The indignant Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is shocked, shocked at the notion that Ben Nelson (D-NE) was able to get an additional federal subsidy for the state of Nebraska out of the Senate health care bill.
Under the Senate version of the bill, part of the uninsured will be covered by an expansion of the Medicaid program to low income families. Right now, the Medicaid program is funded by a combination of state and federal dollars. To help ease the transition for cash-strapped states, the bill provides that initially the feds will cover 100% of the cost of the expansion of Medicaid. Over time the states will start picking up some of the tab until the balance gets back to normal. Ben Nelson negotiated a longer transition period expected to cost $100M over 10 years. Vermont and Massachusetts got similar deals, but at higher costs.
Sen. Graham calls this a bribe and says that he wants the South Carolina Attorney General to look into whether it is constitutional. While he’s at it, I’d recommend that the AG also look into whether Sen. Graham’s $275M in earmark spending directed exclusively toward South Carolina in 2008 is similarly unconstitutional. Granted, Sen. Graham hasn’t requested any earmark spending in 2009. Nevermind the fact that he managed to “unconstitutionally” funnel 275% more money to South Carolina in the course of 1 year than Nelson’s deal will send to Nebraska over the course of 10.
It’s heartwarming to see that at least one person in Washington is still able to produce some sincere moral outrage.
Andy Holmer
Scott Cline
beauunderwood
Cassandra Grafstrom
Franklin Jiron
Tyler Malotte
Jonathan Beutler
Cyd Saurage
Wait, so we were expecting consistency from the conservatives?
Most politicians “flip-flop” more than Kerry was ever accused of, but we generally only see one side of the story at a time. The American people are also generally willing to gobble it up like a holiday turkey and never question the motives behind this “shocking” exposition.
I just wish there were politicians that had true transparency and would get on TV and say “I’m voting no on this health care reform because Kaiser Permanente pays me $300,000 a year not to.”
At least they’d be honest.