Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was absolutely right when he said, "There are 100 senators here and I don't know that there's a senator that doesn't have something in this bill that isn't important to them. If they don't have something in it important to them then it doesn't speak well of them."
The Republicans denouncing the deals are just sore that they decided not to play.
"This will not stand the test of the Constitution, I hope, because the deals that have been made to get votes from specific states' senators cannot be considered equal protection under the law," declaims Sen. Kay Bailey Hutichson.
Oh, yeah? What about that combined $3.4 million that Sen. Hutchison personally secured for eight Texas projects? Or the initiative last year to provide resources to Mexican anti-narcotics efforts that Hutchison herself admits she wouldn't support unless she received $100 million more in federal funding for domestic law enforcement along the border. Did we mention Hutchison hails from the great state of Texas? Or that Texas also happens sit along aforementioned border?
When she squeals about "equal protection under the law," I think she doth protest too much.
If Chris Dodd can steer a new medical center back to Connecticut, and Tom Harkin can win more Medicare funds for Iowa because they think these things will help the folks back home, I say, "More power to them." Perhaps it's just a case of doing well for the voters at home while doing good for the nation as a whole.
Heck, if anything, maybe we should be faulting these guys for not asking for more.
You see, Sen. Bernie Sanders got more than some random plum for signing onto health reform. Apparently, he had something more strategic in mind. What Sanders asked for, and received, was $10 billion to increase the number of community health care centers nationwide, including at least two more for his state of Vermont.
These centers provide care regardless of an individual's ability to pay, and with this expansion, Sanders single-handedly is now providing universal healthcare for his constituents.
Now, that really is taking care of the folks who brung ya.
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
An interesting, but naive thesis. If these Senators were actually listening to what their constituents want they would have voted AGAINST the health care bill rather than trying to make deals. Their constituents were screaming for the bill to be rejected, flooding their phones, polling 2 to 1 against the bill, and they paid no attention at all.
Dave
2 - Baronius
I prefer Senator Phil Gramm's approach: I don't want the federal government to do it at all, but if they're going to do it, I'll bring it to Texas.
3 - Boeke
Nalles comment #1 demonstrates his own naivete about what constituents want. He seems to be believing his own propaganda.
4 - Silas Kain
Actually, Dave is quite right. I am a vociferous proponent of universal health care as a matter of decency above all else. That being said, I am just as vociferous in my opposition to this bill. The fact that the Senate will vote on Christmas Eve morning is a shill. Sure, the Obama Administration will score a "victory" but who are the real winners? And, for that matter, how long will it be before Americans realize that the middle and poor classes are the ones who are getting the feces end of the stick.
I am a Bay Stater. My Senators are Kerry and Kirk. John Kerry will never get any support from me. Senator Kirk steps down after AG Martha Coakley becomes "elected" in January. She is another example of all that is wrong with the political system in Massachusetts. She might as well have waited outside Ted Kennedy's death bed chamber because she was poised to run the moment she learned he was dying. She's an opportunistic, cold-hearted mackerel who has not earned the privilege of representing Massachusetts. As Attorney General she talks a great game but she has done nothing of merit to even have a record of achievement. But because she has a vagina and plays the Mass Democrat Party game, the progressives will come out and vote while the remainder stay home and play with themselves.
Dave is far from naive. Neither side is happy about this bill but no one has the character to stand up and stop this race dead. There's too much money to be made by campaign committees on this one and the money is coming right out of your insurance premiums, folks. Insurance is something where one does NOT get what one pays for.