Threats, Arm-twisting and Bribery

At the eleventh hour Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat from Nebraska, has been bribed to vote for the health care reform bill.  Is this any way to run a nation?

The Democrat leadership has used every trick in the book to force through a nightmare monstrosity of a reform bill that doesn’t accomplish any of the things the American people were told it needed to do.  They have used threats, arm-twisting and as a last resort bribery.

According to a report in The Hill, the White House has used implied threats to get its way.

“Don’t think we’re not keeping score, brother,” Obama told DeFazio during a closed-door meeting of the House Democratic Caucus, according to members afterward.

The President has met with Democrats several times, behind closed doors, to twist their arms to get a bill, any bill, passed.  At this point they don’t care what is in it.  They don’t care if it raises health insurance premiums, which it will.  They don’t care if it bends the cost curve up instead of down, which the Social Security actuary says it will.  They don’t care if it addresses any of the issues it was supposed to.  They just want a bill, any bill, so they can claim victory.

Early this morning they nailed down the final vote of the 60 they need by bribing Sen. Nelson.  The bill will impose new spending requirements for Medicaid on all the states.  States can’t print money so they will have to raise taxes or cut spending on other items to meet these new requirements, they will have no choice.  This comes at a time when many states have huge budget problems because of the recession.  Nebraska, however, will be spared these stark choices.

The deal cut with Ben Nelson will require the Federal government to pay Nebraska’s Medicaid costs.  On Friday it was reported Nebraska’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.5% in November.  So while Nebraska has been spared much of the pain of the current recession, taxpayers in California (unemployment 12.3%) , New York (unemployment 8.6%)  , and Michigan (unemployment 14.7%) will be paying for Medicaid in Nebraska.

I just have one question.  Is this any way to run a government?  I don’t think so.  The Framers of the Constitution intended the Senate to be the deliberative body.  They were supposed to consider legislation at length, removed from the passions of the masses and the moment, and do what was best for the nation.  These people have violated their oaths of office.  The are not upholding the Constitution.  They haven’t considered anything.  They haven’t even read the bill, they couldn’t, it has been a moving target, turning and twisting every day as Sen. Reid sought to get each individual vote on board.  Most of these no-nothing Senators will vote on this bill sight unseen just to get it done and get out of town so Sen. Reid can say he got it done before Christmas.  But the American people will pay the price for this shoddy, poorly crafted, ill-considered hodge-podge of pork, promises and poppy cock.

Every single Senator that votes for this mess should be voted out of office whether they stand for reelection next year, in 2012 or in 2014.  The American people must remember this outrage.  Next year, the TEA parties must be larger than ever, people need to support the opponents of these Senators not just next year but each election cycle until every last member that voted for this is gone.