Senate Clock Still Pounding Along
We knew last night that today would be all about twisting Senator Ben Nelson the moderate Nebraska Democrat to be the 60th vote to pass a sweeping health care bill by Christmas. The Democratic leadership did not let us down he has been held captive in closed-door talks in the Capitol with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, senior White House officials and others. Nelson is seeking stricter abortion curbs, ease the impact of a proposed insurance industry tax on nonprofit companies, as well as win more federal funds to cover Nebraska’s cost of treating patients in Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor. You cannot blame the guy he has them in the short hairs and they are desperate. There are more problems as Public opinion polls find support for the measure decreasing by the day. If that is not enough hand it is not MoveOn.org, which helped fuel Obama’s election last year, announced its opposition to the measure, citing its lack of a government-run insurance option. So as we move inot Saturday the fourth weekend the senate is open for business Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has been preparing a final series of revisions to the 2,074-page bill, with Senate debate expected to begin on them shortly after they are made public sometime early Saturday. Republicans have threatened to force Senate clerks to read the entire text of the proposed changes aloud, a process that could consume about eight hours. There is also a snow storm bearing down on Washington which could slow the process. What do we expect Nelson to cave, Senate clerks to read the entire text and come Monday morning we will be staring at an up or down roll call vote by electronic device on Thursday.