Ben Nelson's health care vote deal under investigation.

[dixiegrrrrl]

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- 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 -- all Republicans -- 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.

McMaster's move comes at the request of Republican U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint of South Carolina.
http://blog.al.com/live/2009/12/gop_attorney_generals_includin.html

[WI_DEM]

1. Wow! Ben, look at how your "friends" on the other side are coming down so hard on you.

Should make you think, huh?

[Vinca]

2. I rarely support Republicans, but I have to agree this particular

deal needs to be looked at. Besides pissing me off that only 1 state gets this significant benefit, it seems old Ben managed to get cash on the barrelhead for a public option . . . which he opposes.

[NNN0LHI]

3. So you are standing with U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint now eh?

Great.

Don

[Vinca]

6. Do you think it's right that this one state does not have to pay

a dime for Medicaid? I don't. If Nebraskans get 100% federally-funded health care, people in my state should, too.

[NNN0LHI]

15. Lot of stuff ain't right

I don't like seeing our tax dollars used for luring non-union automakers from other countries to come here and scab our union auto workers out of a job and causing tens of thousands of them to lose their health insurance either. But they do it.

I would rather see this money being spent for health care for my fellow Americans in Nebraska than on Halliburton and more wars. Or to bring more scab auto companies here.

Maybe everyone will see the deal Nebraska got and demand the same thing? That would be the best. The Rethugs calling for the investigations didn't want health care coverage for their constituents. Now they are complaining someone else did get it.

Don

[Winterblues]

8. Are you for taking it away from Nebraska or adding it to all the others?

:shrug: It is the only decent thing Ben Nelson has ever done IMO and the Republicans do not like decency..Not if it means helping people anyway..

[Donnachaidh]

12. oh right -- it's decent to have other taxpayers from other states pay for ALL of Nebraska's Medicaid

Riiiggghhhhhttttt..... :eyes:

So when California asks for the same deal, is it available? Will there be a race for the other states to ask for the SAME deal?

Baby Face Nelson needs to be investigated - and anyone else who had anything to do with this BRIBE.

[Lint Head]

4. Something about Ben Nelson has always smelled like dead fish to me.

He is so cynical as to use right wing anti-abortion supporters as nothing but more votes to keep him in office with the power and privilege that goes with it.

[WeDidIt]

5. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

None of these fucking assholes have jurisdiction over the deal.

Only the DOJ has jurisdiction.

Fuckheads.

[progressoid]

7. Good. Nelson was a dumbass for thinking he could get away with this.

And so were the Democrats that make the deal with him.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

9. Yup.

The whole rotten deal stinks to high heaven.

[truebrit71]

10. In a perfect world, he votes for the deal, it passes, gets signed into law, and THEN his handout..

..gets taken back..and he is left with nothing...

[jgraz]

11. He'll still have the 20-million-dollar giveaway to Nebraska insurance companies

Which is the deal he *really* cares about.

[SoCalDem]

13. Democrats never learn..do we/they?

Our "deals" are pounced on by the media & investigated with a fine toothed comb...Look at all the dirty dealing that went on for the last 8 years...(cue crickets)...and then look at how the Clintons were investigated...

the media LOVES to investigate democrats, and the pitbull republicans love the indignant rage-rush they get from picking every nit they can find, and magnifyling it to Brontosaurus proportions.

Democrats must be like Caesar's wife..above reproach.. ask the guy who went to jail for using too many government stamps..

[NNN0LHI]

16. Dems can never win

Like I said in another thread. If the bill had passed and the health insurance companies had suddenly announced tens of thousands of lay offs while their stock sunk cable whores like Dylan Ratigan would have been screaming at the Dems for costing jobs and killing our economy. And I mean screaming. He is a screamer.

When the stock went up and there were no lay offs he was still screaming.

Dems can't win no matter what they do.

Don

[SoCalDem]

17. that damned "librul-media"..

:grr:

[Dappleganger]

14. In the end, when you take away the outer layer...

all you get is a smelly politician in every bite.

[Vidar]

18. Good. I hope they go after those that offered the deal as well.

[bigwillq]

19. Good (nt)

[Odin2005]

20. HA-HA!

I hope this has larger implications with regards to rampant pork BS.

[laughingliberal]

21. All of us here know of the same types of deal making and arm twisting that

Duh-lay, et al made in the Bush years. We remain frustrated that it did not get the attention it deserved at the time. Nevertheless, there is no way this won't be a talking point of the right for years to come. I think the best most of us can do in response is acknowledge the system needs fixing. Otherwise, our only recourse is to keep screaming charges of hypocrisy and corruption back and forth across the divide. Then we can fight about which party engages in more corruption. The best these tactics can accomplish is a stalemate and resentments continue to mount while any chance of bringing change lays dormant on the table.

[thereismore]

22. I doubt they have a case. The South was permanently allowed to have slavery. No biggie. nt

[Wardoc]

23. Good! For once they are right.

[autorank]

24. It may and it does

You can't exempt a state from a class of taxes. What kind of idiots are these guys.
They can't even pull off a bribe that's consistent with the laws allowing massive bribes.

They have to go and do something totally illegal.

Nelson is revolting.