Nebraska Voters Aren’t Impressed With Nelson’s Pork [Updates x2]
By Bronwyn's Harbor on December 31, 2009 at 10:45 AM in Current Affairs
UPDATE: Tricia posted a comment below that says it all: “This whole so-called health care reform has little to do with health. That is why it is so evil. We are watching politics at its worst.” SEE ALSO BELOW, in Update #2: My personal reply to a Senate staffer.
Nebraska voters are overwhelmingly expressing intense disapproval of Sen. Ben Nelson’s vote for Obamacare, despite Nelson’s garnering a major (make that obscene) gift for the state, in perpetuity, of Medicaid to be paid for by the feds. [That gift is so obscene that several state attorneys general are challenging the favoritism to Nebraska as unconstitutional, reports Reverend Amy.] In other words, these Nebraskans ARE mad enough to look that ol’ gift horse in the mouth, and hoist him on his own petard. As Michelle Malkin said, “Corruption stinks — and sticks.”
The political damage Nelson may have incurred in providing the critical 60th vote that cleared the way for Senate passage of the health care reform bill showed up Tuesday in a poll released by Rasmussen Reports.
The telephone survey of 500 Nebraskans, conducted Monday, suggested Republican Gov. Dave Heineman would defeat Nelson in a potential 2012 Senate race by a 61-30 margin.
The poll showed Nelson with a 55 percent unfavorable rating and 64 percent disapproval for Democratic health care reform legislation.
This polling fits in exactly with polling that LisaB shared with me: Rasmussen reports 58% of Americans are opposed to the health care plan in Congress.
I always thought that Nelson would face an uphill battle in proving to his state’s voters that he got them a great pork deal when it was more important to the voters, in the immediate term, that he oppose Obamacare. Now he’s running an ad during a football game — “Beleaguered Nelson to air TV ad tonight — in a desperate gambit to improve his standing among Nebraska voters. Sorry, Ben. You’re toast. Well, as long as the voters remember all of this in 2012 when you’re up for reelection.
This bill is so unpopular across the nation, that one wonders what on earth possessed any of these senators to vote for it.
In fact, I wonder who in the heck IS enthused about Obamacare except for the Senate and the White House and a few deluded columnists like Paul Krugman, who I used to respect until he became an apologist for this plan that does nothing but reward insurance companies and punish the middle class — all of which Paul used to fight against.
This is legislation that hardly any of us wants. Even those among us who most want health reform. We know that a system that primarily rewards insurance companies and imposes onerous taxes on the middle class is NO solution.
What’s even more astonishing to me is that Senate Democrats are using the health care bill to convince Democrats to donate to their campaigns. The Democratic base, they seem to forget, is also widely opposed to this bill.
Look at this e-mail I got, probably because I am on my senator’s mailing list, which she passed along — without my permission — to the Senate fundraisers:
Dear ______
We know how their Karl Rove politics work.
On Christmas Eve, the Senate passed sweeping health care reform. Not one Republican voted in favor. Trying to deny Democrats a legislative victory was more important than expanding health care to millions of Americans who need it.
They will spend the next 11 months spinning our health care victory into a weapon and hitting us with it.
We might have the momentum now, but we must show the GOP and the pundits that we can sustain it until the 2010 elections. A strong fundraising report will do just that, but we need your help.
There are only hours left until the DSCC’s end-of-quarter deadline at midnight Thursday. We need you to contribute $5 or more right now. Every dollar will make a difference!
It’s hard to believe that Republicans could be so united against legislation that will expand health care coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans, add choices and competition, force insurance companies to abide by strong new regulations and cut costs for families. The bill also reduces our national debt and ensures that Medicare will remain solvent. Republicans are on the wrong side of history on this one.
Now that they lost this battle, they will be focusing their fight — and their millions and millions of dollars – on defeating us. That’s why it’s imperative that we match them now and at every fundraising goal from here on out.
There are only hours left until the DSCC’s end-of-quarter deadline at midnight Thursday. We need you to contribute $5 or more right now. Every dollar will make a difference!
I truly believe that history will not look favorably upon the Republican Party. In the meantime, it’s up to us to keep them out of the Senate.
Sincerely,
Bob Menendez
Hell, Bob. I don’t know about that. History isn’t going to look favorably on you and your Democratic senate colleagues either for propping up the insurance companies because their lobbyists line the pockets of every one of you senators. Then there’s that you are completely blowing off the American people who want nothing to do with your pathetic health care bill, a clear fact that all of you ignore at your peril.
UPDATE #2: I just checked my e-mail and discovered a follow-up e-mail from J.B. Poersch, who is Executive Director of the DSCC (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee):
I wanted to make sure you saw this email from Senator Menendez. He’s right: Karl Rove politics are alive and well in the Republican Party, and we need your immediate help by midnight tonight to fight back against their insidious attacks. We only have $23,341 left to raise to reach our crucial end-of-quarter goal. Please contribute $5 or more now to propel Democrats to victory in 2010.
Thanks for your help,
J.B. Poersch
I replied to Mr. Poersch:
Oh you bet I saw it. In fact, I blogged about it. That health plan is a poorly written disaster, a boon for insurance companies, and a tax burden for the middle class.
Furthermore, in poll after poll, the American people are telling you that we don’t want this bill, and we are dumbfounded that Congress is concentrating so much time and energy on a health care plan when what we need are jobs programs that really create jobs and critically important regulations on banking and investment firms. I have always voted for my Democratic senators and my terrific representative, but I’ve begun to wonder why they are not listening to us who don’t want this plan and instead want you to concentrate your efforts on the economy.
You fail to listen to us at your own peril.
My e-mail to Mr. Poersch will likely never be read. Or, if it is read, it will not be heeded. If only Mr. Poersch, the DSCC, and the senators realized how many people I speak for.
by Ronald Scott
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