Cash for Cloture: Harry Reid's Vote Buying Cost Taxpayers $1.2 Billion
Posted by Jim Hoft on Monday, December 21, 2009, 6:19 AM
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any uglier we get the cash for cloture tally…
The CBO reported that Harry Reid spent $1.2 billion to buy off democrats for the Obamacare vote last night.
They got their nationalized health care bill and it only cost you $1.2 billion for their vote!
(Politico Photo)
The Hill reported, via Sweetness and Light:
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) informed lawmakers on Sunday night that the section of the manager’s amendment to the Senate’s health bill would cost $1.2 billion over 10 years.
Nelson managed to win a share of the section of the manager’s amendment on Equitable Support for Certain States, which will provide Nebraska, along with Massachusetts and Vermont, support in paying its share of additional costs to Medicaid in the health legislation.
The provision, which Republicans have derided as the “Cornhusker Kickback,” actually provides Nebraska the least of the three states. Vermont will receive $600 million over 10 years, while Massachusetts will receive $500 million. The money to Nebraska had previously been reported to be $45 million.
Michelle Malkin is keeping track of the bribes.
Talk about bad timing… Congress announced this weekend that they will investigate bribes to Democratic Politicians Afghanistan warlords.
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mike commented:
Sick!
mpw280 commented:
What does this say about the flipping idiot senators who voted for this bill without getting the 100 mil bucks, which seemed to be the going rate for purchasing a senate vote? MORONS, you sold out for nothing, you’re a slag not even a prostitute, prostitutes at least get paid, slags put out for free. mpw
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cal rifkin commented:
hey, no problem, seems like a nice guy, it’s for the children, right?
KR commented:
This health care bs was their Christmas gift to us?
And then they stick us with the tab.
So what’s in the package?
Fewer doctors, higher costs, rationing, red tape & endless paperwork,…
AnnS commented:
Article II
Section 4
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Stephen commented:
You forgot Louisiana and it’s $300,000,000.00, you know, Landrieu, Harry’s whore, so the total is actually 1.5 billion. To think–over the past few days I’ve had the flu (and I got the vaccination this past fall–the government at its best) and this is certainly not news to get well to.
spayandneuter commented:
AARP (United Healthcare that has the Medicare in many states) has been running ads for the last two months about no cutbacks. How can they say that if they are cutting BILLIONS from Medicare? Now, we know. They cut a deal at the very beginning. But I am glad that they had the foresight to protect the seniors and diabled.
–
spayandneuter commented:
“cal rifkin
December 21st, 2009 | 10:44 am | #5
hey, no problem, seems like a nice guy, it’s for the children, right?”
There are already programs in place for children. The children on government and welfare programs are on MEDICAID. The children of working parents have SCHIP. (I have a sister who is a bartender and her son had been on SCHIP since he was 10 and he is in college now.) And any children disabled have MEDICARE.
–
JaneLovesJesus commented:
The republic is dead. Freedom lost. Lies and bribes are standard operating procedure.
Merry Christmas.
Neoavatara commented:
Nelson should enjoy his 30 pieces of silver while he has time…I doubt he can get reelected after this. Maybe he will just retire…
http://neoavatara.com/blog/?p=9145
cal rifkin commented:
now, now…can’t we all just get along? wanting our new, young president to get his programs through, and past those wascally wepublicans, is in everyone’s best interest, right?
Chisum commented:
Obama Nation: Clash of the Titans
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hudlash/2009/12/20/obama-nation-clash-of-the-titans/
Joanne commented:
You’d think he was spending his own money – not! I guess these people receiving the monies believe their constituents will vote them back in considering their states will benefit from the monies. I guess they believe their constituents live in a vacuum and won’t witness the bankruptcy of America.
AuntieMadder commented:
Oh gawd! Listening and watching Reid in news conference now. He looks and sounds like Nazi Pelosi did when she spoke tearfully about protests turned violent in SF and how fearful she was that Tea Party protests would take the same turn. I don’t buy Reid’s feigned concern over the poor citizens who are dying due to lack of health care coverage any more than I bought Pelosi’s fearful lil’ lady shtick. Neither of them are good actors.
Militant Conservative commented:
Better hope we get rid of these guys and get principled men and women. If not, Civil war at worst and succession from the union at least. I don’t care which right now. I want a divorce from an abusive government. I did not spend this money and I will not pay the bills incurred in this relationship.
exATCer commented:
Now that this has passed here we come illegal alien boarding! By doing it this way the democrats don’t have to fight on 2 fronts; one front is now closed.
cathymv commented:
so a healthcare overhaul.. that is supposed to stop this country from spiraling into bankruptcy.. that is supposed to lower healthcare costs.. is supposed to pay down the nation debt… is not evenout of the box yet.. and its already costing 1.2 trillion dollars…
oh yeah…. its so wonderful that the government is taking over 1/6th of the economy… its 1.2 trillion dollars worth of reasons this is going to be super fabulous!!!!
see ya
cathy : )
GrayRider commented:
Sweetheart Deals Known to Date (12-21-09) Used to Buy Senate Votes and/or Award Democrats for Obamacare:
Sen. Ben Nelson (D., Neb.)
—$1.2 billion over ten years for a permanent exemption from Nebraska’s share of the Medicaid expansion. The only state so exempted under the bill.
—Exemption for Nebraska from an excise tax on non-profit insurers.
Sen. Carl Levin (D., Mich.), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D., Mich.)
—Exemption from the non-profit excise tax for Michigan insurers. Michigan and Nebraska were the only two states so exempted.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.)
—$10 billion for “community health centers”.
—Protections from cuts to Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in Vermont.
—$250 million over six years in expanded federal Medicaid funding.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D., La.)
—$300 million increase in Medicaid funding in Louisiana.
Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.), Sen. Paul Kirk (D., Mass)
—Three years of expanded federal Medicaid funding.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.), Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.), Sen. Arlen Specter (D., Pa.), Sen. Bill Nelson (D., Fla.)
—Special treatment for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D., Hawaii), Sen. Daniel Akaka (D., Hawaii)
—billions in new funding for something called “Disproportionate Share Hospital” (DSH) payments (financed, in large part, by $18.5 billion in cuts to DSH payments in other states).
Sen. Max Baucus (D., Mont.), Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.), Sen. Kent Conrad (D., N.D.), Sen. Byron Dorgan (D., N.D.), Sen. Tim Johnson (D., S.D.)
—Higher federal Medicare reimbursement rates for low-population “frontier” states (also qualifying under the bill’s definition of frontier states are Utah and Wyoming, represented in the Senate by Republicans).
Sen. Chris Dodd (D., Conn.)
—A mysteriously worded provision was inserted by Harry Reid at Dodd’s request for a $100 million appropriation to fund a hospital that is so worded to exclude all but 6 states. The decision for the award is up to the Secretary of Health and Human Services but with Dodd currently facing a losing re-election campaign it’s almost certain that it will go to Connecticut.
http://www.nationalreview.com/doctor/post/?q=ODEzYjNhYWEyODhmNTQ5NmRiMjUwMzNlMDEwMWNkZWI=
Chisum commented:
This should get interesting.
Richard A. Epstein is the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law at the University of Chicago, the Peter and Kirstin Bedford Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, a visiting professor at the NYU Law School, and a visiting scholar at the Manhattan Institute.
Impermissible Ratemaking in Health-Insurance Reform: Why the Reid Bill is Unconstitutional
Chisum commented:
Sorry, I forgot the link.
http://www.pointoflaw.com/columns/archives/2009/12/impermissible-ratemaking-in-he.php
DANIEL CABRERA commented:
SHORT STATEMENT;
Now…that the liberal-democrat ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE (TRAITORS)…. – ALONG AND WITH THE AID OF SOLD-OUT REPUBLICANS – seems to feel somewaht secure on this goverment taking over tyrany project,…now is the time when they will try MUCH,MUCH HARDER TO INFUSE THE INSIDIOUS GOVERNMENT PLAN TAKING OVER POWER AGENDE…for that was the (‘PLAN-B’), if you will as strategic move to their ONGOING ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES.
Just remember that the MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC DO NOT WANT THIS SORT OF THINGS….and yet, against the PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY, AND FREEDOM DEMARKED IN OUR CONSTITUTION , this corrupted band of TRAIORS ARE CONTINUING DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY BY ANY MEANS NESCESSARY.
‘Blue Dogs Democrats’,…as well as, ‘Sold-out-Republicans’ will be leaving on 2010 for they will be fired by WE,THE PEOPLE.
WE ARE TAKING OUR COUTRY BACK!..are we not?
Take it from there.
Daniel Cabrera
Merrillville,Indiana
manateespirit commented:
Ann S. #8.
You are so right.
Greg commented:
This smells like the same tactics Blogovich is being prosecuted for.
mike commented:
And all my senator from missouri got was a promise not to be expensive. Nice.
manateespirit commented:
Mike, #28. I wrote McCaskill early this AM. Told her she couldn’t even sell her soul well. Heck, Landrieu, Nelson, & Sanders got the treasure chest. And what did we get in MO?
The bill for all of them. She will go down in history as being in the most corrupt Senate in the worst administration EVER.
mike commented:
Manateespirit thats classic!!
Solaratov commented:
mike
December 21st, 2009 | 2:33 pm | #28
And all my senator from missouri got was a promise not to be expensive. Nice.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yep. We’ve sure got us some really cheap whores here in Missouri.
(maybe she’s looking for a “down the road” payoff.)