Ben Nelson, liberals escalate feud

[seafan]

Source: The Hill

Liberal activists have significantly ratcheted up their brewing fight with centrist Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who will be a pivotal vote in the Senate’s healthcare reform debate.
A liberal activist working with an advocacy group founded by former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean has attacked Nelson as “bought and paid for by health and insurance interests” and suggested he is “corrupt” and “out of touch.”

Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), made the charges in a scathing statement that said Nelson “feels perfectly comfortable lying to his constituents” if he continues to object to a liberal TV ad criticizing him.

.....

Green’s strongly-worded statement came in response to a statement made by Nelson spokesman Jake Thompson, who criticized the liberal groups’ tactics.
Thompson said the group’s “scare tactics are certain to further divide the public on healthcare reform, make it less likely Congress will pass real reform.
“If this is an indication of the politics going into August, then healthcare reform may be dead by the end of August,” Nelson’s spokesman concluded.

Green subsequently accused Nelson of threatening to kill healthcare reform:

“Did Ben Nelson really just say that if the grassroots keep pressuring him, he’ll kill healthcare reform?” Green wrote in a public response. “That’s unacceptable in a democracy, so we will be increasing our Nebraska ad buy on Monday morning.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/nelson-liberals-escalate-feud-2009-08-02.html

---

Going to be a long, hot August for ConservaDem Ben Nelson of Nebraska.


Exposing this corporate shill in all of his anti-constituent glory will be a spectacle indeed.

[formercia]

1. Flushing these corporate whores into the daylight is a good thing.

It should have been done long ago. Now it's time to pay the band.

[curiousdemo]

39. Ben Nelson has become republican lite......

He always against something and never for something. I hope the people of Nebraska see him for what he is and kick his old corrupt butt out of office. :kick:

[bjobotts]

52. Pretends his constituents want what he wants but he's wrong.He doesn't represent them.

[Walk away]

2. Nelson's brand is shot. If he acts like a health care lobbiest then...

he is a health care lobbiest. He should just come clean and change parties.

[dmr]

78. Yup, move on and get out of the way

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Omaha Steve]

3. I voted for Ben Nelson

The only other choice was an EXTREME R! We are better with Nelson.

That said, he was the states Ins. Commissioner before he was Gov.

[defendandprotect]

7. Keep pressuring for a progressive to end the downward spiral . ...

[DallasNE]

11. How Right. Pete Ricketts Makes Jim DeMint Look Moderate

So, like you, I voted for Ben Nelson. But that doesn't mean that Nelson isn't the Senator from Mutual of Omaha. This just points out the need for public financing of federal elections. That stands in the way of a lot of progressive legislation. Ben Nelson is also a vast improvement over Nebraska's other Senator, Mike Johanns, so everything is relative.

[jwirr]

33. Like Dashle would be an improvement over Thune. We have to pick

our fights carefully. I agree pressure him now to do what is right but if he turns out at election time to be the only choice to a rw idiot it is better to have him than more pugs. You have to have lived in Nebraska to understand how conservative they are.

[SharonAnn]

57. They're not conservative, they're right-wing authoritarians.

[JDPriestly]

70. I see conservatives as simply ill informed. It's our job to inform them.

Ben Nelson seems to object to groups that provide information to the voters of his state. That tells everything we need to know about Ben Nelson. He has all that money from the insurance companies. If the ads against him are lies, then he should put up ads that he believes tell the truth. Problem isn't that the ads are lies. It's that they are telling the truth -- a painful truth that he would rather the voters of Nebraska did not hear. Senator Nelson, don't try to keep the truth from the voters of Nebraska.

[annabanana]

82. +1.

[cascadiance]

99. The younger Iranian generation is a testament to the notion of being informed...

One of my best friends who's Iranian pointed this out to me a few years back, and it has been reinforced by recent events and others have said the same thing.

Under the Shah, outside of the larger cities, Iranians were horrendous with literacy rates, and therefore were all captive to doing what the local mullahs wanted everywhere and that helped put the Ayatollah and the current regime in power then.

Over the years, even though the latest regime has censored or prohibited almost all forms of modern communications like music, films, television, etc., they at the same time required that Iranians become literate to read the religious texts. Well, yes, then more Iranians became literate, but hey, they also found ways to get to the internet, and so many other forms of what the Russians used to call "samizdat", to be able to utilize their literacy to become better informed about what's going on around the world and knowing that it's hard to blame the U.S. for their current day-to-day situations, when the U.S. no longer has direct influence over their government or the Savak like they might have construed it as being during the Shah's time.

The politics of the newer younger generation of Iranians is so much different than it was then. Back in those days the literacy rate was something around 1/4 of the country whereas now it is something like 3/4s or more. The informed intelligence of the people now is like night and day compared to then, and that is why so much of the newer revolts have been by those that were younger than college age at the time of the Iranian revolution back in the late 70s.

We need to take a similar approach of finding ways to break through and incrementally raise the "literacy" rate of these right wing folk in these states that continue to vote against their best interests because they don't know any better.

[DaLittle Kitty]

59. Absolutely True! Here Is An Excellent Discussion And Plan To Do Just That! Federal

Campaign Finance and Election Reform That Is! http://www.johnrussellforcongress.com/page.asp?PageId=68

[pokercat999]

83. I guess everything is relative, I could die from a bullet to the

temple or I could die from a 10 year bout with a horrible disease.

YOU SHOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THE RETHUG, at least you wouldn't be disappointed in the results.

[bvar22]

15. Same reason I voted for Obama.

What is wrong with our system?

[Moochy]

93. Representative Government is a "Good Idea"

Like what Gandhi said about Western Civilization. Let me know when we achieve either here.

[jwirr]

31. I understand that and I think we may actually be helping him get

re-elected by attacking him. Can't you just hear the right leaning Nebraskan's defending him against us dirty liberals?

[No Elephants]

108. Don't bet on it. In other states, they are attacking blue dogs who oppose medical

insurance reform simply because they are members of the same party that is advocating reform. They are nuts. And that's why we should NEVER worry about what Republicans are going to say about ANYthing.

[Iowa]

48. I understand what you're saying, but I'm beginning to question that logic...

"The only other choice was an EXTREME R! We are better with Nelson."

In the past I thought this way myself, but I'm beginning to think we are worse off in the long run, because this is how the plutocracy is able to keep things moving to the right; they offer a conservative Republican masquerading as a Democrat (Nelson) vs. an outright fascist wacko (the other guy). It really comes down to who's worse: a mortal enemy (the wacko), or an enemy who is also a traitor (Nelson). Maybe if we started throwing out the Nelsons, the Liebermans, the Harry Reids, the Feinsteins... maybe if we ensured that corrupt sell-outs and traitors will not be tolerated, and to hell with the consequences, we might (someday) begin to turn this mess around. Because if we keep doing what we're doing, we'll eventually end up voting for the fascist wacko you voted against, because the other guy will be even worse.

Ultimately Republicans don't work for us; they work for the plutocracy and the corps, and they serve their constituents well. But the Dems DO pretend to work for us, yet too many of them sell us out at every opportunity. And we allow them to get buy with it. I'm thinking we should focus more of our white-hot anger on the traitors who pretend to work for us, but abuse us... corrupt people, like Ben Nelson, who are able to extort our votes because the other side is even worse, and then proceed to sell us out. If we make an example out of a few of them, maybe better people will rise up to take their place. We desperately need to work toward the defeat of a few of them to put an end to the treachery, even if it means a worse candidate wins. Short-term it would be painful, but long term it may be our only hope to rid ourselves of the cancer represented by Nelson and his ilk. The only alternative I can see is a steady march to the right.

[SharonAnn]

58. By voting for Nelson and others like him, we're "enabling" them.

[DaLittle Kitty]

60. BOTH Parties Are Inherently Corrupt! If This Was Not Apparent Before, Today There Can Be NO Debate!

Florida is just chock full of these sort of criminals. From the Democratic State Chair who cashes monthly checks $3500.00 to the gd US Senator Bill Nelson who is against the public option as well, sides w/ the banks and is COMPLETELY BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY INSURANCE and BANKS!They aALL need to be exposed and harassed until the public gets the message! Finance election reform here... http://www.johnrussellforcongress.com/page.asp?PageId=68

[spag68]

62. Nelson

At least with an R, you know it is the enemy. With a traitor like Nelson, you let him pass on all the party discussions he listens in on. I've never got over the LIEberman bullshit.

[grahamhgreen]

72. +1

[groovedaddy]

91. To Nelson: resign your seat and become a lobbyist, like the rest of the corporate hacks! n.t

[cascadiance]

98. I like your typo "We let DINOS get BUY with it too much"!

Don't know if that was intentional or not, but it's a nice play on words and perhaps it or some variant of that phrase has the makings for a t-shirt to get rid of these frickin' corrupt corporatist DINOs...

[RoadRage]

64. Yup.. me too..

In Nebraska, you have 3 choices:

1. Vote R - which is EXTREME Right wing.
2. Vote Nelson - which is R-lite (aka Dem on paper)
3. Not Vote

You vote for Nelson, because he's better then the alternative.

Just like those in PA might have not liked Specter and not agreed with him on some of his votes, I think a few of those "R'S" are now wishing he was on their side of the aisle when some votes come up.

Pushing Nelson over to the R side isn't going to change a whole lot.. except make him vote more republican. I'll take whatever we can get here in NE.. although I do wish he was more progressive, esp. on healthcare.

[JDPriestly]

71. Find a progressive to challenge Nelson in the next election.

And until that time, try to get the progressive message out to the people of Nebraska as much as possible. Just set up tables in public places and put information on them. Add a few flags -- hand out balloons and talk to people about what you believe. You don't have to be belligerent or call anyone names. Just ask them what they think and ask them why.

For example, the people who are afraid of the health care reform simply don't understand what it is about. Set up tables in public areas right outside farmers' markets and the like (not in the area in which space is rented) and talk to people one on one -- gently. Always show respect for everyone even if they think they don't agree with you. Sometimes you have to talk to someone over and over. If you can just get them to explain what they think and then ask them why they think it, you can start a process in them that will cause them to rethink the propaganda and see flaws in it. That's how you change minds by a means that strengthens democracy.

[DallasNE]

87. Nebraska Democrats Did That In 2008

We had an open Senate seat in 2008. The Republican candidate was Bush's Secretary of Agriculture (Mike Johann) and the Democrat (Scott Kleeb) was very attractive -- smart and with a background in agriculture. Kleeb ran a good campaign yet still lost by a 60-40 landslide. Nebraska has moved sharply to the right since the days of Jim Exon. They are now in a league with Oklahoma, Utah, Idaho and Kansas.

[orleans]

75. isn't there an independent the lib/progressives can run to drum

him out?

i ask this of nebraska and every other state with one of these dinos

[RoadRage]

106. No..

Nelson is as far left as he possibly can be to still retain a seat in NE with a "D" after his name.. in fact, he's been close to losing it before.

Nebraska is a VERY conservative State... Omaha is the only thing keeping it from being totally off the wall Conservative - and even here in the Omaha suburbs.. it's white middle income church going fiscal conservatives as far as the eye can see.

Look, I don't agree with Nelson on this.. but he has to play the blue dog role, or he won't ever get elected again.. and believe me - the guy who WILL get elected will look similar to Lee Terry or worse. You can't run as a progressive in this state and get enough votes to even come close to win. In Omaha? Yes.. but not the whole state.. it's Rural Farmland for 500 miles west of Omaha and small & rural doesn't exactly scream progressive.

[JDPriestly]

69. Wow! states Ins. Commissioner before he was Gov. That stinks.

That's a pretty horrible thing -- to have a Democrat in the pay of the insurance companies at this time, and we have a number of them.

[quakerboy]

95. Are we?

Right now, there's not many people who don't "know" that we have "60 in the senate" and that the full blame or credit for anything that happens rests completely on Democratic shoulders. There are significantly less who realize there are gradients of democrat, or that there is a R turned D, blue dogs, an "Independent for Lieberman", etc all muddying the waters.

This means that we get the full blame if one single Democrat stands in our way. One Nelson can in effect hold the whole thing hostage. If we had 75, I would agree with you. if we had 55 I would agree with you. But that 60 number is tricky.

[No Elephants]

107. What is the difference between Ben Nelson and a Republican, though?

[depakid]

4. Never forget to use the L word

as opposed to discusing issues- or being honest about where and how some folks get their money.

[karynnj]

5. Adam Green is counterproductive

and this charge is ridiculous:
Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), made the charges in a scathing statement that said Nelson “feels perfectly comfortable lying to his constituents” if he continues to object to a liberal TV ad criticizing him.

An ad calling a Senator "corrupt" and "out of touch" is completely unlikely to win Nelson's vote. If anything, it may make it harder to get - or lead to his replacement by a Republican.

It would seem that an ad that makes a solid case for the type of health care Green wants would convince those who are persuadable and they would then call, email or meet with their Senator when he is home. I don't think an ad attacking him will generate anyone lobbying him on healthcare.

Now, I know that few here will agree - but how do get from the 39 Senators for public option to the minimum of 50 needed. Ads raising public opinion in favor of the idea and pushing for grassroots lobbying of Senators might not work - but attacking them will definitely not make them more likely to move.

[rhett o rick]

6. The only chance to "win" his vote is to wake up his constitutents to his corruption.

Maybe they can convince him. You aren't going to any other. He is corrupt. This type of tactic is risky. But probably the only possible way to get a progressive to run against him in the primaries. We may lose the seat to the republicans, but we have to take the chance.

[karynnj]

38. Do we really know he is corrupt?

I KNOW he is as conservative Democrat as there is, but I haven't seen any proof that he is corrupt.

Isn't it also disingenuous to raise money to fight for health care, but use it to favor primaring someone? How does that help the vote next month.

[tsuki]

43. Conflict of interest is not a form of corruption?

[karynnj]

45. Do we know there is conflict of interest?

(You have a better case with Conrad and Countrywide.)

[tsuki]

97. If you take two million dollars from a party before a vote

occurs concerning that party's best interest and against the best interest of the opposing party, is that a bribe or a conflict of interest?

Either way, you no longer have an independent vote.

[wroberts189]

105. add another quarter mil... 2.26 million according to KO last night. nt

[rhett o rick]

90. The odds are very high he is corrupt. But it doesn't matter. The important thing is he is helping th

the republicans destroy the middle class. We can't let these Blue Dog turn-coats lead us around by the nose. We have to start "primarying" them or we have lost everything.

The health care fight is the key battle to see who is running the country, CorpAmerica and the lacky repukes and lacky Blue Dogs, or the people. This is do or die for us both.

Ben Nelsen is a corporatist as his record clearly shows.

[bread_and_roses]

24. Green obviously aims to invoke righteous anger in Nelson's CONSITITUENTS

And nothing more likely to do that than showing them that's he's putting big insurance ahead of their welfare. And getting large numbers of angry constitutents in his face is the only hope of countering big corp $$. You don't think his fellow Senators have spoken to him in sweet reason? And in even stronger terms, considering this is may be a waterloo for the Democratic majority?

Bill Nelson is a corporate tool, and I can't see what is "ridiculous" about letting his constituents know it.

I say let's have lots more of this - the hypocritical corporate shills just HATE it when the rabble make a big noise about their blatant corruption - we're supposed to be "respectful," don't you know, and and never speak the plain truth. Enough of all that - it gets us nowhere.

Not that anything will get us much of anywhere until we have public financing of elections - we're just pissing into the wind until then.

[karynnj]

36. And tthis righteous anger will inspire them to do what?

The fact is that his constituents likely know him better than the people making the ad. The problem I have is that if you can prove quid por quo, it is important for the Senate ethics committee togo after him. However, here there is nothing backing that assertion. He votes conservatively for a Democrat, but he does represent a conservative state. (I know it is annoying that he votes with teh Republicans so often.)


My point is that I seriously doubt this is the type of ad that generates constituent arguments to change his mind. We are on the side most people agree with. A good positive ad that spends most of its time making a great positive case the health care plan, asking people call their Senator with their stories could have more impact.

Convincing people their Senator is corrupt, does nothing to sell the health care plan.

[bread_and_roses]

80. I would venture to bet that your reasonable steps have already been done - and done -

and done again. I would guess that Health Care for America Now, the AFL-CIO, and/or other groups running National efforts targeting the health care obstructionists have already done all that in multiples. In fact, I am sure they have and are.

You keep referring to "changing his mind" as if there is any reason to believe that he is acting from some deeply held conviction and not as a bought and paid for shill for his big donors. Since all the rational evidence of whatever sort - empirical, anecdotal, experiencial - is on "our" side, I can't imagine why you would cut him such long slack.

As for "quid pro quo," the entire system is set up to make "proving" it near-impossible, as I'm sure you know. We are all supposed to believe that these large "donations" are absolutely without effect, are given - why? - out of the high sense of civic responsibility our corporations are so noted for?

Everyone says that they dislike negative ads but you know what? They often work (remember the "wolf" ad against Kerry?) - and in this case, Nelson has brought them on himself by being deaf to more "polite" interventions. If his constituents understand that he is acting against their interests in favor of the vampire insurers, they'll let him hear about it. People do, even people who almost never will pick up a phone or write a letter, if they feel personally betrayed, particularly in their wallets. And the only possible hope of countering big money is angry voters telling him they'll boot him out the first opportunity unless he puts them, not his money masters, first.

[nevergiveup]

32. You are unfortunately probably correct in your assertions.

Nelson is better than another Shelby, Dewitt or Kyle and when you consider the political make up of Nebraska it is the best we can hope for. The poor man in the TV spot has likely been run out of town by now. I do think there was a slim chance that Nelson would have voted for a descent health care bill but the chances now are probably zero. I am not sure what this has gained us other than a feel good moment.

[thunder rising]

35. You're just wrong ... Nebraska may be conservative, but the ad can only provoke a voter rebellion if

the voters are interested. If the ad has no effect, then Nelson is not harmed. If it has an affect on the voters, then he's in trouble.

The best thing for Benny boy to do is to take the cover provided by the ad and fall in line.

If he wants to play "big guy" then let him take the heat and quickly to become the second most hated MF in the US ... right behind Baucus.

[nevergiveup]

49. You have more faith in the constituents of Nebraska than I do.

A great majority of them are very conservative and if Nelson says the ad is a fraud and a conspiracy they will believe him. As I stated above, it would not surprise me if the poor man in the ad has been run out of town. On an added note: I hope you are correct and I am wrong.

[rpannier]

46. This tactic has appeared to been fairly effective with

Hagan and Lincoln

Nelson has received millions in donations from Health Care providers like Blue Cross.
There's nothing wrong with reminding people of this.

[DallasNE]

89. People Don't Understand The Unique Circumstances

Ben Nelson is the Senator from Mutual of Omaha. They are one of the largest employers in the State of Nebraska making it is also a jobs issue here so going after Mutual of Omaha doesn't work. Nelson knows that. Nelson made a small fortune as an attorney working for the insurance industry before he got into politics so this is nothing new for Nelson.

I think the message on health insurance needs to change. I have no choice or input into who my health insurance provider is. In fact, I have had 4 different insurance providers in the 11 years I have worked for my current employer. A public option would finally give us a voice and choice for the first time regarding health insurance.

[KoKo]

92. karynnj, if what you say is true...how do you explain what the Repugs have

managed to do for decades...making Dems cower with their attacks both in the media and with their right wing funded astro-turfing? :shrug:

It's time for Progressive Democrats to fight back.

[karynnj]

96. You are comparing RW attacks on Democrats to

progressive attacks on Democrats. I had no problem when Democrats attacked the Republicans as "road block Republicans".

This is more equivalent to Club for Growth knocking off what we called moderate Republicans. I think that long term that harmed the Republican party and has made them uncompetitive in parts of the country.

This also is simply my opinion, clearly the people doing it have the opposite opinion. I simply think that if our goal is to get health care passed, we need to win as many allies as we can. I like the idea of Senators being pushed to at least vote for cloture. I also think that long term, a broader party will be a stronger party. I know many progressives think the opposite - that the additional breath waters down what the party stands for.

I still ask whether really good ads on what the benefits and features of the legislation are (once this is known) with pleas that if you agree call your reps, might not be the type of grassroots that push someone like a Nelson to move. (I also admit that know very little about Nelson, other than his (lamentable) votes.)

[KoKo]

103. "....that the additional breath waters down what the party stands for.".

Yeah...I have to admit...I'm one of those. Thanks for your reply, though.

[UpInArms]

8. Nelson should just change his party colors to corporate-GOP

and quit getting elected because he waves a Dem (dim) flag at the ballot.

[bemildred]

9. Nelson is a soon to be irrelevant tool. nt

[bjobotts]

53. It's being made apparent that he represents special interests over the people.

[bjobotts]

54. This issue will bring him down as too many people want and need reform.

[bjobotts]

55. On this issue you're either for corporate interests or the people's interests.

[Faygo Kid]

10. He's got to go. Join Lieberman and get lost.

An embarrassment to Colorado and the nation.

[paulk]

26. he's from Nebraska, not Colorado...

[New Dawn]

12. Ben Nelson is just like any other Republican.

[Tutankhamun]

13. That's awesome! We need to get shills like Nelson out of the party.

It just takes a little publicity and these jerks are done. Hopefully Nelson never gets elected again.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

14. Kicked

and recommended. Yup, Ben Nelson is bought and paid for. How come he's always got that inappropriate smile on his face? Does he know something we don't? Huh? Huh?

[MannyGoldstein]

16. Can Dr. Dean Take Over Our Party Again, Please?

It would be refreshing.

[Eric68601]

17. Sigh....

I'm ashamed of my Senator, ashamed I even voted for him, ashamed that I had a Ben Nelson campaign sign in my yard... but then it was either him or that moron Pete Ricketts

[CLANG]

25. Voting for the lesser of two evils is no disgrace!

[ProudDad]

47. Voting for the lesser of two evils results in EVIL (n/t)

[Iowa]

50. Exactly!

[grahamhgreen]

73. Well said. nt

[CLANG]

100. so does voting for neither

[ProudDad]

102. And how is that exactly?

I don't vote FOR anyone I can't see as MY representative...

To do less is a cowardly act...and never does you any good anyway...

Case in point -- the "new" Democrat Congress and President...

The wars go on...

The Ponzi scheme laughingly called an "economy" gets a boost from our grand-grand-kid's taxes...

The globe keeps warming...

The govt. keeps secrets and "enemy combatants"...


Wow, sure glad I voted for that "Fake Change" -- oh yeah, I didn't...

:bounce: :bounce:

[cascadiance]

101. Which makes voting for the "good' in the primary over evil that much more important!

[PassingFair]

30. Run! Fricken RUN yourself!

It NEVER hurts to have a Progressive
in the fight, even if he doesn't win,
he will keep the others honest.

[DaLittle Kitty]

61. PUPPETS WHO Will Do The Bidding Of The Corporate Benefactors Who FINANCE Their Campaigns

are the ONLY candidates that EVER receive Dem Party support. So who in their right mind wants to work for a party that cares so little for its constituents or the principles upon which it supposedly makes its case? :think:

[No Elephants]

110. How does Nelson vote that is different from how a Republican votes?

[bvar22]

18. I am REALLY GLAD....

...that Progressive Democrats are naming names and pointing fingers!
It is well past time to hold these conservative scoundrels accountable.


Wellstone had started calling them out shortly before he was killed.

"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[jwirr]

34. And Wellstone would have understood the need to be careful in states

that tend red. After all MN is surrounded by some of them - Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota. And we are not that far from Nebraska. These states flip-flop from one party to the other all the time because they are truly conservative states. Not just the politicians but the people. Wellstone lived and taught in the more conservative southern MN. He knew.

[thunder rising]

37. oh yeah, like MN is a bastion of liberal policy.

[jwirr]

42. It was until recently. And that is why he was so popular. We are here and

most of our elected state officials are Democrats.

[dflprincess]

44. The legislature is controlled by the DFL as are all the Contsitutional offices

except the governor (we keep losing that in 3 way races we are the poster state for instant runoff voting).

Both our senators are DFLers - though neither one can hold a candle to Wellstone. Of the 8 Congressional seats 3 are held by Republicans, 4 by DFLers & one by a Blue Dog Democrat.

I think Wellstone would have accepted more conservative areas electing more conservative Democrats but, especially with an issue like health care, he would not have tolerated senators like Baucus or Nelson who sell out their constiuents for their own gain. He would have approved of any effort to expose their corruption.

Sadly, I think the DSCC, DLC & DNC will do anything in their power to see to it that Democrats like Wellstone don't get elected from any area - they'd rather support crooks like Nelson.

[TheCML]

66. What?

Nebraska doesnt "flip-flop", it is solidly Republican. The only way a Democrat gets elected is to act like a Republican. How is Iowa in anyway like those other states listed? It has trended democratic lately and has one of the most liberal senators in the country, it also has a supreme court who just legalized gay marriage and the state voted for a liberal black man to be the Democratic candidate for President. Middle of the road maybe? yes, anywhere near as conservative as the other states mentioned? no.

[emmadoggy]

67. Thanks

for saying that. No way does Iowa fall in the same category as the Dakotas.

[western mass]

77. red state / blue state = red herring

There's a difference between being conservative and being corrupt. Just because in recent memory the two things have been nearly synonymous doesn't mean we have to accept this false conflation. I can accept a conservative Democrat in a red state, I will not accept a CORRUPT democrat in any state.

There is nothing conservative about opposing health care reform. It is pure corruption, bought and paid for by lobbyist $$$.

[and-justice-for-all]

19. Nelson is a fraud...nt

[nikto]

20. DON'T JUST SIT THERE---WRITE A NOTE TO SENATOR BEN NELSON ON HC!!

Take some action---Write a brief note to Senator Nelson to chide him
for his stand against the public option and for basically supporting the
staus quo because he is bought and paid for by the Pharmecutical Industry.

He is acting Republican---REAL Dems don't do that!

Here it is:

http://bennelson.senate.gov/email-issues.cfm



Now--Go get 'em!!

[newfie11]

84. I send this SOB an email regularly and get a form letter back.

He is hopeless and I don't see him ever changing. When Johann's was reelected here I was shocked. Most of the farmers here in Western panhandle voted for him. He did nothing for them as secretary of Ag and they admitted that but voted for him because he was a repug. I give up.

No I did not vote for old ben as I didn't live in NE for his election.

[dpbrown]

21. How dare Nelson hold national health care reform hostage for his special interests

It's not "reform" when you give the pharma industries and the insurance industries free rein to destroy health care for all before it even comes to fruition.

The only real reform is national health care under a universal single-payer format. That's the only way we can protect the national security interest that is our national health.

[sasquatch]

22. Bring the heat, it's time to boil the frog

[Snotcicles]

23. Deleted. nt

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MisterK]

28. Excellent . The truth is never wrong

Expose the bastard for all to see.
Good job !! Hes a corrupt SOB who sold his constituents out to insurance dollars

[scarletwoman]

29. Shouldn't Max Baucus be getting the same treatment?

[Frank Booth]

63. It seems like Baucus should be getting it even worse.

He's the one primarily responsible so far for stalling/killing any effective reform.

[Beavker]

40. I emailed his office

I told him he disenfranchised me and my wife, and has left us without representation in Washington.

I also emailed the Nebraska Democratic Party, which seems to back him, and told them that I would gladly sign or endorse anything that got him recalled.

I'd still rather have a Republican. You know where they stand. I feel much worse voting for that fucking pig and having him basically spit in my face. He's a pig. It might hurt, but the Blue Dogs need to go, even if they are replaced by Repugs. Maybe the DNCC needs to tell them to start their own party. The Blue Dog Party, or Dog Shit Party or whatever they want to be. The Benedict Arnolds maybe?

[GenCobra]

41. Garbage Humans

It's stupid that as a free country we let these whores spend 133 million in 3 months to buy senators into stopping healthcare reform. Garbage humans.

[The Wizard]

51. Nelson is not in the center

when the vast majority wants a public option.

[jeanmarc]

56. Nelson is of the same genus as Tauzin.

Never was a Democrat, never believed in anything.

He's a shill and I hope he gets his ass kicked.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

65. replace Nelson with a real democrat

or one that hasn't been purchased by the insurance companies.

[HughMoran]

68. He'd have been a moderate Republican in the 1970's

He's dated.

[grahamhgreen]

74. Now, now, I'm sure Sen Nelson can find a way to quietly pocket the 2 mil and VOTE FOR SINGLE PAYER!

[newfie11]

85. But theres more

two mil is never enough!!!

[Plucketeer]

76. Money outweighs votes

The proof is the likes of Ben Nelson! :grr:

[GreenTea]

79. I just made a donation to Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC),

I hope everyone else does too.

http://boldprogressives.org/

[old mark]

81. Thanks for this link. I just added it to my favorites, and

I certainly will use it.

mark

[mother earth]

86. Nelson's gotta have an insurance money trail. Disgusting.

Healthcare reform must include an option that keeps the insurance companies honest, if it doesn't what the hell part of "reform" don't they get? To claim people don't want it is just straight up BS.
Screw the insurance companies, we don't need them. We need health care that works and is based on profit.

We have the majority and this should be easy as 1-2-3...to hell with phoney dems, to hell with all of the corrupt in office. Drive them out of office next election, take names. If they aren't representing us then throw the bums out!

[DCBob]

88. What an incredibly dumb thing to say.. he will kill a bill out of spite?

Nelson is toast.

[lxlxlxl]

94. This is what republicans are incapable of doing, and we should be proud.

x.x.x.

[Zorra]

104. What I don't get is how phonies like Nelson can live with themselves.

I mean, walking around living a huge lie in public, pretending you are a Democrat when you are actually a corporate tool planted to deceive your constituents, a signed picture of George W. Bush hanging on the wall in your secret basement, secretly wishing you could come out as a republican, etc.

Ick. It must be horrible to be Ben Nelson.

[No Elephants]

109. I sure hope it is horrible to be anyone who opposes medical insurance reform.

[No Elephants]

111. Support Democracy for America (Dean) and/or Progressive Change Campaign Committee (Green)

Put your money where their mouth is so that they can kep fighting for us.