Sen. Ben Nelson comes out against public health care
Sen. Ben Nelson does what he does best, he doesn't stand with his own and now is saying that he's against public health care because it's too good.
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said Friday that he will oppose legislation that would give people the option of a public health insurance plan. The move puts him on the opposite side of two-thirds of Americans.
A poll released this week by Consumer Reports National Research Center showed that 66 percent of Americans back the creation of a public health plan that would compete with private plans. Nelson, in comments made to CQ, joins the 16 percent of poll respondents who said they oppose the plan.
Nelson's problem, he told CQ, is that the public plan would be too attractive and would hurt the private insurance plans. "At the end of the day, the public plan wins the game," Nelson said. Including a public option in a health plan, he said, was a "deal breaker."
A Nelson spokesman didn't return a call for comment.
As he so often does, Nelson said, according to CQ, that he planned to form a "coalition of like-minded centrists opposed to the creation of a public plan, as a counterweight to Democrats pushing for it."
That coalition will not include 16 Democratic senators who signed a letter calling for a public plan earlier this week, including Senate leaders Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Charles Schumer (N.Y.).
If Democrats use the reconciliation process to pass health care reform, however, Nelson's vote would not be needed, as only a simple majority could pass the legislation.
Please, not another coalition of the lame. He just thumbed his nose at the president and at the American people. Is this the best Nebraska has to offer? Hey Ben, you will be hearing from us.
On policy, I've been very impressed that President Obama is ditching the bi-partisan nonsense that was doomed to fail. The republican party is in shambles right now and are hoping that Obama and America fails. That's their game plan I think anyway. Health care is going to be a knock down drag out fight and this might be the best use of the reconciliation process. Ronald Reagan used it a number of times so it's not some arcane rule that hasn't been used since the 1800's.
Easy to say when you get Cheney Care with your job, and you take money from the insurance lobby.
Please publish Nelson's campaign contributions. I want to see who's pocket he's in.
And I think it was the right way for Obama to go - try to bring some of the Republicans along in a bipartisan coalition. THEY chose not to even try, and it's on them that they didn't - the way it should be.
And now's the time to ditch them.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
"Nelson's problem, he told CQ, is that the public plan would be too attractive and would hurt the private insurance plans."
BOOO EFFFFING HOOO!!!!
Insurance is nothing but a HUGE effing scam anyway.
No kidding.
I wasn't aware that free markets necessarily had to have government excluded from any options. Learn something new every day in Conservative World.
having the private insurance competing against something so attractive, would force them to become better than the public alternative. At least that would be what the "invisible hand" would want.
I find it ironic, these asswipes want the public sector to be "drowned in a bathtup" when it can't compete with the private sector. And then with a straight face, they also use the same argument for "drawning of the government" when the public sector outmatches the private offerings.
In order words, the public sector dissapearance is because it is either too bad, or too good. Which is a somewhat dishonest proposition. So basically, the public sector's main problem for these assholes is that it gets in the way of private profit. Whether or not that has anything to do with the interests of the people these freaks are supposed to be representing... that little tidbit seems to be inconsequential to them....
Privatize the profits, and socialize the risk!!!!! Republican economics 101.
Pigs like this Nelson asshole, should be recalled by their democratic constituents. This fat little f*** is 10 times worse than any repuke!
I'd like to stuff a dirty diaper down his smug arrogant face. Filthy, useless POS!
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
Nelson may be coming to his senses and viewing his own conscience. Should more employees be out of jobs simply because the govt takes over healthcare? Isn't that opposite of what we're trying to get back on track? Putting people to work. Maybe he can be the one to talk to his cohorts.
CA population: approx 33 million
UK population: approx 60 million
US population: approx 306 million
Have you ever stopped to think where the money will come from to fund this overhaul? What do you think is in your pockets that this govt wants to take? Socialized healthcare is not working in the countries where it has been existing for decades. The wait times to even be assigned a primary care physician extend months. So, you get cancer and by the time you get a doctor you're dead. Yeah, let's go that direction. Or, the govt tells you what kinds of meds you can take in spite of you being on meds that have worked for you in the past. On the flip side, this would be a way of eliminating the sick, unfortunate, stupid and the broke! Try actually talking to someone who likes this form of healthcare. You people have no clue about the processes that will be in place and the suffering that you, your kids, your grandparents, and anyone with serious illnesses or injuries will be forced to endure. This country and its population is too big for a program of this magnitude. The opportunity for abuse is huge. This alone or in conjunction with rest of the trillions of dollars of spending will bankrupt America. It's hard for you people to understand all the layers and consequences involved because you're so surface oriented. Obama appears as a sugar daddy to most of you. Well, eventually you run out of rich people or you run the businesses out of business with all the taxation and then there are less jobs. Obama needs to leave the existing healthcare (which is the best in the world at this point) alone. I agree that premiums for the average citizen should be much more affordable. But, to displace a bunch of insurance company employees (I'm not talking the CEO's, I'm referring to people like you or people that YOU know) is ludicrous. We are taking gigantic steps backward and failing to look at what hasn't worked in the past. The arrogance that this is what the American all want is incredible. For the record, I don't have health insurance.
You're so full of shit on everything you've said that you stink even over cable internet.
boo hoo?
i listen to stephanie miller and ed schultz on XM... lately there have been some callers, supposed insurance agents/sellers, who want to know what's to become of them...
i liked ed's reaction... basically, find another job/profession, just like the auto workers, or textile workers or any other worker who's job was outsourced or downsized... it's called 'change'...
It's also called the marketplace forces.
I'm sure there'll still be room for insurance for care outside of what we'd get with any kind of government program.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
basically...
Yep! The good companies like BC/BS will still be around. But the slimy, healthcare denying HMO shit companies will be gone in a flash. Boo-freaking hoo!
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
There's such a thing as niche policies.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The HMOs that were the dream child of Richard Nixon.
Public health is sooo French anyway.
It was started by French Republicans in the aftermath of their Revolution.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The whole time they (the Corporatist Pigs) are selling privatization of EVERYTHING their recurrent rant has been, "The private sector can do it cheaper and more efficiently than any government bureaucracy."
Now, faced with competition from a government bureaucracy, they whine that they can't possibly compete.
Time for them to get OUT of management of the Health Care System. Let them sell bandages and pace makers to the Health Care System, where private corporations CAN compete, but get them OUT of management.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
"The private sector is better" bullshit, is just the next conservatard talking point that will wither and die once exposed to the light of day.
Privatization is nothing but a way for rich fuckers who hate paying taxes, to screw workers and steal tax dollars for their offshore tax haven accounts.
They give shitty inferior services, have no accountability, and screw the people and wipe out workers, all so a few cronies on Wall Street can pocket all the monies that use to support a vibrant middle class public sector!
Every school district and municipality in our state is trying to dump their privatized services contractors.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
for Ben Nelson's health care. Why not have the public pay for all of us?
would a fucking country-club, blow-dried, comb-over lite hairstyle like that shill has, ever work on someone that was normal?
All hail Ben Nelson, and his corporatist, eliminationist ass.
Klobuchar! Why is your name not on that letter?
Does Senator Nelson have health care?
Jeanne
I sent this e-mail to Nelson, using the address for the Nebraska State Capital to that it wouldn't be rejected:
"Senator Nelson,
I am appalled at your stance opposing a public health plan - YOU are on a public health plan that my taxes pay for. I, on the other hand, HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE or health care. I am an asthmatic who can't afford her medicine - I am intelligent and hard working - and have no health care. If private health insurance companies cannot survive a public plan - so be it. IF THEY HAD A REASONABLE PRODUCT, THEY'D SURVIVE - remember the Free Market? Act like a Democrat and support Health Care for All Americans - or get out of the way."
nice work!
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
in a fair trade for Specter?
EXACTLY nothing has changed anyway.
This douchebag Nelson could probably win as a conservative in either party apparently anyway.
Send him packing and let's roll the dice on getting a REAL Democrat in there.
When is he up for reelection?
to have health care. It's a huge burden off your shoulders.
Jeanne
to the core.
Vote The Bum Out!
in this country.
I swear we are. All these players of which Nelson is just one ensures our fuckedness remains fucked until we all just sit down, quit giving them our good energy as if any of this is real or holds any possibility of benefitting us IN ANY WAY. Stop complying be our own goverment.
Same with this bullshit with the SC, 3 on the edge will result, mark my words in the final shift weighted over to the neocons and the neolibs (same thing). There IS NO nicey-nice.
Obama is a cynical front man sent to finish the job. That's all he is.
Revolt.
Amen. Oops! It's just a matter of time before this country crumbles. Obama won't need a 2nd term. At the pace he's going he will have destroyed us in less than 4 years. Unless.....the teleprompter fails for good and the people can see who he really is. He is a puppet strung up by a group hell bent on bringing this country to its knees and causing suffering for all. Trickle down poverty. It's going to get nasty. Better have a plan.
I want someone to tell me exactly WHO is this group "bent on bringing this country to its knees and causing suffering for all." And what exactly do they get out of it?
Because I keep seeing people write stuff like that, and my first thought is "Are you some kind of idiot or what?" So maybe I'm missing something. How do you get invited to the special party where they talk about these things?
Can a corporatist (aka fascist) shill be against 2/3 of the population and be considered a "centrist".
In Nebraska, at least.
Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma: what the hell happened to those people?
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
Come on, there are a few of us here that have working brain cells. I don't think any of us are natives, and we're pretty much looking for a way to leave, though. You wouldn't think it would be that hard, there's probably only 3 or 4 of us.
Fuck you Ben Nelson. Fuck you.
What else can you really say to that? Millions suffer without insurance, and the other millions suffer with insurance. People are overcharged and racked with debt because of these companies, or have their coverage pulled out from under them without warning.
And Ben Nelson doesn't want a government plan because it might undercut Blue Cross Blue Shield's profit margin?
Such a response is crude and childish in most cases, but for this one I'll repeat it again:
Fuck you Ben Nelson, fuck you. If private insurance is so great, I'll trade it for yours you pompous ass.
Affordable healthcare in the USA is doomed because of corporate greed and corrupt politicians bribed by the robber barons.
But, as a Canadian, that is a GOOD thing!
Our single-payer government-paid but privately operated healthcare system has been working just fine for 50 years now.
Manufacturers find competitive advantage over the costly systems south of the border, and are choosing Canada to build new factories instead of USA.
You're screwed... get used to it.
:)
Our health care system is designed to strip us of our remaining assets before they put us in the grave.
you would have been great loading jews into boxcars in nazi germany.
As things stand you bet we're screwed, but you know what? So are you, so is canada. Enjoy your temporary smugness while you can. There's a chip with your name on it.
If they would bar code a person, why not bar code ammo?
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
the least of our troubles.
Whatever a chip requires I will do without. If one is put in then take it out. If enough don't comply, then they can't carry it out now can they. In fact, moves such as chipping can be just the collective shove we need to put an end to all the Ben Nelsons and Mr. smooth as silk Obama...not much is left of our operating values anyway. So, we might as well tell them all to fuck themselves, right?
Crazytown suggests that pointing our that USers get the healthcare they deserve equates to being a Nazi deathcamp guard.
Right....
Are all USers bitter and jealous of the great life that Canadians enjoy?
:)
then again, that's a chronic condition in a jerk like yourself.
You would like us to be bitter and jealous. That is a requirement of a low functioning ego. dime a dozen commoner.
You see, most of us are happy for those who have the support they need.
There is no need to compare.
Most of us are saddened for those who do not have what they need.
That makes you a low-functioner.
That's why Canadians cross the border and pay cash for their life saving MRI's. The wait is incredibly too long in Canada.
And is it also why Americans flock across the border to get decently-priced meds, instead of getting robbed for them at home?
I can keep this up all day, you empty-headed bim.
Of Course, Senator Nelson will be returning any socialized health care that he receives as a US senator in solidarity with his decision.
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught
will we realize we cannot eat money.
Ben Nelson belongs to the All For Me And Screw The Rest Party. It's written all over his face.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.
Boing!
yep! And shouting "freedom" and "values" incase we didn't get the Irony already.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
here. That is the intention unless we do something about it and stop being cooperative with all of these jackals. Fuck 'em.
Hey, I'm for you and you're for me and we're in this TOGETHER.
Undoubtably, its followers will all be wearing GOP T-shirts, to go along with that stunned look of disbelief on their face which occurs when the corporate oligarchy feeds them to the lions - and laughs their asses off at the mindless chumps.
And as the king of beasts wraps his piercing fangs around their necks, they will let out one last defiant "damn libruls" scream.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
to ask yourself is why the american people will continue to experience one defeat after another, continue to lose rights & freedoms leave war criminals loose etc etc etc....
....with the ENTIRE deck of 3 stacked in favor of the democrats.
ask ourselves just why this is.
The word 'pussies' comes to mind.
pretend pussies. they're working for the same goal. For themselves, against us.
careful crazy town thier are many who will not take you serously unless you say ............democratic...... how well i know , being politicaly .......corects the margin here between just being a troll or just being honest, how i weep for this lash up, the droids will never admit they got took by ......charsma in a thousand dollar suit,
But I keep thinking that just maybe it might take more than 100 days to undo the damage of the last 8 years. I don't think that having a little bit of patience is totally out of line.
since you are a public employee, and your health care plan is paid for by the public, that pretty much is the very definition of 'public health care,' IMHO.
In fact, I say we remove the health care from any sonofabitch who votes against, nay SPEAKS against single payer for the rest of us.
Let them practice what they are shoving up our asses, against our will.
me-oww!
We have to start coming up with real solutions to our problems. Can you imagine fighting WWII by fiddling around with market incentives to try to get the auto industry to build tanks? Come on. Single payer works. What kind of sense does choice in health coverage make! No sense at all. Gee, let's see, do I want a 10% chance of going bankrupt if I get sick, or 50%. Sheesh.
Hroman Hruska's intellectual love child.
Faces re-election in 2012
Wikipedia: Ben Nelson
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
68% in Nebraska, means 28% in my neck of the woods.
I don't know what the average I.Q. is in Nebraska, but I know 68% of them folks could be lacking.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
Didn't you see the tiny little footnote at the bottom of the wiki page?
*this page brought to you by the Ben Nelson campaign.
Whatever happened to chris-thetroll?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Time to do some wiki editing.
Lose their jobs and their health care coverage, Ben Nelson's approval ratings may tank. He'll become a member of the GOPer's 21% club.
Health care benefits should be immediately suspended for ALL members of the House and Senate until the American people have the same quality health care that these morons have
"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength" .. George Orwell
He's got some nerve denying government help when he gets it himself.
There's always free cheddar in the mousetrap, baby. - Tom Waits
I don't think we ever got a member of the press to challenge McCain to explain himself over opposing government-run healthcare, while on the same hand being on it his ENTIRE FRIGGIN LIFE!!!
These guys are flat-out morons. And so is our goddamned press.
They're gonna keep doing stuff like this over and over again until they are forced by the will of an informed, empowered and intelligent electorate to stop. Those days are a long way off.
...he said if we get the same kind of plan he has, it would hurt the brave, patriotic insurance peddlers who are just barely surviving in these tough economic times! Do you want their children to starve? Why do you hate innocent little children?? WHY??
Mr. Nelson, your guillotine awaits.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
I don't know this sucker, but I've followed his voting record. He's about as red a democrat as you can get and still be a democrat. He's sad, but then, I suppose the repugs are saying the same thing about the PA Senator.
We need to use the reconcilliation process and make this ass hole as irrelevant as the repug party.
You mean all those poor insurance tycoons would have to look for another job?
BOO FUCKING HOO.
If there's a more rapacious, blood-sucking, worthless industry than health insurance, I can't think of it. Fuck those leeches. Let 'em get real jobs, and stop sucking off the country's jugular.
There's always free cheddar in the mousetrap, baby. - Tom Waits
really re-think the way our Senate is balanced. How many people live in Nebraska? 1 million? How many people live in California? 32 million?
But yet, Nebraska (and states like Alaska, the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc etc) get two senators to go against the overwhelming tide of public opinion on stuff like this, and a whole ton of other stuff.
It's maddening, and it's definitely not fucking Democratic.
I'd also challenge Nelson to come up with an instance where ANYBODY in his immediate family has EVER been unable to afford healthcare during their entire lives. Who wants to bet he couldn't (along with the vast majority of the rest of the Senate)?
All the defenders of the status quo keep telling us how good the
current system is, why would they be afraid of a little competition?
Lets have some real competition for a change.
Considering we're supposed to be champion of free markets,
it's interesting how its resulted in little or no choice for
consumers in many areas.
"Please, not another coalition of the
lamecorrupt."There. That reads more accurately.
Blue America needs to target this crook. I wonder what his purchase price was? How much did the insurance companies have pay to bribe him and get him to sell out America?
Like-minded "centrists"? PUH-leeez! In what alternate universe is an irredeemably corrupt prostitute defined as a "centrist"? That's rich. That's really rich.
Time for this corrupt slimeball to go. As soon as Blue America comes up with a challenger, I'll be donating.
The same interests need to be eradicated from the Dems too.
[on edit - victory not vicotry]
Corruption favors the wealthy.
I always was embarrassed by this guy. Never could bring myself to vote for him. Once--I even voted Republican to vote against him. Yow.
We need to start making flyers with the photos of the corrupt assholes like Nelson on them and then say on the flyer a Proud Member of the All For Me and Screw the Rest Party. Those flyers need to be sent to their congessional/corporate offices by the thousands. Anybody good at photoshop? These corporate hacks need to be outed, nailed and CRUCIFIED!!!!!
Start with Arlan Spectar, why don't you.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summar...
After health care reform, this administration better take on real campaign finance reform before our republic is totally turned to sh*t.
I guess he'll be giving up the free government healthcare for himself, his family and his staff to show how serious he is. Every time this douche speaks in public, people should be asking him which private plan he is switching to.
Good point. Perhaps we should all send him letters asking him which private health care plan that he is switching to.
Old, white male with Government Health Care paid for by the taxpayers of America. Why should he care about us? He has his at our expense.
we must start a campaign to defeat these bastards. this issue is way too important to lose-public health is a muse!
Using this logic then we should eliminate WalMart and Target because they have an unfair advantage over other retailers.
Are such scum!
assholes off of the public dole - like take away their freakin' healthcare plan - give them a stipend, and make them buy their own like everyone else. Ben couldn't get a policy with any company that's current;y underwriting.... he's too old and he's too stupid...and he's ugly, too.
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
put some serious restrictions on corporate political campaign contributions. That's the only way you'll get your corrupt politicians off these company payrolls.
It wasn't until I watched Michael Moore's documentary 'Sicko', that I came to realise how badly you poor bastards are getting screwed by your health insurance companies, and your politicians.
Just another scumbag, like Nelson, bought and paid for. Like that piece of crap, Baucus. They will KILL us to keep their sinecures. Money and POWER! That's what counts. Not our lives.
Who needs the despicable psychotic repugnican garbage when blue dogshit democrats are there to stab us in the back? Again and again and again.
Viva Correa!! http://www.truthout.org/050209A
TIME FOR A REVOLUTION!
Therefore he shouldn't be allowed the privilege of calling himself one.
Time for someone to lose their Senate seat to an ACTUAL Liberal who'll defend "We The People".
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