Ben Nelson All Alone In Quest To Block Health Care Reform

Sen. Ben Nelson announced at the beginning of this month that he opposed the creation of a public health care plan that people would have the option to buy into. He'd be gathering together a coalition of like-minded senators to oppose the plan, the conservative Democrat from Nebraska promised.

More than two weeks later, it's still a coalition of one.

Since Nelson's announcement, eight moderate Democrats and one Republican have told the Huffington Post that they are open to a public health care option. Two others, Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), have signed on to the idea.

Last week, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) said they were open to a public plan but undecided. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) said much the same in a letter to the advocacy group Health Care for America Now,

Add more names to the list of those open to a public option: Jon Tester (Mont.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Maria Cantwell (Wash.).

Because Democratic leaders have said they are willing to pass health care reform with a simple majority -- rather than the 60 votes needed for most Senate business -- fewer centrist senators are needed.

Those centrists are not entirely convinced, but they're not closed off to the idea.

"The devil's in the detail on all this stuff. My key is accessibility and affordability. Those are the two things, but I think everything should be on the table," said Tester.

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"I've been on Sen. Wyden's bill because I believe in a bipartisan discussion about how we can make reforms," said Cantwell, referring to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), whose bipartisan bill does not include a public option.

Cantwell hopes for a bipartisan deal, but is open to the kind of public option compromise Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has proposed. "I don't want to sign off on his proposal, but in general I'm not opposed to the concept of having a plan like that," she said.

"It's something that I'm still looking into right now," said Hagan. "I want to be sure we have affordability and accessibility, but I also want to be sure that competition's in play and that our insurers can continue to do business... I need to go back and actually research it."

"We're looking at that option to see if it's going to be competitive and, you know, if it's going to be productive. I'm still open minded," said Lincoln.

A Nelson spokesman said that Nelson is still talking to like-minded colleagues in hopes of building a coalition opposed to the public plan.

The following 21 Democratic senators have signed onto a letter to finance committee chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and health committee chair Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). Kennedy supports a public option; Baucus is open to one.

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
John D. (Jay) Rockefeller (D-WV)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Bob Casey (D-PA)
Jim Webb (D-VA)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Ted Kaufman (D-DE)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)
Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)

Note to flaks: If your boss supports a public option and isn't on this list, let me know at [e-mail].

Comments

[urnumbersix]

Public indifference is all Ben Nelson deserves. Let his constituents take care of him in the voting booth.

-And let this send a message to the insurance lobbyists. Your time is coming to an end. Better get with Obama, or be consigned to oblivion.

-And let this send a message to the Senator. Your obstructionist votes against Democrats no longer matter. No one will be courting you now. Just sit in the wilderness and whine.

[koalaholik]

I sent Nelson an email about 2 weeks agao when he first said he was opposed to the Public Health Plan because it would hurt the PRIVATE insurance companies. I asked if he planned to give up the PUBLIC HEALTH PLAN he had as a Senator (paid for by us peons) and start paying his own way. Needless to say, I have not had a response.

[tm22]

Nelson "hopes to build a coalition opposed to the public plan..." so, he opposes what the public wants, as in the people who elected him. He wants to go up against the "public" then the "public" needs to push him back hard and fast...let him know he's nothing but the bee'ach of the "public"!! And the same to his little friends, too!

[hjfraser2002]

What a loser.

[Weirdwriter]

What is Sen.Nelson's dog in this fight? Does his state have some monopoly on health insurance agencies or something?

'Cause he sure ain't fighting on behalf of his noncorporate constituents.

[marye13]

google insurance company headquarters in Nebraska - you'll see why.

[XLintLuvR]

Good question. He opposed student loan money going directly to students that would have cut about 4B because it would take away from the student lending corps in his state that administer it. Screw the public as long as he can say he saved the few jobs at the peril of the rest of the country. He should have been more concerned with seeing if he could find a way to get those people placed with other jobs instead of fighting for the corporation. He's a tool anyway.

[DoTheMath]

Just because Ben Nelson calls himself a Democrat that doesn't mean he is one.

[YouBetcha]

Right. Just look at "Democrat" Arlen Spector.

[GeorgeP922]

Whats awesome about Specter is Nelson and Bayh thought they were all tough and powerfull.

Then their club got infilitrated by two patriotic senators (McCaskill and Webb), then Landriue and that other women got ridiculed for siding with GOP and lobbyists on tV.

then, drumroll....................................

Arlen Specter switched parties, making losers like Bayh, Nelson, and Lieberman IRRELEVANT.

[TryToBeFlexible]

Public Healt Care Plan! Public Health Care Plan! Yay!

[taurus96]

Public Health Plan must be an option with the "bad guys" offering their cheaper(joke) plans or you will see people in the streets marching.The grassroots that elected Obama are ready to go.

[CAHertzfe]

Time to vote this DEM out. Nebraska, are you listening who is NOT supporting you and your families?

[lightningbolt]

But don't vote for a Republican, please. They are much worse. Vote for a third party or independent.

[WinterParkMom]

because heaven forbid that this guy should do anything that would help his constituents and the majority of Americans being burdened by way too high premiums and deductibles for less and less coverage.

I certainly hope Nebraskans remember this next year. And I certainly hope that anyone else joining Nelson will be outed by the media and their own challengers next year.

[Anonani]

Why is that guy chairing the hearings Baucus(sp?) not being mentioned here?

[Weirdwriter]

'Cause THIS story is about Sen. Nelson's one-made crusade.

[GeorgeP922]

Good Question, I never knew of Baucus to be a member of the DLC or BushDogs, but

with his immense money he gets from pharma and banking, he votes the DLC line on health and budget.

He is a person we need to watch VERY carefully, he looks like a scandal waiting to happen.

[XLintLuvR]

That's the committee he chairs. That's why.

[edwcorey]

"So, what will the Democrat leadership do?

"They will keep single payer off the table.

"Because they fear the insurance industry and the pharmaceutical industry - and want their campaign money - more than they fear the American people."

http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2009/04/nader-email-re-healthcare/

[Muzikal203]

One is the loneliest number. . .

[ROBOT8]

THIS GUY WON'T GET RE-ELECTED!!!!!!

[TheThinkerCometh]

Good news indeed!