Sen. Nelson Will Vote Yes on Saturday
EmailAnd then there were two. My colleague Z. Byron Wolf is tracking tomorrow’s health care vote in the Senate: Democratic Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas have not said how they will vote on Saturday when the Senate considers whether to debate health care reform. But Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska announced in a paper statement this morning that he will vote to debate the bill. Here’s how Nelson explains the vote: “For more than a year, Nebraskans and all Americans have debated health care reform in their homes, at work, and with friends at hundreds of town hall meetings. “This weekend, I will vote for the motion to proceed to bring that debate onto the Senate floor. The Senate should start trying to fix a health care system that costs too much and delivers too little for Nebraskans. “Throughout my Senate career I have consistently rejected efforts to obstruct. That's what the vote on the motion to proceed is all about. “It is not for or against the new Senate health care bill released Wednesday. “It is only to begin debate and an opportunity to make improvements. If you don't like a bill why block your own opportunity to amend it? “As we have seen before, obstructionists are inviting a move toward reconciliation by opposing this first procedural vote. Let's be clear. That route shrinks debate and amendments, eliminates bipartisanship and needs only 50 votes to pass a bill. “In the end, far more Washington-run health care policies win, but Nebraskans lose. “In my first reading, I support parts of the bill and oppose others I will work to fix. If that's not possible, I will oppose the second cloture motion—needing 60 votes—to end debate, and oppose the final bill. “But I won't slam the doors of the Senate in the face of Nebraskans now. They want the health care system fixed. The Senate owes them a full and open debate to try to do so.”
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From the other articles posted it is clear that they are being wooed through bribes and intimidated with threats from Move-On, Organizing for America, and the SEIU. So which America will they vote for? One that is controlled by the special interest thugs or one that respects the working-class that is currently being beat down.
Posted by: TX_MBell | November 20, 2009, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
This makes it very likely Landrieu and Lincoln will now get on board. A big win for the president…
But Harry Reid cannot ignore Nelson’s comments that he will oppose the next round of key votes for the Senate bill if changes aren’t made. That’s the key quote in all of this.
Posted by: Matt | November 20, 2009, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
This vote is not a very big deal – they are NOT voting to pass the bill, they are NOT voting to allow an up-or-down vote on the bill, they are merely voting to debate the bill.
Yup, Republicans are now filibustering motions to merely debate bills. This, folks, is why the Republican minority is on course to set a third record for number of filibusters (and in their first year they almost *doubled* the number of filibusters launched by a Democratic minority ever in the history of our nation). The Party of No: Even a Debate Deserves a Filibuster.
Posted by: jhw539 | November 20, 2009, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
All the debate in the world, won’t make a good bill out of a bad one.
The only way to truly reduce costs in health care, is to remove the profiteering, which can only be done, with National Health Care for all.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | November 20, 2009, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
someone reported that Landrieu has gotten a special incentive by untold amounts of pork for her state if she supports Obamacare. I wonder how much pork, kickbacks, promised political contributions, etc Nelson was given or promised for his vote?
What Nelson, and others, need to learn is that saying NO is just as acceptable and in MANY cases better than “going along to get along” or just saying YES. There is nothing wrong with obstructions, stonewalling, using parliamentary procedures, or saying “NO” to bad policy, drastic “change”, or if you don’t support the item no matter what cadres, community agitators, or political payoffs lurk in the background.
Posted by: Ed | November 20, 2009, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
They will vote and PASS this bill no matter what he majority of AMERICANS think or want. If you ask them why, they tell you we got elected and now be quiet. And I always thought the work for US.
Posted by: Lizzie | November 20, 2009, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Landrieu got $300 million for her vote. What did Nelson get?
Posted by: Lynn2008 | November 20, 2009, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
Say good-bye, Senator Nelson.
I’ll do everything in my power to get you out of office if you vote for this garbage!
Posted by: Matt | November 20, 2009, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
Senator Nelson,
Of course you should vote yes. With no debate, how can anything change? I pray that everyone in the country will be able to afford good health care in the near future. Does that mean that insurance companies should be able to compete for my business? Of course! Does it mean that the government should offer a public health care option? Probably. Why not start offering Medicare to younger people?
Posted by: Rick Fahrenbruch | November 20, 2009, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Matt, Keep dreaming. You voted for change, and you got change. It won’t be long before conservatives have to straighten out liberal mess again. Just because people were too stupid to see through Odumbo. Seiu,move on and the other special interest are trying to bully us, we’ll let me tell you we as Americans don’t like to be pushed around or told what we can’t or cannot do. So hold on I think Americans are getting tired of the chicago way. There can’t be that many morons in the U.S.
Posted by: wgdiaz | November 20, 2009, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
Sorry Matt, My post is for jhw539.
Posted by: wgdiaz | November 20, 2009, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
I think government has gone wild….totally out of control and “WE THE PEOPLE” HAVE NO SAY!!!! WOW….its CRAZY, almost scary!!!!
Posted by: israel | November 20, 2009, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
Senator Nelson is totally ignoring his constituents in Nebraska. Lets vote these bums out of office.
Posted by: ConservativeInNebraska | November 20, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
This entire government run health care venture is corrupt.
The complicit media purposefully failing to read the bill and inform the public is equally corrupt.
There is ZERO integrity in Congress and the press that facilitates the corruption.
Posted by: Angelo | November 20, 2009, 7:39 pm 7:39 pm
Harry Reid had the votes to move this bill to the floor on Monday of this week.
This is a dog and pony show to make the ‘so-called’ moderate Democrats look like they are struggling to make a decision.
Every Democrat was and is a YES VOTE.
So please spare us the anticipatory nature of the headlines.
LANDRIEU AND LINCOLN WILL VOTE YES BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY TOLD REID THAT THEY WILL VOTE YES.
Posted by: Eric | November 20, 2009, 8:31 pm 8:31 pm
Ben Nelson is a liar and we can see through him. A vote for “debate” is a vote for government tyranny.
Posted by: Freedom | November 20, 2009, 10:15 pm 10:15 pm
In my mind’s eye I would have thought there would have been some debate before they compiled a 1900 page document? Debate is what we need, just like an agent negotiates for his client, we need our representatives to negotiate for the consumer and constituents. Have a good weekend guys. Let the debates begin.
Posted by: JR Jake | November 20, 2009, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
Dishonest. A vote for debate is a vote for the bill since the next vote only requires 50 votes to pass. This is the “I voted for the bill before I voted against it” crap that cost Kerry the presidency.
Posted by: MrFreeLibertarian | November 21, 2009, 12:44 am 12:44 am
Add a .50 tax to every fast food order which exceeds 500 total calories. With the millions of those sold every day in America, that would help illuminate the issue, discourage the consumption a little, and toss billions of dollars into the kitty to finance health reform — saw a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
Posted by: Reg373 | November 21, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
Why not be honest tell the public how much they will be fined if they dont have healthcare and tell them if they dont pay they go to jail. Come on people wake up our government cant even take care of the programs it has and you want it to run our healthcare system.How often do you hear people say Im going to Canada or Europe for there specialist.The government cant even run Social Security, Medicaid or medicare and you want them to run the whole health system.They should be doing more to help us american keep our jobs and create more jobs!!!!!
Posted by: Dawn | November 21, 2009, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm