Senators for Sale- More Health Care Bill Shenanigans

Ben Nelson
"For Sale"


Everybody is talking about Ben Nelson's selling of his crucial 60th vote to pass the Senate version of the health care bill. Specifically, what Nelson received was a provision in that 300+ page Reid Amendment that makes Nebraska exempt from bearing the increased Medicaid costs, which will now be picked up by the federal government forever-the only state so honored.

Excuse me, but isn't there something in the Constitution about "equal protection"? How does this pass Constitutional muster?

We also know that Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, a Republican, had written to Nelson asking him to vote against the bill. Now Nelson cynically announces that if Heineman doesn't want the exemption for Nebraska, he can notify Nelson accordingly, and Nelson will give up the exemption. Of course, Nebraskans will then be furious at the (Republican) governor. Nerverheless, Heineman continues to oppose the bill and has publically urged Nelson to vote "no" on cloture.

Then there's our old friend (and noted poet) Roland Burris of Illinois. He had been saying that he would vote against the bill if there was no public option (which made everybody laugh). He, of course, voted for it anyway. What "changed" his mind? According to the Weekly Standard, it was this little proviso in the amendment:

"According to page 241 of the amendment:

'In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary, acting through the Deputy Assistant Secretary, shall award grants, contracts, enter into memoranda of understanding, cooperative, interagency, intra-agency and other agreements with public and nonprofit private entities, agencies, as well as Departmental and Cabinet agencies and organizations, and with organizations that are indigenous human resource providers in communities of color to assure improved health status of racial and ethnic minorities, and shall develop measures to evaluate the effectiveness of activities aimed at reducing health disparities and supporting the local community. Such measures shall evaluate community outreach activities, language services, workforce cultural competence, and other areas as determined by the Secretary."'

Translation? Here comes ACORN.

"According to a Senate legislative aide, the scandal-plagued Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now could qualify for grants under this provision. ACORN would also qualify for funding on page 150 of the underlying Reid bill, which says that "community and consumer-focused nonprofit groups" may receive grants to "conduct public education activities to raise awareness of the availability of qualified health plans."

-John McCormack
Weekly Standard
Dec 21, 2009

"But wait", you say. "Funding to ACORN was cut off by Congress." Yes, until a federal judge ruled that "unconstitutional because it was in the public interest that ACORN continue to get funds".

Roland Burris' pre-fab tomb
"For Sale"


So now, Burris, famous as a buyer (of his Senate seat) shows us he can sell too.

Isn't it amazing that after so many decades of decrying corruption in other countries, we have taken the same offenses and made them a legal part of our political system? In Mexico, the people know what to call this (mordida-the bite. Here it's all perfectly legal.)