So All The People On Nebraska Must Be Covered By Adequate Health Care

[Me.]

Why else would their senator be planning on doing his best to oppose Obama's plan?

“Nelson's problem, he told CQ, is that the public plan would be too attractive and would hurt the private insurance plans. "At the end of the day, the public plan wins the game," Nelson said. Including a public option in a health plan, he said, was a "deal breaker."

A Nelson spokesman didn't return a call for comment.

As he so often does, Nelson said, according to CQ, that he planned to form a "coalition of like-minded centrists opposed to the creation of a public plan, as a counterweight to Democrats pushing for it." Cont…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/01/ben-nelson-plans-to-oppos_n_194907.html

[thunder rising]

1. Ben Nelson actually leading or forming anything is a crock ... he's just a corporate empty shirt

[depakid]

2. It's time to target this guy with ads...

and let anyone who joins him know that they'll be next.

[Me.]

3. Totally Agree

Up to now Obama has asked for hands off but it's time for gloves off

[AllentownJake]

4. The problem is in Nebraska

The damn fool can turn this probably into a positive and sell the people there that he's trying to prevent an expansion of government.

You can't help people who are willing to vote against their own interest because some millionaire former shock dj college drop out tells them its in their best interest on the radio and they believe him.

[depakid]

6. My bet is that the point the OP makes is a good one

Nebraskans likely hate health insurance rip off's every bit as much as the rest of us- and they're only being given (or prevented from having) a better choice. By the likes of Nelson.

[AllentownJake]

8. You assume wrong

What you are assuming is that there is a call for Single Payer in Nebraska as there is in a more progressive state.

I'm going to use Virginia and North Carolina as an example. The reason we are winning in those state is not because we suddenly have these great new candidates. What is actually happening is demographics are changing in these states and candidates expressing a more progressive agenda are not as easily susceptible to the standard right wing attacks that work against progressive candidates in areas that don't have these changing demographics.

We need to sell Single Payer in Nebraska, we don't need to sell replacing Nelson. Nelson is just a reflection of the populace he represents.

[depakid]

14. I disagree- it's all in how you frame the message

and how you define the opposition.

Howard Dean had that one right- people want decent health care, decent schools, and decent jobs. Even in backwards places like Nebraska.

Place Ben Nelson of the wrong side of those deals- and get a credible candidate with enough money to run a populist campaign, and Nelson's in for a lot trouble.

[AllentownJake]

15. Riddle me this batman

Why is Pat Toomey probably unelectable in a general election in PA but could probably easily win state wide office in place like Nebraska?

Now frame that question with theoretical progressive candidate. Why does a more progressive candidate have a shot in a place like Virginia and North Carolina but is shit out of luck in states like South Carolina, Georgia, and Nebraska.

I believe in the 50 state strategy but you have to do education on progressive issues and how people benefit in the non-progressive states before you go off and run a progressive there and of course you have the "social issue" problems that any progressive will have in those states.

[depakid]

16. I doubt Toomey would win in Nebraska!

He might in North Carolina, though. And surely would in deep southern states.

The last two Senators from Nebraska weren't so off the deep end.

[Me.]

17. Club For Growth

Isn't winning anywhere, ideologues are not winning elections anymore. And while I don't see Nelson's polls tumbling, yet, other blue dogs are beginning to see declines and are becoming vulnerable. Case in point, Lincoln.

[firedupdem]

5. All I can tell you is when I moved here last summer, I looked at

Nelson's website and there were pictures of him hugged up with bush. There were stories after stories of how he worked so well with the President. I knew then he was a lost cause. I will never vote for him ever. He is not a Democrat. He is disgusting.

[OHdem10]

7. Good Pro-Business Conservative Democrat. (sprinkled with a bit

of sarcasm.z)

[drm604]

9. So Nelson is basically admitting that the public plan would be the best plan.

In his mind that makes it a bad thing. :crazy:

The more I think about it, the more I think that it's a stroke of genius to push a public plan as just one more option in the marketplace. Opponents can't really oppose it without admitting that it would, or at least could, win out over the private plans. That admission undercuts all of their talking points about how awful such a plan would be.

[juno jones]

11. Yeah, wherzzat that ol' free trade bottom dollar?

If capitalist insurance companies cannot compete with a less expensive and more generous public option in the open frickin' market, well, too bad. The invisible hand and all.

Are you a 'protectionist', senator?

[Me.]

12. Nice Point

Also I think Obama may be ready to start taking him to the woodshed. Nelson favors running student loans through the banks in Nebraska, in fact it is a big deal with him and Obama is threatening to use procedure to put a stop to it.

[hibbing]

10. I'm from Nebraska

Hi,
I believe he was in the insurance industry before he became governor. I love the idea of all these farmers here being against "big government" and all that crap, but any talk of taking away their subsidies and it is a big stink. My opinion is that we have socialized corporate crop production, it is late and that probably does not make any sense.

Peace

[Me.]

13. Sense Enough

Dosn't Obama also want to get rid of farm subsidies too?