Letter to the Editor

There he goes again

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Dear Editor,

In his latest misinformed diatribe, Mr. Dick Trail takes issue with Senator Nelson's vote for health care reform. The fact is that Senator Nelson voted to reduce a $57-billion-a-year hidden tax on insured Americans from the costs of the uninsured. He voted to begin closing the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap -- known as the donut hole -- which has saved 17,291 Nebraskans more than $10.2 million already this year. He voted to allow as many as 7,600 Nebraskans under age 26 to stay on their parents' insurance plans rather than being kicked off them in a tough job market.

The repeated claims and insinuations by Mr. Trail and others that health care reform represented a government takeover of health care couldn't be further than the truth. Senator Nelson fought against a government takeover of private insurance with a public option, and fought for state health insurance exchanges that offer consumers easy access to transparent private-market plans. Facts like these are why what the Pulitzer Prize winning website PolitiFact.com named "government takeover of health care," its 2010 Lie of the Year.

Mr. Trail says he hates unfunded mandates; so does Senator Nelson. His work to reduce the underfunded mandate of health care reform's Medicaid expansion for all states was a good-faith effort that resulted in an equal deal for all states and a reduction in the collective cost to states.

Regarding the McCook airport, Mr. Trail has a burr in his saddle about the wildlife fence around the airport to keep deer off the runway and avoid terrible accidents. Thanks to Senator Nelson, the final cost for the fence, that was ordered by the federal government, was reduced significantly.

Mr. Trail should also be fair here. Just because the citizens of McCook chose to name the airport after Senator Nelson, he doesn't own it and it is hitting below the belt to suggest that Senator Nelson pay for it.

I will continue to read Mr. Trail's column but each time I do I will be prepared to shake my head in disbelief and utter those four famous words by Ronald Reagan, "there he goes again."

Sincerely,

Jim Fagin

Deputy Director of Communications

U.S. Senator Ben Nelson

Omaha, Nebraska

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"He voted to begin closing the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap -- known as the donut hole -- which has saved 17,291 Nebraskans more than $10.2 million already this year."

While costing tax payers an extra $10.2 million. Although the government isn't literally taking over healthcare, mandating health insurance coverage isn't unrelated.

-- Posted by bberry on Wed, Dec 7, 2011, at 12:46 PM
Funny how the same number depending on your view can be made both a positive and a negative.

-- Posted by carlsonl on Wed, Dec 7, 2011, at 4:47 PM
Hmm... You know, I realize that someone that disagrees or critisizes an elected official runs the risk of being derided for their views. I find it somewhat disappointing that the person attacking Mr. Trail for his views is an employee of the government. Slightly disconcerting as well. I can understand some of the reasoning that Sen. Nelson made the calls that he has. I might not agree, but I can understand them. What I can't understand is why he would allow(or send) this jerk to denigrate the opinions of one man. Just for kicks I dug around to find out if Mr. Fagin did this to other folks for expressing thier opinions on some of Sen. Nelsons decisions. Yup, he does. Evidentally my opinion of Mr. Fagin is shared by others.

If Sen. Nelson were to write a letter refuting Mr. Trails opinion I wouldn't have an issue with that. But to have this henchman do it for him? Well that is pretty sleazy.

Just FYI, I am not one of the rabid GET RID OF BEN crowd. I figure that Sen. Nelson has done quite a bit for Nebraska as a whole. And I also realize that a Nebraska Democrat is usually comparable to say, a New York Republican in their leanings. But to send out a "Deputy Director of Communications" to chastize and denigrate someone for his views? This should never be done by an elected member of the government. Shame on you Sen. Nelson.

Oh, and Mr. Fagin? You seem to be a mean spirited weasel. I would like to use some other terms to describe you, but I doubt that it would pass the conditions of use for the McCook Daily Gazette. Perhaps you feel you are just doing your job, but I have to calls em like I sees em.

-- Posted by Sir Didymus on Wed, Dec 7, 2011, at 11:02 PM
That Fagin guy sure has big ears when it comes to something about Nelson.

Not many years ago a 26 year old that was still at home would be known as a deadbeat but now we have made it acceptable and make others pay for it.

Whatever happened to people being responsible for their own lives? Now we cry foul and expect someone else to pay our way. What a country. We found a way to spend another $10.2 million of other peoples (taxpayers) money. What a country!

-- Posted by ksfarmer on Thu, Dec 8, 2011, at 9:56 PM

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