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Democratic Holdout Controls Fate of Senate Health Care Bill (Blue Dog or Yellow?)
FOXNEWS ^ | December 18, 2009 | Trish Turner and AP

Posted on 12/18/2009 2:09:44 PM PST by Syncro

Updated December 18, 2009

Democratic Holdout Controls Fate of Senate Health Care Bill

FOXNews.com

Saturday: Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is a Democratic moderate who voted to begin debate on health care legislation. (AP Photo)

As Democrats race against the clock to pass a sweeping health care bill before Christmas, Sen. Ben Nelson, the only known Democratic holdout, has positioned himself to play Santa or the Grinch.

The Nebraska Democrat is pushing to include air-tight restrictions on abortion funding in the bill, but that's not all he wants.

Because of the $465 billion in Medicare cuts included in the Senate bill, Nelson wants help for rural hospitals and nursing homes, who he says will be hit hard. Nelson is expected to get his wish on that front, a senior Democratic aide told Fox News.

But it's not yet clear what else Democratic leaders will have to offer Nelson to win his support.

Whatever it is, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs to close the deal fast if he expects to keep the legislation on track for passage by Christmas. Reid is expected Saturday to release a package of changes to the bill that could run to hundreds of pages and is likely to be read aloud on the Senate floor at the request of Republicans.

*snip*

White House officials and several senior Democratic sources told Fox News that they remain confident that the impasse with Nelson can be worked out.

*snip*

Nelson has threatened to vote against the bill if it doesn't explicitly ban abortion coverage for subsidized insurance plans, even if private premiums are separated -- a distinction abortion opponents have called an accounting gimmick.

*snip*

Nelson is under intense pressure...

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abortion; benedictarnoldnelson; benedictnelson; bennelson; benodictarnoldnelson; benodictnelson; deathcare; healthcare; liarliar; nelson; obamacare; pantsonfire; reid; socializedmedicine; taxes
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Will the democrats really help us little people?

This bill isn't about health care, certainly it doesn't do one lick towards reform

It's full of taxes and government control.

Hundreds of billions in taxes even before one part of this bill is implemented.

Healthcare controlled and decided by government panels instead of those in the medical field. Not good.

1 posted on 12/18/2009 2:09:46 PM PST by Syncro
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To: Syncro
Will the democrats really help us little people?
I've had about all the help I can manage. Any more "help" and I'm going to have to start selling body parts...
2 posted on 12/18/2009 2:12:35 PM PST by jdege
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To: Syncro

Even if that jackass gets everything he wants, it can ALL be stripped out in reconciliation and the new bill with everything bad added back in can be passed with just 50 votes.


3 posted on 12/18/2009 2:14:00 PM PST by Poison Pill
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To: Syncro
We can only pray he remains steadfast. I think it is absurd that democrats are trying to fund abortions when they claim they are trying to provide essential health care for the poor and destitute...which is lioberal code word for illegals. A recent poll showed 67% of Nebraskans oppose Government Health Care while only 26% favor it. The people have spoken. Hopefully, he will listen! Photobucket
4 posted on 12/18/2009 2:14:26 PM PST by xuberalles (The Best Anti-Liberal Novelties On The Net - The Right Stuff http://www.zazzle.com/xuberalles)
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To: xuberalles

Uhh. He is a Democrat. Never forget that. There are no moderate Democrats. They are all part of the Collective.


5 posted on 12/18/2009 2:17:20 PM PST by screaminsunshine (!!)
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To: xuberalles

Does anyone else find it ironic they are killing their own future voters????


6 posted on 12/18/2009 2:18:03 PM PST by CSA Rebel
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To: CSA Rebel

I don’t think they have such foresight. lol


7 posted on 12/18/2009 2:21:18 PM PST by xuberalles (The Best Anti-Liberal Novelties On The Net - The Right Stuff http://www.zazzle.com/xuberalles)
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To: Syncro

Like the dinosaur media alerts so goes the dinosaur political rats. They fool no one, they are all in concert, all for themselves and they will all be comiserating in 2010 when we boot thier a##es out in the street.


8 posted on 12/18/2009 2:22:20 PM PST by ronnie raygun (Leaders who refuse to lead will be lead by the people)
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To: jdege
LOL, good point.

They are disingenuous to a gnats eyebrow.

9 posted on 12/18/2009 2:29:57 PM PST by Syncro (TPXIII coming this Spring! March 27th to April 15th 2010, GIANT Rally in DC!)
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To: Poison Pill
Yep, all they need to do is pass it.

Then they will rape it.

I hope that is not too strong of an analogy?

10 posted on 12/18/2009 2:32:02 PM PST by Syncro (TPXIII coming this Spring! March 27th to April 15th 2010, GIANT Rally in DC!)
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To: xuberalles

there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he will cave. and even if he doesn’t, there is always someone who can be bought a la mary landrieu.


11 posted on 12/18/2009 2:43:52 PM PST by cpray
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To: cpray

Kyl told the press this afternoon that Reid aint got his 60M

The ridiculous climate deal helps us + the snowstorm. Pray for a blizzard in DC tonight and tomorrow. They are calling for 12 to 20 inches of snow.


12 posted on 12/18/2009 2:48:08 PM PST by mwl8787
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To: Syncro; Poison Pill

No, they would still need 60 votes. Where are you getting your information?


13 posted on 12/18/2009 3:30:33 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Joe Wilson said "You lie!" in a room full of 500 politicians. Who was he talking about?)
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To: cpray

....he will cave....

His latest comments indicate he is almost ready. He will extract a nice price for him and his state.


14 posted on 12/18/2009 3:52:28 PM PST by mono
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To: jdege

Any more “help” and I’m going to have to start selling body parts...

Sorry, those body parts aren’t yours to sell,
read the fine print.


15 posted on 12/18/2009 3:59:30 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas
I said they merely need to pass it.

But with a procedure called The Budget Reconciliation Process I do believe they can pass it with 51 votes.

Of course they have to lie.

From Here:

In the last week, Democrats have begun to talk openly of using a procedure known as budget reconciliation to pass a health bill in the Senate with a simple majority, assuming no Republican support. To do that, under Senate rules, they would probably need to show that the public plan changed federal spending or revenues and that the effects were not “merely incidental” to the changes in health policy.

Democrats believe they could clear this hurdle by demonstrating that the public plan would save money or cost money.

“If a public plan is shown to have a cost to the government that affects outlays or revenues, it could be included in a health care bill using reconciliation procedures,” said Martin P. Paone, a former Senate aide who has been consulted by Senate Democrats.

For a more detailed description of The Budget Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures click on the link.
16 posted on 12/18/2009 4:02:38 PM PST by Syncro (TPXIII coming this Spring! March 27th to April 15th 2010, GIANT Rally in DC!)
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To: mwl8787
Let's hope this saves us...

Photobucket

17 posted on 12/18/2009 4:09:18 PM PST by doc11355
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To: Poison Pill
Even if that jackass gets everything he wants, it can ALL be stripped out in reconciliation and the new bill with everything bad added back in can be passed with just 50 votes.

What are you talking about? Have you bothered to educate yourself before posting. Let's go over this slowly, maybe get a pencil.

  1. It's not reconciliation, it's called going to conference.
  2. It would be 51 votes not 50
  3. The conference report is subject to all the rules of the Senate including filibuster.
  4. If the public option is added back then the bill will fail in the Senate
Gosh you surrender moneky are an annoying ignorant bunch
18 posted on 12/18/2009 4:15:30 PM PST by pburgh01
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To: Syncro

They would have to start over to do that, and they are in a big hurry. They can’t take a bill that has gone through the normal process and suddenly treat it like it has been through the “reconciliation process.”

There are some other disadvantages to using reconciliation; bills passed in that manner expire in 5 years, like the GWB tax cuts.


19 posted on 12/18/2009 4:39:32 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Joe Wilson said "You lie!" in a room full of 500 politicians. Who was he talking about?)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

Thank you ding dong daddy.


20 posted on 12/18/2009 8:02:13 PM PST by Syncro (TPXIII coming this Spring! March 27th to April 15th 2010, GIANT Rally in DC!)
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