Patterico's Pontifications

8/3/2009

ObamaCare: The Unreality-based Community vs. Sen. Nelson

Filed under: General — Karl @ 12:18 pm



[Posted by Karl]

The HuffPo’s Nico Pitney reports on the Left’s counter-productive campaign for ObamaCare in Nebraska:

Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) lashed out Friday at the ads being run against his position on health care reform in his home state, saying they would backfire — and might even derail the entire reform process.

In a statement issued late in the afternoon by Nelson’s office, spokesman Jake Thompson warned that if the new series of ads calling out the Senator’s “stalling” on reform were “an indication of the politics going into August, then health care reform may be dead by the end of August.”

“Nebraskans don’t need outside special interest groups telling them what to think. Senator Nelson has nothing but praise for Nebraska groups working toward health care reform. Unfortunately, he says, these outside groups undermine the sincere and dedicated efforts of people in our state,” Thompson wrote. “Recently, similar ads have run in Nebraska. Those ads by other special interests prompted hundreds of Nebraskans to call our offices, with 9 to 1 urging Senator Nelson to do exactly the opposite of what the special interest group wanted. In short, the ads backfired.”

The response to Nelson from the Left was sadly predictable. The Washington Monthly’s Steve Benen called his statement “petty.” At the misnamed Moderate Voice, Kathy Kattenburg calls Nelson “awfully touchy.” OpenLeft’s Paul Rosenberg goes straight to profanity.

All of the above — not to mention the New York Times blurb on the story — avoid the part about the hundreds of calls to Nelson’s office, running 9 to 1 against ObamaCare. While those telephone calls are not a scientific sample, they are a tangible reminder that poll after poll shows that strong opponents of ObamaCare greatly outnumber strong supporters. Intensity matters, as any study of issues like abortion or gun control will reveal. It is an incovenient truth for the Left.

Instead, Lefties like Rosenberg and the founder of one of the groups named in the HuffPo report prefer to accuse Nelson of being bought by health and insurance interests. It is true that Nelson has been both chief executive officer of an insurance company and Nebraska’s state insurance regulator, and has received a lot of donations from insurance and health care interests in his three campaigns for federal office. However, even by Rosenberg’s numbers, Nelson has collected more from Omaha and Lincoln than from the insurance and health industries. And the truth is that there is significant overlap. Nebraska has a sizeable insurance industry, most of it located in Omaha. Nebraska’s 25 largest employers include Mutual of Omaha and 10 different medical centers. It is thus no surprise that Nebraskans are intensely interested in the Democrats’ efforts to fundamentally restructure their businesses.

There is also the tiny little fact that Nebraska has been a red state since 1964.

The current state of play has the Democrats looking to steamroll moderates in the Senate (x2) and the House. Indeed, there is another round of sabre-rattling about ramming a partisan healthcare bill through the budget reconciliation process, though that is a risky gamble under the best of circumstances. Immaturely accusing a key Senator of being petty and corrupt probably worsens the Left’s odds, but I wish them the best of luck with that tactic.

Update: There was intensity on display over the weekend in Philadelphia, where “[a] raucous standing-room-only crowd of more than 400 cheered, jeered, and booed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.” Let’s go to the video.

–Karl

65 Responses to “ObamaCare: The Unreality-based Community vs. Sen. Nelson”

  1. It is easy for the Leftists/Progressives to demonize those that oppose them,
    for their position is so much superior to us mere mortals.

    AD - RtR/OS! (d9867d)

  2. It just shows the lefts open contempt of democratic principles and the will of the people. Reject their cheap propaganda ploys and you’re “petty” and you’re a &^#$$%#@.

    SGT Ted (c47cc2)

  3. The left cannot operate in the sunlight. Their ideals will be rejected as the scam that they are.

    Obama’s healthcare plan has nothing to do with helping people obtain medical care, and everything to do with gaining power by regulation, the power to allocate funds to favored recipients.

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  4. They’ve learned nothing from the Telegraph’s inane telephone efforts to turn Ohio against Bush in the prior election. Sentiment in that campaign ran over 10 to 1 against, with many of those polled telling the snotty Brits to f-ck off!

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  5. I always enjoy watching the moaning on the far left when the machinations of “our betters” are rejected by the rank and file people, you know, the folks whose wishes the Congressmen and Senators are supposed to be representing!

    It reminds me of O! during the campaign hand wringing over how folks could “vote against their economic interest!”…

    They just don’t get it when their connivances and contrivances are rejected by folks who, although less educated, have a much firmer grasp over what is going on then the high and mighty believe…

    And I hope that all of those congressional types who voted for the spendulus, cap-n-trade, and are considering voting for Obamacare get the same earful that specter got in the video you linked to.

    Anf let’s hope that the resolve to vote out of office in 2010 all of the “betters” who actually voted against their constituents “best economic interests” by choosing to increase the size and debt of our nation…

    Nice piece, as usual, Karl…

    The Oracle not at Delphi (99fc1b)

  6. They’ve learned nothing from the Telegraph’s inane telephone efforts to turn Ohio against Bush in the prior election.

    Huh? The Telegraph is a Tory rag, which would make you a boob.

    spart (86ff05)

  7. The Left and the other members of the political caste live in an echo chamber. Being expoused to reality will not change their minds.

    Until the barbarians are on Capitol Hill hanging them they will ignore the Constitution and the citizens.

    Thomas Jackson (8ffd46)

  8. spart, Dmac meant the Guardian. But since you didn’t have any idea what he was talking about, calling him a boob does not put you any higher on the scale.

    SPQR (5811e9)

  9. Well done, Karl.

    I’m thinking that the sound of the other show dropping will coincide with the delayed release of government revenue and spending in the second quarter. For those of us who were called “cynics” or some such for questioning the motivation of the delay the news reported today by AP that tax revenues tanked big time is bittersweet vindication.

    Under the big tent of delicious irony is the 52% nosedive in Corporate tax revenues. Not too long ago we were awash in in “outrage” over “windfall profits” and “corporate greed.” Even San Fran Nana took several pointed shots at “greedy insurance companies.”

    Boy, howdy, I’ll bet those same congress critters wish they had those “windfall” tax revenues back.

    Perhaps they’ll still pass some stripped down skeleton of a bill but I suspect that both “real” health care reform as well as Waxman’s Cap and Burp are destined for the “clunker heap.”

    BJTexs (a2cb5a)

  10. I was listening to Rush Limbaugh this morning. The party line on the demonstrations at town halls and constituent meetings–Specter getting booed in Philadelphia, Representative Dogget getting overwhelmed in Austin is an interesting one. A “concerned woman” called Rush to say that she had heard that “outsiders” were bussing people to these meetings, with instructions to interrupt things, to carefully disperse through the crowds to that the protests appeared bigger than they actually were etc. Her supposed source for this was either NBC or MSNBC.

    Rush’s comment was “It’s about damned time” that some folks in the healthcare dispute adapted the Saul Alinsky/Acorn/Community Organizer playbook.

    It’s going to be an interesting August. Here in Glendale CA, my Congress critter, Adam Schiff, out Pelosi’s Pelosi. I don’t think I’m on the “invite list” for his town halls.

    Mike Myers (674050)

  11. “Instead, Lefties like Rosenberg and the founder of one of the groups named in the HuffPo report prefer to accuse Nelson of being bought by health and insurance interests. It is true that Nelson has been both chief executive officer of an insurance company and Nebraska’s state insurance regulator, and has received a lot of donations from insurance and health care interests in his three campaigns for federal office.”

    Nelson actually has some relevant experience on the subject of health insurance compared to the other Bozos in Congress. WE MUST DEMONIZE HIM!!!!! We know what is good for you, people like Nelson, with experience, do not. Pay no attention to what he says.

    I believe Rosenburg used to be one of the more pompous obnoxious flamethowers in Greenwald’s comment section.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  12. The lefties at Washington Monthly (Benen) are convinced the tea parties are all astroturf by Republicans. They simply do not understand what is going on. One reason the Republicans are not up in the polls is that they ruined their reputation for economic knowledge and now Democrats are ruining what is left of theirs.

    Mike K (addb13)

  13. Until the barbarians are on Capitol Hill hanging them they will ignore the Constitution and the citizens.

    I almost got so happy at the thought. Chills down my leg.

    Frankly it would not do our Democracy any harm at his time. These guys simply ignore everyone except their big contributors.

    Fear is a wonderful motivator.

    HeavenSent (01a566)

  14. Benen lives in a bubble.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  15. spart, Dmac meant the Guardian

    I did, and thank you for the correction – but the frontal lobotomy commenter still displays a bad case of aftershock.

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  16. Bubble? Bubble! You bootlicking authoritarian racist wingnutters live in a bubble.

    JD (b292bd)

  17. Barack Obama is worried about socializing health care while people are losing their jobs.

    I don’t think Barack Obama cares about people like me.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  18. That’s because you’re likely part of the middle class – and hardly anyone from that economic segment voted for him, either.

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  19. The Obama Statists are all worried that they may be rejected once again. Their poor little egos can’t stand up to the truth.

    One question I don’t see asked these Democrats is, “You want to tax soda, hamburgers, and ration health care, but you say nothing about cutting off gays from health care once they contract AIDS?” Why are Gays more valuable than the people that built this country like veterans and pensioners?

    PCD (fb6979)

  20. You’re sick and stupid.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  21. Public option is the trojan horse for single-payer. Funny how the media does not want to discuss that.

    JD (b292bd)

  22. BTW – Excellent post, Karl. You bootlicking racist authoritarian jackbooted thug.

    JD (b292bd)

  23. They should really just run ads that obama the kenyan is gonna kill your grandma.

    imdw (017d51)

  24. We need to cash in our Congressional clunkers for a nice new patriot model.

    bill-tb (365bd9)

  25. My grandma is dead already. She was like 94 or 97 or something. She liked poppy seed dressing and riddles and Larry King.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  26. Another missing village idiot is found.

    JD (b292bd)

  27. Another missing village idiot is found.

    JD (b292bd)

  28. imdw – They should say Obama the Kenyan muslim is going to kill your grandma. Just a minor correction.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  29. Nebraska also has the world’s most knowledgeable insurance company investor, Warren Buffett, a Democrat. I would assume that Nelson knows him and talks to him. I’d love to know what Warren says behind closed doors.

    Charlie Davis (ca1937)

  30. This picture illustrates just how concerned Obama and his cronies care about us, the American population. Even his friends must wonder.
    Obama Really Cares

    JohnFLob (710661)

  31. I wouldn’t be too sure of Buffet – he thinks the rich don’t pay nearly enough, and that the estate tax is totally fair and equitable.

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  32. There is a lot of delusional stuff going on at lefty web sites; like denying that Obama targets elderly or that “counseling” is a small step to euthanasia. In Holland for the past 20 years, euthanasia is against the law BUT, an ER doc who admits a chronic lung patient to the hospital loses his job. They get a lethal injection in the ER, no consent, and nobody talks about it.

    I am in favor of a national health plan but not the lies and political log rolling I see here.

    A good piece on the state of affairs right now.

    Mike K (addb13)

  33. Obama Really Cares
    Comment by JohnFLob — 8/3/2009 @ 6:40 pm

    Thomas Lifson of the American Thinker:

    I am stunned that the official White House Blog published this picture and that it is in the public domain. The body language is most revealing. Sergeant Crowley, the sole class act in this trio, helps the handicapped Professor Gates down the stairs, while Barack Obama, heedless of the infirmities of his friend and fellow victim of self-defined racial profiling, strides ahead on his own. So who is compassionate? And who is so self-involved and arrogant that he is oblivious?

    Well, your link and it leading to the photo of Crowley, Gates and Obama with the description above forces me to insert the following, per below. BTW, Lifson didn’t even mention that Obama strode out without a jacket, while the two he was escorting, if you will, were still in full business-suit attire. So that alone made Barry seem even more cavalier and nonchalant about the whole pathetic affair.

    atangledweb.squarespace.co

    I found this to be rather interesting list, it’s Obama’s charitable donations expressed as a % of his income…do you notice how his hitherto miserly contributions suddenly INCREASE as his political prospects increase? Mmmmm…now surely Obama wouldn’t be just another calculating political opportunist, would he?

    2006: 6.1%
    2005: 4.7%
    2004: 1.2%
    2003: 1.4%
    2002: 0.4%
    2001: 0.5%
    2000: 0.9%


    New York Times, March 2008:

    Senator Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, sharply increased their charitable donations as Mr. Obama began to run for president and the family’s income increased from book sales, according to tax returns that the couple released on Tuesday.

    Some of the largest donations went to the Trinity United Church of Christ, whose pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., has been in the news for inflammatory messages in his sermons, causing Mr. Obama to distance himself from Mr. Wright, his former spiritual mentor.

    All told, the couple gave $27,500 to the church in 2005 and 2006.

    Although the campaign has not released the couple’s 2007 return, it has said the Obamas gave $240,000 to charity in 2007. This compares with charitable donations as low as $1,050 a few years ago.

    The Obamas’ returns are striking on a number of levels. They show that the couple made very few charitable contributions, sometimes less than 1 percent of taxable income, until Mr. Obama began his run for the White House.

    Mark (411533)

  34. If US Health care sucks … why do Asians in the US live longer than Asians in Asia?

    US Asians live nearly 2 years longer than in vaunted Japan.

    Anyone?????????????????????

    HeavenSent (01a566)

  35. Obviously they have national health care so they euthanize the old ones.

    spart (86ff05)

  36. Let’s go to the video.

    While you do that, I’ll make sure to also go here, to a picture that speaks a thousand words.

    We Americans have put a joker — a “goddamn America” joker, at that — into the White House, and for that we should be eternally embarrassed.

    Mark (411533)

  37. In other words, spart, you have no idea what you are talking about but insist on interrupting adult conversation.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  38. Err, post #36 – adult conversation?

    debunk that.

    spart (a1ba01)

  39. #

    Obviously they have national health care so they euthanize the old ones.

    Comment by spart — 8/3/2009 @ 9:32 pm

    spart – Why do you need national health care to do that?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  40. It is a bad version of alphie/sniffles/et al. Nothing more.

    JD (ff4baa)

  41. Barack Obama = Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar

    YEAH! That’s the ticket.

    HeavenSent (01a566)

  42. “While you do that, I’ll make sure to also go here, to a picture that speaks a thousand words.

    We Americans have put a joker — a “goddamn America” joker, at that — into the White House, and for that we should be eternally embarrassed.”

    Back when dubya was president, there were lots of caricatures of him. Thye were all over the place, and different. Its not like there was just one that all that everyone liked and linked to and saw as some sort of revelation on drudgereport. What is up with you people?

    imdw (603c39)

  43. We tend to view rampant hypocricy as the de rigeur tool of the left – and you keep proving our point, ad nauseum.

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  44. Speaking of hypocricy – here’s a vid of a Blue Dog Rep. from Ohio at his town hall meeting yesterday. Watch the end (at about one minute) where his reaction to a constituent’s question is priceless. These guys have no idea what’s going on outside of their bubbles, this month’s going to be a real hoot:

    http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/liberal-blue-dog-rep-steve-driehaus-d.htm

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  45. Dmac – Did that imdw/alphie thing try to advance theposition that lots of caricatures were okay, but one caricature is bad?

    JD (30371c)

  46. That was certainly my take – and as evidenced by it’s prior postings, I don’t know what other angle you could take on it. Breathtakingly assinine, even for that one.

    “I mean, so what if Boosh was called Hitler within thousands of mentions and demonstrations, and so what if media commenters called for his assassination, and so what if a movie depicted it? Whassamatter?””

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  47. That’s because, Dmac, “…that’s different™,,,“!

    The hypocrisy of this kind of thing is astounding. Earl Ofari Hutchinson’s article in the LA TIMES was bizarre. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry at the brazen hypocrisy.

    I mean, if someone said that all such caricatures are mean spirited and poisonous, that would be one thing.

    But notice the implication that such cartoons should be investigated and punished in some quarters? This from people who are very concerned with basic human rights in Gitmo?

    The mind reels.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  48. In fact, Ace has a Vanity Fair illustration of GWB as “The Joker” from just one year ago. And that was fine. Edgy. Artistic.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  49. Or as you would say, “Twoof to Power!” But for this, of course it’s “WACISTS!”

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  50. Troot to Powder, based on the cartoon. What do you think will happen when the artist is identified? Something tells me that he will get investigated like a sixty year old colon.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  51. The nation will be tired of the Obama administration’s habit of reducing all criticism to allegations of racism very soon.

    Probably before Christmas.

    SPQR (5811e9)

  52. I’ll take the over – under by Halloween.

    Dmac (e6d1c2)

  53. I’ve just read my umpteenth news article that begins with a sentence containing “… faltering Obama administration initiative(s) …”

    SPQR (5811e9)

  54. SPQR, you may need to venture further than the links at Memorandum if you are looking for a balanced view. If not, then you found the best place to reinforce your prejudices.

    spart (ebb300)

  55. Anyone Remember the Joe Isuzu commercials? spart, dogcrap, imdw all suffer from the same inability to tell the truth.

    PCD (02f8c1)

  56. “Dmac – Did that imdw/alphie thing try to advance theposition that lots of caricatures were okay, but one caricature is bad?”

    It’s not an ok/bad thing. It’s just odd.

    imdw (017d51)

  57. Actually, spart, you are showing your cluelessness again. I was reading the AP wire.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  58. I was reading the AP wire.

    Effectively the same thing.

    spart (ebb300)

  59. spart, now you are claiming that AP is conservative?

    You really are a loon.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  60. Mock and scorn, folks. Mock and scorn. Absent that, point and laugh.

    JD (f96a20)

  61. I was pointing, JD, really I was.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  62. The AP has a Ron Fournier problem.

    Fornier at it again

    spart (3095d8)

  63. […] Nelson (D-FL) already signaled his doubts about Reid’s Kennedy retread? Sen. Ben Nelson is a creature of the insurance industry from a state that has been Red since 1964. Sen. Joe Lieberman represents Connecticut, a state which […]

    The Greenroom » Forum Archive » ObamaCare: Lieberman, Nelson needle Reid’s trial balloon (and the CLASS Act) (e2f069)

  64. […] Bill Nelson (D-FL) already signaled his doubts about Reid’s Kennedy retread? Sen. Ben Nelson is a creature of the insurance industry from a state that has been Red since 1964. Sen. Joe Lieberman represents Connecticut, a state which […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » ObamaCare: Lieberman, Nelson needle Reid’s trial balloon (and the CLASS Act) (e4ab32)

  65. […] Republican amendments to the bill than any other member of the Democrats’ caucus. Moreover, Ben’s background is in the insurance industry (and insurance regulation); he represents a solid GOP state with a significant insurance industry […]

    The Greenroom » Forum Archive » ObamaCare: Will Ben Nelson buckle? And what about Jim Webb? (e2f069)


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