is the reality of his actions setting in yet . . .
Nebraska Democrat Senator Ben Nelson said in an interview today with the Fremont, NE Tribune, “I think it was a mistake to take health care on as opposed to continuing to spend the time on the economy,”
He went on to say, “I would have preferred not to be dealing with health care in the midst
of everything else, and I think working on the economy would have been
a wiser move.”
While it appears that Nelson is trying to find some solid ground on which to step back onto with Nebraska voters, the Democrat still is living in a fantasy land when he claims that by holding out, he, Ben Nelson was able to get changes in the bill that “took a bad bill and made it better.”
He added, "I cannot understand the level of anger and frustration aimed at me
because this language that I put together does ban (federally funded
abortions). It absolutely bans it,” he said.
Really? Well Senator, let's look at this reality: Rep. Bart Stupak, a Democrat and leader in the House in getting tough pro-life language in the House's version of Obamacare described Nelson's self-proclaimed victory for pro-life in the Senate version this way:
"What the Nelson compromise does is recognize
abortion for the first time as a benefit in a federal health plan. It
mandates that at least one plan has abortion coverage. Those are
drastic changes to the current law.” -National Review Online 12-24-09
Meanwhile, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement on 12-23-09 after Ben Nelson performed his supposed magic on the Obamacare bill in the Senate:
"Federal funds will help subsidize, and in some cases a federal agency
will facilitate and promote, health plans that cover elective
abortions."
And finally there is Julie Schmit-Albin, Executive Director of Nebraska's Right to Life and a long time vocal supporter of Senator Nelson. Schmit-Albin writes the following on NRL's blog:
"Senator Nelson had a chance to ensure that the longstanding principle of the Hyde Amendment against federal funding of abortion with narrow exceptions, would be placed in the Senate healthcare legislation. He dashed any hope of that with his late-night agreement with Senators Reid, Boxer and Schumer on unacceptable language that he claimed would address pro-life concerns."
She went on to write:
"There is no pro-life Nebraskan more devastated by Senator Nelson's actions than myself. It's a very sobering day for myself personally and for pro-lifers across Nebraska and the nation. Senator Nelson obliterated the hope of pro-life Americans who saw him as the last man standing between expansion of government funding of abortion and the Hyde amendment."
Senator Nelson still is not living in the reality that is now on the ground in Nebraska. As sure as we have snow on the ground and sub-zero wind chills, the great majority of Nebraskans are pissed off at Senator Nelson. And he is only compounding the issue with his insulting ad that is running day and night where he looks in the camera and says "I listened to you". As my father would say , "The hell you did."
It is becoming very clear to everyone but Ben Nelson. As I said in an earlier blog entry, the recent decision by Byron Dorgan, Democrat Senator of North Dakota not to run for re-election is the fate that is awaiting one Ben Nelson unless he does something very dramatic to change the dynamic. Such an opportunity will present itself in the next few weeks in U.S. Senate . . .