Ben Nelson Sold Himself Very Cheaply

And that tells me he wanted to vote for this thing all along but had to do something to make him look like he was playing hard to get so the voters at home might be fooled. It's not working. The response from Nebraska voters has been vitriolic to say the least.

Say Anything has the details of Nelson's deal:

Kent Conrad: Senator Ben Nelson Is A Sucker

And he’s right in that the deal Nelson made giving special exemptions to Nebraska can quickly be undone by future Congress’ should this bill eventually be signed into law. Once this government take over of health care has its foot in the door, its easy to undo exemptions.

“No Congress can bind a future Congress” to expand Nebraska’s Medicaid deal past 2016, when expansion in other states would run out, Conrad said.

As they’re pointing out at the American Federalist Journal blog:

...it also shows what a cheap date Ben Nelson is. His vote was purchased essentially for nothing but an empty promise. Harry Reid promised Nelson something that both know cannot be delivered, and Nelson sold his vote any way.

Of course, you also have to wonder what business Senator Kent Conrad (and his colleague Senator Byron Dorgan) has voting for a bill only 28% of his constituents support without even going through the motions of being a “cheap date.”

Nelson's toast in 2012. Those Cornhuskers aren't going to forget the betrayal they're feeling right now.