bush’s 2001 tax cuts for the wealthy. The senator was one of twelve Democrats who voted for the $1.3 trillion in tax cuts contained in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, which included billions of dollars of tax cuts for the (5/26/2001)

– Nelson voted to use reconciliation to pass Bush’s follow-up tax cuts for the wealthy in 2003. The senator was one of only two Democrats who voted for the The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, which contained an additional $330 billion in tax cuts. The tax cuts would not have passed without Nelson’s vote. (5/23/2003)

– Nelson voted to use reconciliation to pass an extension of the reduced tax rates on capital gains. The senator was one of three Democrats to vote to shield wealthy investors from an increase in their capital gains tax with a vote in the affirmative for the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 . (5/11/2006)
– Nelson voted to use reconciliation to pass a bill helping students afford college tuition. The senator joined the rest of the Democratic caucus to vote for the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (9/7/2007)

Given the fact that three out of four of the reconciliation bills Nelson has supported mostly benefited the wealthiest Americans, the logical question to ask is why the reconciliation process he has supported in the past is apparently appropriate for siphoning wealth to the richest Americans but not to get health care for tens of millions of Americans who lack it.

[katandmoon]

1. Because he's a foul pile of pig turds

[liberal N proud]

2. Because millionaires donate lots of dough

They also hold stock in health insurance companies and those who need health care do neither.

[Jersey Devil]

3. Because they don't need his vote for reconciliation like they do

to try to overcome a veto (which hardly matters anymore) and he won't be able to get away with highway robbery for Nebraska like he did when when he voted for the Senate passed HCR. One of the things they are going to do in reconciliation is take away the pile of money for Nebraska that Senate Dems paid him for his vote

[flpoljunkie]

5. Nelson has begged the Senate to take the 'Cornhusker Kickback' out--now the damage has been done.

The people of Nebraska were so embarrassed about this special deal they demanded it be removed. Nelson's approval ratings tanked.

[Deep13]

4. What do the following things have in common?

[iceman66]

6. He obviously has his priorities.

[Jennicut]

7. He is a piece of

sh*t and cares more about wealthy donors then everyone else. Pretty simple.

[Peacetrain]

8. Good Question... K& R