Sleaze Scorecard

[dgriffin]

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- A Republican senator who has opposed President Barack Obama's health overhaul effort said Tuesday that the deals Democratic leaders have cut to round up the votes they need to push the measure through the Senate have been "sleazy."

Speaking Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina cited concessions won by Nebraska Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson, whose support gave Democrats the 60th and final vote they need. Among other things, Nelson won an agreement that the federal government will pay to expand Medicaid services in Nebraska.

Said Graham: "That's not change you can believe in. That's sleazy."


To win bill’s passage, deals had to be made
Special interests, senators line up for concessions
See them all here:




Including:

■ Doctors and hospitals in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming will get paid more than providers in other states.

■ Makers of brand-name biotech drugs won 12 years of protection against would-be generic competitors.


MORE OFTHE LIST AT:

www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/12/22/to_win_bills_passage_deals_had_to_be_made/

[gski]

Dave, I've never seen it out in the open like this. It's almost like they're proud of what they are getting for their vote.

To me the question ends up being are we, the public, going to accept this?

It also begs other questions, is this just the tip of the iceberg?

What will happen on the next big controversial bill, more of the same?

Sleazy politics is a good name for it and we have plenty of it going on.

[denise]

Yup, prostitution at it's finest. What a bunch of scumbags.

[stoney]

It's called Politics. What else is new? It's been going on in this country for hundreds of years.

[rodwilson]

It's absolutely horrifying stuff. Some talk about the end of the world in 2012. I say it's the coming of the next American Civil War.

swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/12/22/a-christmas-gift-for-the-insurers/