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Google"For more than a year, Nebraskans and all Americans have debated health care reform in their homes, at work, and with friends at hundreds of town hall meetings.
"This weekend, I will vote for the motion to proceed to bring that debate onto the Senate floor. The Senate should start trying to fix a health care system that costs too much and delivers too little for Nebraskans.
"Throughout my Senate career I have consistently rejected efforts to obstruct. That's what the vote on the motion to proceed is all about.
"It is not for or against the new Senate health care bill released Wednesday.
"It is only to begin debate and an opportunity to make improvements. If you don't like a bill why block your own opportunity to amend it?
"As we have seen before, obstructionists are inviting a move toward reconciliation by opposing this first procedural vote. Let's be clear. That route shrinks debate and amendments, eliminates bipartisanship and needs only 50 votes to pass a bill.
"In the end, far more Washington-run health care policies win, but Nebraskans lose.
"In my first reading, I support parts of the bill and oppose others I will work to fix. If that's not possible, I will oppose the second cloture motion--needing 60 votes--to end debate, and oppose the final bill.
"But I won't slam the doors of the Senate in the face of Nebraskans now. They want the health care system fixed. The Senate owes them a full and open debate to try to do so."
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So Ben, are you going to being up why American's spend so much on health care and try to fix that? Or are you just going to try to figure out how to milk the wealthy to pay for it until you're out of office and don't have to address the mess 15 years from now when this country is on the brink of self annilation?
I'm still trying to figure out this mess of health insurance. Right now I pay for everything 100% from my pocket until I hit a $10,000 deductable. It's pretty fair because I just need it for the day I may need some major surgery or major teratment. just like car insurace.
Why are you politicians trying to cater to these ignorant masses that think health insurance should cover coughs, colds,runny noses, pap smears, check-ups, vaccinations, ER visits, Dr. visits, etc?
Isn't that just like using or expecting your car insurance to include free oil changes, alignments, tune-ups, brake service, flat tire repair, new tires, etc?
It is...don't think about it too hard or you might get a headache. It's pretty dog gone simple.
These people expect health insurance to cover SO much it's impossible to keep it affordable. If you expected you car insurance to do the same thing I'm sure it would create a big car insurance business that everyone hates and it would cost $10,000 per year, just like health ins.
The fact is, when people get all this stuff for what they percieve as nothing, they tend to not take care of themselves. If you need proof why don't you look at the correlation of the rise in health care costs and the rise in obesity of adaults and children in this country. That's your proof.
That should also be the proof you need to realize that this so called reform you're talking about is not going to make anyone healthier, jsut put more money into the pockets of the health care business off the backs of unhealthy Americans.
Amercica, get healthy! Eat less fast food, less simple carbs, smoke less, stop getting wasted, exercise, get more fruit and FIBER! Do yoga, stretch more!
This "reform" is nothing more than winning political points for re-elections and securing votes for future campaign funding. This will not make America healthier. It will only put a bag over the problem for while until it gets so much worse we can't ignore it any longer I fear.
What a crock!!!!! He should obstruct this bill and because he isn't, Ben Nelson is not looking out for Nebraska. If he was he would read the darn bill. There is no way he could have digested all of it in the short time it has been made available to members of the Senate. How does he know how it will harm or benefit Nebraska? I predict that in 2012, Ben Nelson will probably be the last Democrat Senator from the State of Nebraska for quite some time with this Saturday night vote to move a 2074 page takeover of our health care system along the path to become law. Hurry up City of McCook and change the name of the airport in honor of this guy.
Why do we expect more from Ben! He will vote for the final Bill. Time to remove this money spender ASAP.
Ben, you just lost my vote!!!! At the end of the day, everybody gets into lockstep. Not to worry for Ben though, the "community organizer" probably bought him off with a cushy fed position!!!
If he thinks the leadership is going to allow any debate and/or amendments, he lives in a fairy tale world!!! They want to give us all a good corn-holeing by Christmas, and they will get it done come Hell or high water!!! Enjoy your new job, Ben BOY!!!!
Here's a suggestion McCook, how about the "Ben Nelson Sewage Lagoon"?
Looks like Ben is always thinking about voting and he always votes the demo way!
Ben is a famous Politician. He is doing whats best for him.
Read how great he is and how the news media gives him credit and they want to name everything after him.
Maybe we better look around and really see what he is doing!!!!!!
I can't believe I actually supported this socialist in the past. What a fool I am.
Government takeover of Health Care. Is that what Ben was elected to do. Government takeover, Government takeover, Government takeover.
That is what it is a Government takeover.
By the way, I don't listen to AM radio and pay more taxes than you. I will meet you and debate government takeovers any where.
My name is Wallis Marsh.
What is you name????????
So when you bring up censorship at least tell me who you are.
Or are you an internet coward that hides behind your handle.
Hi Fredd
The democrats have had the opportunity to "straighten things out" for quite a while now.
Why haven't they done their job? They have had a morjority for a long time, you would think they could get any thing passed yet they haven't
Why not?
Hi Fredd
The democrats had a majority long before Obama was elected.
With their majority, why don't they do better?
Why is there any debate on the health care bill, the democrats don't need any republican support
It could simply be passed.
Hey fredd, have some more Obama/Nelson Kool-Aid!
Can you be any more of a sheep?
Obama was not elected to reform healthcare. He was not elected to improve foreign policy. He wasn't even elected to bring troops home.
He was elected because you are foolish and you hate George Bush. It's pretty simple. He was smart enought to dupe you liberals into thinking he was going to change the world and you are still hopelessly thinking he will.
What they are doing about healthcare is not going to curb healthcare costs nor will it improve any one's health.
They are politicians man, think about it!@ They are more concerned with the longetivity of their sweet positions and the back door money than you and I. I hate to say this, but if you think otherwise, you're as dopey as anyone out there.
They are simply going to force everyone to carry whether they want it or not, then they can pat themselves on the back and say they did great things for America. Then, when they're all dead and this country goes to hell, no one will be around to face the music. DUH.
Ben Nelson was also NOT elected to fix health care. He was elected to be a fiscal conservative for Nebraska's who are like minded. Now, with him voting FOR all this new liberal spending, he is now in jeopardy of losing his job for strying away from Nebraskan values. I say good ridance.
You should refrain from attaking and berating Wallis. Wallis is a good person. He is a smart person. He is smarter than you and I, and he has had a true American upbringing full of sacrifice and eventual self-made success. I would show him some respect.
Fredd, it almost doesn't seem like you know what you're talking about most of the time. I would call out Dems for censorship any day. You had Al and Tipper Gore trying to get music pulled back in the late 80's and 90's. They have pushed for the Fairness doctrine any time they can, which puts government controls over privately owned radio station's right to air what they want. They have not offered these bills ot the public before voting as they had promised either. All censorship. You wan to talk about Nazis? Do you even know what a Nazi is?
They are the ones that wanted to control national health care of Germany so they could eventually control population and social demographics. Huh. Who wants to have 100% control over our health care? That's what I thought.
Leave my health care alone!