NPR: I can’t (unintelligible) you’ve asked the South Carolina attorney general to look into a deal that secured the 60th vote from Democrat senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska in favor of ending debate on the health care bill; isn’t that just Senate wheeling and dealing ah… normal way things are done?This transcript doesn't put across the snarkiness of the NPR reporter's tone.Senator Graham: Well, you know, it’s OK for a senator from any state to advocate for that state. Once the Federal Government puts money on the table in an appropriate fashion, it’s OK to go get your fair share. What I don’t think is OK is for a senator to basically agree to a bill that increases taxes on 49 states and say “I will vote for that bill if you’ll exempt my state.” That’s crossing the line.
NPR: Because Nebraska got an exemption…
Sen. Nelson: Yeah. Basically the bill expands Medicade eligibility to 133% above poverty. In my state of South Carolina there’ll be about 500,000 new enrollees if this bill becomes law. It’s a billion-dollar increase in terms of the matching requirement for South Carolina; that billion dollars comes from the citizens of my state and the problem I have is that it’s a burden that we can’t afford to bear. It’s going to be passed on to every other state except Nebraska.
NPR: But is… is asking the South Carolina Attorney General to look into it… is that a… a very dramatic form of press release, or do you really expect a criminal investigation…
Sen. Graham: Well no, I think it’s a legitimate issue, and to exempt one state, I think, raises a constitutional issue… It certainly doesn’t pass the smell test.
Yes, we do. There's more than one way to skin these cats. My advice is to put the comments below in the form of a letter, add a copy of the following LAT article, and copy it to every newspaper editor, every TV station......and friendly lawmakers.
I called my US senators and it was an exercise in futility. Why won't Senators tell constituents the reasons why they couldn't get the same deals other lawmakers got for their states?
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THE IRS SHOULD DETERMINE IF TAXES WERE PAID ON
MONIES, GIFTS, GRATUITIES, ETC, REC'D IN EXCHANGE FOR VOTES
REPORT TAX FRAUD AND TAX LAW VIOLATIONS HERE
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LA Times | Jim Davenport / FR Posted by freespirited, 12/22/09
The top prosecutors in seven states are probing the constitutionality of a political deal that cut a funding break for Nebraska in order to pass a federal health care reform bill, South Carolina's attorney general said Tuesday.
Attorney General Henry McMaster said he and his counterparts in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Dakota, Texas and Washington state are jointly taking a look at the deal they've dubbed the "Nebraska compromise."
"The Nebraska compromise, which permanently exempts Nebraska from paying Medicaid costs that Texas and all other 49 states must pay, may violate the United States Constitution — as well as other provisions of federal law," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said... Nebraska wasn't alone in getting Medicaid breaks. Vermont, Louisiana and Massachusetts also got help with their programs.
Along with Texas, officials in Washington, Alabama, Colorado and Michigan confirmed they were working with McMaster.
North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said he wasn't sure what could be done while the federal legislation remained under debate. Officials in the other states did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Tennessee's Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey called for his state's attorney general to investigate the deal. McMaster is encouraging a South Carolina citizen to step forward to sue to challenge the measure if it is signed into law. "We'll assist anyone to the extent that we're able," McMaster said. (Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...