Gateway pundit has also gathered a list of some other parochial sweeteners to this deal, at the expense of the commonwealth. So many politicians, so few statesmen:
“As part of the deal to win Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson’s support, the federal government will fund Nebraska’s new Medicaid recipients. It’s a provision worth about $45 million over the first decade.” (Chris Frates, “Ben Nelson’s Medicaid deal,” Politico, 12/19/09)
“Reid already has established a dangerous precedent, by dangling $300 million in Medicaid funding for Louisiana to win Landrieu’s support for bringing the bill to the Senate floor.” (Shailagh Murray, “Reid’s recipe for getting health-care deal done,” Washington Post, 12/04/09)
Senator Mary Landrieu “walked onto the Senate floor midafternoon Saturday to announce her aye vote – and to trumpet the financial ‘fix’ she had arranged for Louisiana. ‘I am not going to be defensive,’ she declared. ‘And it’s not a $100 million fix. It’s a $300 million fix.’” (Dana Milbank, “Sweeteners for the South,” Washington Post, 11/22/09)
“By the time this thing is done, the millions for Louisiana will look like a bargain.” (Dana Milbank, “Sweeteners for the South,” Washington Post, 11/22/09)
“Reid had carved out his own Medicaid exemption for Nevada.” (Shailagh Murray, “Reid’s recipe for getting health-care deal done,” Washington Post, 12/04/09)
“[Senator Max] Baucus has modified the bill to spare Nevada and three other states, and [Senator Harry] Reid, who faces a potentially difficult race for re-election next year, is taking credit for getting a ‘major increase’ in federal money for his state … only four states meet the criteria: Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Rhode Island … The changes came at the expense of other states … which would see significant increases in state Medicaid spending under the new formula.” (Robert Pear, “Majority Leader Protects Home State,” New York Times, 9/28/09)
“Senators Charles Schumer of New York, Bill Nelson of Florida and Ron Wyden of Oregon are among those who secured special provisions shielding constituents from [Medicare Advantage] cuts. [Senator Bob] Casey says he wants ‘very comparable’ protections for his state …” (Brian Faler, “Obama’s Planned Medicare Cuts Distress Some Democrats,” Bloomberg, 12/03/09)
Sure looks like the Gangster Government that Michelle Bachman was pilloried for speaking of on the House floor:
9pm Update: and now word that monthly abortion fees have remained in the bill after all. If true – and I have virtually no confidence that America’s leadership is above legislative shell games, Ben Nelson has indeed sold out.
