Here is a fascinating article on the battles that are brewing among Democrats over the Health Care Reform bill, now that a delicately compromised Senate bill will have to be reconciled with a delicatelyโbut differentlyโcompromised House bill. The story contains this tidbit, the price Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb) extorted in order to compromise his pro-life convictions:
Nelson, who got the federal government to pick up the cost of any Medicaid expansion under the health reform bill in the state of Nebraska forever. Republicans said Democrats have refused to say which state would get about $100 million inserted into the bill on behalf of a still unidentified university hospital.
โThis process is not legislation. This process is corruption,โ said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). โAnd itโs a shame that thatโs the only way we can come to consensus in this country is to buy votes.โ
Nebraska would get its Medicaid bills picked up by the rest of the nationโs taxpayers FOREVER! What a deal.