Posted on 08/02/2009 7:07:42 PM PDT by Libloather
Nelson, liberals escalate feud
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 08/02/09 02:23 PM [ET]
Liberal activists have significantly ratcheted up their brewing fight with centrist Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who will be a pivotal vote in the Senate’s healthcare reform debate.
A liberal activist working with an advocacy group founded by former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean has attacked Nelson as “bought and paid for by health and insurance interests” and suggested he is “corrupt” and “out of touch.”
Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), made the charges in a scathing statement that said Nelson “feels perfectly comfortable lying to his constituents” if he continues to object to a liberal TV ad criticizing him.
Green vowed to expand the ad’s frequency, escalating a battle that could affect healthcare reform talks in Washington. Nelson cast one of the deciding votes for a $787 economic stimulus package earlier this year after he persuaded Democratic leaders to cut billions in spending from the bill.
The PCCC and Democracy for America (DFA), a group founded by Dean, recently launched the ad in Nebraska, which slams Nelson for delaying healthcare reform and accepting political contributions from the healthcare industry.
Green’s strongly-worded statement came in response to a statement made by Nelson spokesman Jake Thompson, who criticized the liberal groups’ tactics.
Thompson said the group’s “scare tactics are certain to further divide the public on healthcare reform, make it less likely Congress will pass real reform.
“If this is an indication of the politics going into August, then healthcare reform may be dead by the end of August,” Nelson’s spokesman concluded.
Green subsequently accused Nelson of threatening to kill healthcare reform:
“Did Ben Nelson really just say that if the grassroots keep pressuring him, he’ll kill healthcare reform?” Green wrote in a public response. “That’s unacceptable in a democracy, so we will be increasing our Nebraska ad buy on Monday morning.”
In the controversial ad, Mike Snider, a Nebraska restaurant owner, accuses Nelson of “leading the charge to delay heath reform this summer.”
“That’s exactly what they want; the health and insurance companies that have given Sen. Nelson over $2 million know that if they can stall reform, they can kill it,” Nelson tells viewers.
Nelson’s spokesman responded: “Nebraskans don’t need outside special interest groups telling them what to think,” prompting a blast from his liberal critics.
Green then answered with a barrage.
“Ben Nelson just called a Nebraska small businessman whose health insurance costs went up 42 percent an our-of-state interest, while never disputing that Nelson is bought and paid for by health and insurance interests who gave him millions to vote against his own constituents,” Green said.
“If Ben Nelson stands behind his spokesman’s words, he just proved himself a fundamentally corrupt and out-of-touch politician who feels perfectly comfortable lying to his constituents and going to bat for private insurers who fear competition and want to rip off the people of Nebraska.”
If Nebraskans were smart they would never eat at Sniders restaurant ever again. Not counting on that.
...I’ll be voting against him, but not because of what these liberal douche bags are saying....
And btw, the Green guy is the typical left wing lying sack of sh6t but it’s hard for me to have much sympathy for Nelson, flea/dog/lying down thing.
PCCC = CCCP
Nelson has been a milktoast moderate to this point. Now that the facist statists dems are trying to destroy him the smart move would be to declare as either an independent or a Republican. Then put on the gloves and slug these thugs into oblivion.
Just wrote him a letter NOT to support Obamacare. I have urged my brother and friend to write letters as well.
I’ll be visiting his offices soon to peacefully express my opinion.
He should change parties.
No mention of the $20,000 that Pelosi collects in campaign cash from the insurance companies every two years for her reelection. No mention of the other ‘Rats that are getting and keeping insurance donations.
He’ll cave soon enough. When it comes to a choice between doing what his constituents want and being re-elected.... well, you know Nelson’s choice. Funny thing is that his constituents will re-elect him again.
Never ate at the Syzzlin Skillet, and never will.
Might as well, the Republicans can sure use more democrats....
Anyone who actually DOES that deserves a Congressional Medal of Honor. Sadly, I dont see any Democrat willingly do that, but if the progessives want to ruin it all, be our guest.
We need a majority.
Good for you! I hope many Nebraskans do the same. Try to rustle some others up to take with you. :-)
Would that they used those words to describe Chris Dodd, or William Jefferson, or Charlie Rangel, or Kent Conrad, or..... well, time and space limitations prevent me from continuing.
“Did Ben Nelson really just say that if the grassroots keep pressuring him, he’ll kill healthcare reform?” Green wrote in a public response. “That’s unacceptable in a democracy, so we will be increasing our Nebraska ad buy on Monday morning.”
Talk about Astroturf...funded by extreme liberals, claiming to be grass roots is laughable.
A Conservative majority, not a RINO majority, otherwise it’s still a liberal majority.
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