How the White House Got To Ben Nelson Et al.
By Bronwyn's Harbor on December 19, 2009 at 3:15 PM in Current Affairs
Besides the sweeteners — see “Ben Nelson’s Medicaid deal” (h/t Reverend Amy) — here’s why Ben Nelson and other reluctant Democratic senators caved on Obamacare (see Reverend Amy’s breaking news story below). Here is also why the CBO — that “independent” (ha!) body — just came out with its blessings on Obamacare, scoring the bill high, and saying that Obamacare will cut the deficit.
I do not know this for a fact. But I do know this. Do you know what I mean? I know that Ben Nelson was threatened by Rahm Emanuel who told him that they’d make sure he loses what he most loves. His Senate seat.
There’s a gripping scene in The West Wing series when President Bartlet desperately needs the vote of a new member of the House who is resisting voting for Bartlet’s legislation.
Josh Lyman — don’t think for a second that the last name for his character was accidentally chosen — meets with the House member on the steps outside the House.
Josh tells the Congressman that he won’t be returning to the House. Bewildered, the Congressman asks why.
Josh tells him that he will not receive a DIME from the Democratic party. Josh tells him further that the White House will find a new attractive prosecutor-type to run against him in the Democratic primary.
Then Josh tells him that President Bartlet himself will appear at a campaign event for that hand-picked opponent.
What did the Congressman do?
He changed his vote. He voted for Bartlet’s plan. HERE is the video, with my great thanks to Reverend Amy for finding this (!). WTG, Amy!
Ben Nelson was made an offer he didn’t dare refuse.
I have ZERO knowledge that this is the kind of tactic that was used on Ben Nelson et al. But I know it in my bones.
How about you?
P.S. I trust the photo isn’t too offensive, but it is the unforgettable scene from The Godfather when a movie producer is told he must hire an actor favored by Marlon Brando’s character. When the producer resists, his most beloved race horse is murdered and its head is put in the bed of the producer.
The analogy seemed, at the least, rather apt.
Oh sure, the White House sweetened the deal with some nice pork for Nelson’s Nebraska — like they did for Mary Landrieu. See “Ben Nelson’s Medicaid deal” — which is wholly unfair to the other 49 states:
Sen. Mary Landrieu got the “Louisiana Purchase.” Sen. Ben Nelson got the federal government to pick up most his state’s future Medicaid tab — forever.
As part of the deal to win Nelson’s support, the federal government will pay for Nebraska’s new Medicaid recipients. It’s a provision worth about $45 million over the first decade.
Medicaid is usually paid for with a mix of federal and state funding, but Nelson’s carve out means that any Medicaid beneficiaries who join the program after the bill passes will be paid for in full by the federal government.
It’s a sweet deal considering that many governors are worried that the Medicaid expansion will further strain already stressed state budgets. …
By the way, I have a story in drafts — i’m not done writing it yet — that will show how much harm this legislation will do to EVERY state’s budget.
Besides the huge new burdens that states will incur in trying to live up to the Medicaid enlargement, the federal government’s deficit will grow as it aids many states in meeting the Medicaid demands.
This ALSO means that every Senator should have played “hard to get,” just to see what kind of goodies the White House would give them. I’m sure that, in the future, every Senator will do exactly this.
But I still believe they also threatened Nelson, who is very vulnerable in his reelection quest. I have ZERO proof that this occurred. But I know it. I just do.
Besides threatening to withhold campaign monies from Nelson’s reeelection bid, the White House also surely promised him generous aid should he cave in and go along with Obama’s obsessive need to pass this health care bill.
Nelson proved that he can be bought. And I hope that every Nebraskan sees that, and votes accordingly.
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