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Go Home Translating Ben Nelson

JONATHAN CHAIT APRIL 26, 2010

Translating Ben Nelson

BY JONATHAN CHAIT

Ben Nelson votes to filibuster financial regulation, saying, "this legislation will adversely impact Main Street."

And by "Main Street," he means "Warren Buffett."

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7 comments

Please explain why it would be a loss if Nelson's seat became Republican. And to go further, when he's running for re-election, why anyone who calls him/herself a Demcrat should support Nelson. Even Lieberman didn't stoop to this level.

- tnmats

April 26, 2010 at 8:35pm

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His idiotic Nebraska Medicare provision in the Health Reform Bill, even if it didn't become law, fed into the "backroom deals" narrative and probably permanently reduced support for the bill. Now he has given the Republicans (admittedly weak) bipartisan cover for their opposition to Financial Reform, weakening the Dems on our strongest issue. It's like he's trying to take as many Dems as possible down with him. Let's not forget that he ultimately voted against the Health Care reconciliation package on the grounds that it damaged the rent-seeking student loan industry. Now he is shilling for Berkshire Hathaway. This guy is truly a hack for all seasons.

- WillPastor

April 26, 2010 at 9:09pm

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Anyone who uses "impact" as a verb should be voted out of office. Maybe jailed.

- gary21cp

April 26, 2010 at 9:22pm

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Nelson doesn't represent the worst of what Americans hate about Washington. He's become a parody, and a bad one at that, of what American see as the worst of DC politicians. The guy has gone beyond having no shame to being outright brazen in his shilling for powerful interests, and he cares not one bit how it f**ks the public or the common interest. How he calls himself a Democrat or a Republican is beyond me. He is the worst of all possible worlds and even the GOP is, I'd bet, leery of the guy. He ought to just have a "For Sale" sign branded on his forehead to make it official. Seeing him defeated in the next election will be cold comfort as the bastard will get a fat pension and a gold plated health insurance package to boot for his "service" (to the highest bidder).

- tnmats

April 26, 2010 at 9:34pm

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Hey Will, do not demean hacks by lumping Nelson with them. Hacks have some dignity and a modicum of discretion. Nelson has neither.

- tnmats

April 26, 2010 at 9:35pm

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Nebraska might be just the place to start a left-of-center populist pushback against the Nelsons of this world. What does it matter if the GOP take the seat? -- it only makes life less confusing.

- ironyroad

April 26, 2010 at 10:39pm

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Please do not misconstrue this as a defense of Nelson, but it does still matter that his seat is not Republican. If it had been over the past year, the Affordable Care Act would likely not be law.

- Fishpeddler

April 27, 2010 at 9:35am

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