Rachel Maddow Probes Incoherent Ben Nelson On Stimulus (VIDEO)

Oh boy! Another broadcast, another chance to see Senator Ben Nelson attempt to reason his way back to credibility. In case you are just joining us, Nelson is part of a coterie of hack Senators who have zeroed in on some of the most effective parts of the stimulus package, only to gut them, and then walk around in front of cameras pretending that these decisions make "centrism" look credible. And, if you remember yesterday's conversation with Norah O'Donnell, Nelson justified his actions by informing her that Nebraskans were terrified of large numbers.

Anyway, Nelson took his jive nonsense on the "Rachel Maddow" show last night, and, surprise, it didn't go well. Asked by Maddow why he pushed to cut "$15 billion of school construction" monies out of the bill -- monies that would create jobs, and improve schools, which are engines for job growth -- Nelson said that the reason he pushed for the cut was because Republicans have "an aversion to money going to that sort of a program." One would imagine this line being deployed as a criticism of Republicans, but Nelson here uses it as a rationale for caving. There's no discussion of how losing the money makes the bill better, or worse. To Nelson, empty-headed compromises make the bill prettier, so it's better.

And, once again, Nelson lays the matter off on the states, which are struggling to make ends meet, a condition the stimulus package more ably alleviated before Nelson and his colleagues stripped that targeted allotment of $25 billion.

From there, Nelson just goes off the rails, raising the specter of unfunded mandates for special education and No Child Left Behind, none of which have anything at all to do with money for SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. This is something Maddow pointed out gently and professionally, which is why she has a show and the JASON LINKINS THROWING LIVE TIGERS AT THAT IDIOT BEN NELSON HOUR hasn't been greenlit.

Nelson's incoherent response: "Well, I'm concerned that once they get involved, it may not be about education, but then they tell you what you have to do with No Child Left Behind or with special education."

Does Nelson not get it? This is about school construction! I, too, would be concerned if a bunch of construction workers showed up and started drafting education policy briefs!

Maddow endured all this with grimacing and blinking, probably wishing deep down she had a live tiger catapult. Nelson continued to confuse, saying that "nobody's cutting anybody here" after he had assisted in the cutting itself. "It's a myth that education is not getting money," Nelson says. Actually, it's a myth that these funds were cut on the basis of any sort of policy evaluation. Nelson doesn't have any idea if his cuts improve the bill's efficacy at all, because that wasn't among his paramount concerns.

What is his paramount concern? Getting to sixty votes. "You can do the math," he admonishes. Yeah, well, last time I checked, it takes fifty-one votes to pass a bill out of the Senate. SO: None of this would be happening if Harry Reid ran his caucus with the discipline that typically gets applied to the Tuesday Night Free Wings And Karaoke fests that occur throughout your hometown, but there you go.

Anyway, Nebraska! Your Senator does not know what "line items" are, or how to read a bill, and so he compares apples to aircraft carriers, thinks that SOME STIMULUS = ALL STIMULUS, and probably could stand to be educated by construction workers, or tigers.

[WATCH.]

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Comments

[BCubedReg]

"Maddow endured all this with grimacing and blinking, probably wishing deep down she had a live tiger catapult."

Wow, I was laughing all the way through this. I literally had tears of laughter. This would make for one hell of a primetime reality show.

[BoVandy]

I wish Nelson would have explained this. We only get 58 votes if it's only democrats. I think you can do the math! Ben, you only need 51 votes to pass something.

[Jim Ellis]

Just more evidence that our system gives WAY too much power to rural folk when the majority of our populations live in or near cities. Why should someone in Nebraska care about job creation in coastal Virginia, Michigan, Oregon, or Florida?

I'd dearly love it if a group of flyover Reps and Sens would get together and agree to do what's best for the country and their fellow citizens, not their narrow, homogeneous constituencies. The Jeffersoni­an/Jackson­ian model allotting the same senatorial representation for a state with a population of 500,000 as that of a state with and 34,000,000 citizens just isn't terribly compatible with 21st century economic and educational dynamics.

Too bad there's nothing we can do about it.

[wadda]

I lived in Nebraska when nelson was the governor.

I didn't realize he was such a goofy bas tard.

[BoVandy]

then you weren't paying attention. Nelson is the one who tried to saddle Nebraska with a huge bill because he signed a nuclear waste dump pact, and then backed out of it when it was Nebraska's turn.

[Mavin1620]

Economics is a difficult topic, it seems, for people to understand. I cringe at the comments made by Senator Ben Nelson. With him leading the charge, I fear for it's passage. However, those who voted against the bill will be remembered by their constituents as the men who put them out of work. Rush Limbaugh is right, the Stimulus package will kill the GOP, whether it passes or fails.

[valkyrie607]

Ben Nelson, translated:

"The Republicans who are looking to join with us have an aversion to federal money going to the kind of program that helps children and other adorable things, especially if they are also fuzzy--you know, like polar bears... It's a state responsiblity, a local responsibility. I too have a concern about money coming from Washington.

As a governor I faced an underfunded mandate from Washington, no child left behind, which, you know, you don't want the federal government proposing programs and then funding them, because then there'd be federal money helping children, or even adults, people who can't pay for lobbyists, or make thousands in campaign contributi­ons...

My colleagues on the other side were very leery about that, so they insisted that that not be included at the level that it had been."

[Samalabear]

How do these people get voted into office? God, they are so stupid. There's just no other way to phrase it. "The Republicans don't like those sort of programs?" When I first heard this the other I had difficulty following it and now I know why. It was gibberish apples to oranges. Totally illogical.

[BoVandy]

Talk to the average Nebraska voter. Watch the Nebraska legislature debate a bill. It's frightening. Tomorrow, the unicameral will being day four of debate on whether or not the state should allow trapping in ditches

[Girl28]

What's really sad about this situation is that this guy weakened the bill and then walked out and didn't even vote for it. That was a b.i.t.c.h move.

[DoctorWhoDat]

Did you notice the WTF is wrong with you look Rachael had when Sen Nelson was responding to her questions.

[Tommygun264]

I just loved Rachel's facial expressions while Senator Nelson tried to blather his way through the interview. Dr. Maddow words were respectful, but her eyes were asking, "dude, are you high?". I was laughing so hard I had to pause my DVR and back up three times.

Give 'em hell, Rachel! You're the best thing on TV!

[Excitom]

This guy talks about the problem with the fed getting involved with affairs of the state, like education. He cites examples like unfunded mandates, e.g. "no child left behind."

Well the stimulus isn't an unfunded mandate, is funding to the states without a specific mandate! Exactly the opposite!

[Jesster]

That's probably why almost all Governors are in favor of the bill / plan. Maybe it would help if the governors from both parties "leaned" on their congress-people who are playing politics instead of honoring their oath to follow/respect the Constitution/Bill of Rightsand don't forget, the Declaration of Independen­ce... and of course, the Amendments to the Constituti­on... so inconvenient to those who would love to turn democracy into dictatorship - which Bush would have very much preferred.­..

So, now what?

[knixphan]

I find Rachel Maddow the best thing since whipped cream.

[valkyrie607]

I find Rachel Maddow the best thing with whipped cream. ;)

[MikeCanada]

I find Rachel Maddow irritating to listen to.

[LollieDotCom]

Then don't listen to her. Funny. She's music to my ears. It's like someone hired the world's best and brightest political science teacher and gave her a news show. I've learned more about what's really going on from Rachel Maddow than any news reporter I've ever watched or any political science professor I've ever studied with.

Rachel Maddow is the phoenix rising from the ashes of the fourth estate.

And if you can't handle hearing her voice, yes, by all means, change channels, miss out.

[NCRedhead]

Not me...she goes to the point. Brightest anchor in the news.

[garymc8]

Then you must be one of rush's boyz

[Tommygun264]

It's really irritating when liberals are smart and show the right wing for the morally bankrupt party that they are, ain't it?

[rhondadavis28]

Rachel Rocks

[karmagirl1061]

Agreed!

[Shelley50]

I almost let it by since he dug his own hole and did not communicate well at all, but I think he was trying to point out:
When IDEA was passed to ensure special needs children receive free and appropriate education (FAPE) services the gov agreed to fund 42% of the mandated requirements that such services would cost. To date, the government provides 8%. States and districts are doing what they can, with a lot less money than promised. That money must come from state and school budgets because the mandates of IDEA must be met or they risk ALL federal funding. Additionally, there is no statute of limitations on States, schools or teachers who are charged with denying a 'Free and Appropriate Education" to any special needs child. IDEA is one of the most litigated statutes in the country. That costs, too.
I think he is trying to say "We can not make (Congress) nor take (the States) any more educational mandates where the funding is promised and then shorted again. His concern that construction funds will only cover part of the total costs and the States, rather than benefiting, will end up in even deeper water.
Rachel makes good points, but the tactic of dictating unfunded mandates or worse, of providing funding only on part of a part OR on a year by year basis is the real story that needs exposure.

[SurrealPumpkin]

Thanks for the information.