In a warning sign for the White House, Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska tells ABC News that he'll vote to block any health care bill that looks like the bill passed by the House. "Well, first of all, it has more than a robust public option, it's got a totally government-run plan, the costs are extraordinary associated with it, it increases taxes in a way that will not pass in the Senate and I could go on and on and on," Nelson said in an interview that is part of ABC News' Subway Series with Jonathan Karl.
"Faced with a decision about whether or not to move a bill that is bad, I won't vote to move it," he added. "For sure."
The $1.1 trillion price tag on the House bill, Nelson said, is "absolutely" too high.
Nelson's vote is critical to getting a bill passed because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs 60 votes before the Senate can even begin debating the bill. With all 40 Republicans currently opposed to it, Reid needs the votes of all 60 Democrats.
| Dingy Harry isn't going to push through a bill predicated on getting 60 votes. When it's all said and done he'll use the reconciliation process and plan on 50 Dem votes plus the Drone Biden. Even if a few Dems lose in 2010 it'll be hard to go from 60 to 49 afterwards, so he's figuring on being Majority Leader for at least another two years regardless. If the Dems lose the House that's not his problem. So the statements by Nelson and Lieberman are nice but irrelevant, unless ten Dems up and declare themselves against the bill. I haven't seen that happen yet. |
"Federal taxpayer money ought not to be used to fund abortions," Nelson said. "So whether it is subsidies on premiums or whether it is tax credits or whatever it is...it should not be used to fund abortions." Nelson also talked about the message he heard from former President Bill Clinton, who talked to Senate Democrats at their weekly closed-door luncheon.
"What I heard him say is that you don't have to let the desire for perfection get in the way of the good," Nelson said. "And that makes a great deal of sense. But I would add the caveat that we have to be sure it is not a bad bill, that it doesn't add to the deficit, that it doesn't increase taxes, and that does, in fact, control the growth in costs."
Nelson took aim at former DNC Chairman Howard Dean and what he called "the Deaniacs," who don't like his stand against the public option.
"They are special interests and they have their own agenda," Nelson said. "And my agenda, I think, is the same as the people in Nebraska, their agenda, and I am going to do what I think is right."