Response to Nelson’s “I feel like I’ve been bitten by the family dog”
Very interesting Associated Press article yesterday, worth reading in its entirety.
In part it tells the story behind pro-life Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson’s 11th hour abortion “compromise” that garnered the 60th vote Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needed to move his socialized healthcare monstrosity forward.
Purposefully shunning input from any pro-life leader or organization about his supposed barrier-breaking brainstorm, Nelson is supposedly complaining, according to the piece, “He… feels like he’s been bitten by the family dog.”…
That would be us, which in itself is an insult. But the pro-life idiomatic response would be that the senator broke the premier rule, “to dance with the one that brung ya.” Nelson knows much, much better than to submit pro-life language to any bill without running it past pro-lifers. The senator insulted our place in his political “family” to the point he thought we’d roll over on command.
Clearly, according to the AP piece, Nelson was much more interested in dancing with pro-aborts, and according to their timetable. There was even group hugging at the end. How touching. Here’s the relevant excerpt…
The negotiations began at 9:30a Friday in a suite of offices in the Capitol occupied by… Reid…. Steps from the Senate floor, Reid’s spacious lair is shielded from inquisitive media. There would be suspense, shuttle diplomacy, hugs, and a call from Obama aboard Air Force One before the day was done.
Among those taking part were Reid, Nelson, Boxer… Schumer… and White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina. Nelson and Boxer did not negotiate face-to-face but set up camp in different offices. Schumer, the No. 3 Senate Democrat, shuttled back and forth….
By the middle of the day, Nelson’s home-state concerns had been addressed, and the focus turned to abortion. Federal law bans taxpayer funding of abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. For months, the debate has been how to apply those principles to a new stream of federal subsidies under the health care bill. Senators had previously voted to reject Nelson’s attempt to incorporate the more restrictive House language in the Senate bill.
Two alternatives were under discussion in Reid’s office. Abortion opponents wanted no coverage in health plans receiving federal subsidies under the bill. Mirroring the House, women would have to buy a separate policy for abortion coverage. Abortion rights supporters wanted to allow plans to offer coverage, but individuals could opt out and get a partial rebate of their premiums. The 2 sides were deadlocked.
“I don’t know how we’ll ever solve this,” Schumer said, according to one official who was present.
Then Nelson and one of his senior aides decided to try something different. States would be allowed to decide whether or not abortion could be covered by health plans operating in a new insurance marketplace under the bill. Plans covering abortion would have to collect a separate premium for the procedure, directly paid for by the person buying coverage. Premiums for abortion would be kept in a separate account.
Nelson believed it would solve the problem of segregating taxpayer funds from money for abortions. He told people he felt the discussion had degenerated to minutiae, so “we were arguing about a staple,” said an official involved. Nelson meant it was acceptable to abortion opponents if supplemental abortion coverage was stapled to an insurance policy, but not if it was spelled out in the body of the policy itself.
By evening, the 2 sides took a break to consult with their respective constituencies. Nelson left Reid’s suite, planning to return at 8:30p. He called a leading anti-abortion activist in NE, but was not able to get a commitment for the deal.
At 9p Nelson had yet to return. At 9:15, still no Nelson. Reid and Schumer started getting nervous. Finally, at 9:30, Nelson turned up. He and Boxer signed off on the deal within a half hour. Nelson came into Reid’s office to say he’d hold off on a formal endorsement until the text of deal was released in the morning.
Reid and Nelson started to say goodnight, and wound up hugging each other. Nelson hugged Schumer next and then left.
Obama, aboard Air Force One on his way back from the climate summit in Copenhagen, called with congratulations. Reid put the president on speaker phone so Boxer and Schumer could hear.
After the deal became public Saturday, Nelson was slammed by former allies opposed to abortion. He tells people he feels like he’s been bitten by the family dog.
[HT: moderator Carder]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Technically, it’s an Associated Press article; I’d already seen it online at sites other than the WaPo.
Thanks, Ed, missed that. Will correct.
This is good, am taking it over to Nebraska Right to Life Facebook pages. Thanks! Yeah, where’s our hug Ben? I think we got something else and now we find out that his language he came up with in the 11th hour is so disparate from the House that there is doubt in conference any of it can come together. Good. But for Sen. Nelson: why didn’t he just stick with Stupak to begin with as he stated over and over in the media he would. The kicker here Jill is, “by the middle of the day, Nelson’s home state concerns were addressed and the focus turned to abortion.” More on that when you and I can visit.
“The care of human life and happiness and not their
destruction is the chief and only legitimate object
of good government.”
Should have acknowledged the above quote from
Thomas Jefferson!
If the family dog bit him, it’s because the Senator’s trying to abort unborn members of his family. Dogs will bite criminals, you know…
“The family dog?” Really? Wow. Nelson, you fail so hard.
“Plans covering abortion would have to collect a separate premium for the procedure, directly paid for by the person buying coverage.”
Benedict must have thought this would have been acceptable. I’m not an expert on health insurance, but NRTL is probably concerned about insurance companies running a shell game with premiums, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and thereby paying for abortions with federal funds.
I just got Benedict Nelson… Ben Nelson… haha… sometimes it takes me awhile… :)
Julie, sorry I’ve been awol. Christmas…
“The family dog?” Really? Wow. Nelson, you fail so hard.
Posted by: Keli Hu at December 22, 2009 11:32 AM
That’s what I thought, Keli. He dehumanizes his supporters just as pro-aborts dehumanize the unborn children he sold out.
One can only regret that the family dog that bit Nelson didn’t have rabies. Instead of dancing “with the one that brung ya,” Nelson has apparently decided to dance with the devil. At the end of the dance, however, God will have the final say about all of this, and I wouldn’t want to be in Nelson’s dancing shoes for all of Harry Reid’s payoffs combined.
Calling us “the family dog” is more than just dehumanizing, it could be taken to imply that he (Nelson) is the master. Memo to Senator Nelson: You work for your constituents, not the other way around.
alling us “the family dog” is more than just dehumanizing, it could be taken to imply that he (Nelson) is the master. Memo to Senator Nelson: You work for your constituents, not the other way around.
Posted by: Edward at December 22, 2009 12:55 PM
More than that, it’s reductionary. Nelson apparently thinks that pro-lifers are a cute and pleasant addition to the conservative “family,” and are occasionally useful to scare away intruders. But only so long as they do as their told and be quiet when instructed. When commands aren’t obeyed, then the pro-life movement needs to be smacked with a newspaper until it learns its place.
It’s a good insight into the way he looks at this issue. Clearly, it’s only a priority for him so long as it’s helping him get what he wants.
Now that we have a timeline and hindsight, we can clearly see how the PL’ers were played all along by Ben. Here we had Schumer thinking it wasn’t going to happen, but instead of seizing the moment, Ben caved. He knew he had to get creative, and in so doing he sold us, and, if this monstrosity ultimately passes, the lives of thousands of babies down the river. I hope the hugs you got, Ben, were worth it.
It’s sad, really, that he leveraged his pro-life credentials and proceeded in a such a underhanded manner. But it not a surprise, after all the entire abortion industry is built upon lies. Ben Nelson has shown his true colors.
Wonderfully insightful comments, especially those made by Keli. Thanks for the metaphor, Sen. Nelson. One more is begging to be made, however, and that is that despite Nelson’s demeaning rhetoric to the contrary, he is the real dog in all of this … and a mangy, flea and tick infested mongrel at that. Hopefully his contituents will soon put a leash on this unpredictable beast so that he no longer will have the opportunity to bite the hand that feeds him.
This is not the first time that Senator Nelson has sold out his constituents. I certainly hope though, that this is the last. And to relate to us as the family dog shows us how little respect he and other members of Congress feel about the people they are supposed to be representing in government. I have watched Ben Nelson for a long time, as I was from the area where Nebraskans were fighting to keep out a nuclear waste site, but that’s another issue altogether, since back then he seemed at times to be truly interested in what was good for his constituents. I wonder now, if he probably thought the people there were another family dog that he had to keep in line as well. I find his comments insulting to the utmost. I believe that he should have stuck to his guns, and supported Stupak from the Senate side of the floor. We really need to find a Senator worthy of garnering our votes the next time elections come up to replace the ones who don’t respect the people who sent them to the positions they now enjoy.
I don’t mind the comparison. Dogs are loyal, tenacious, and intelligent — just like prolifers!
Since we are talking about the family dog, perhaps the better analogy is that the Senator has kicked the family.
Family dog??? And by that Nelson presumes to be the master?!
That’s the problem with these people, summed up in the perfect analogy. They are the masters, we the dumb, lovable, do as we’re ordered pets. The relationship between the governor and the governed in all of its its perverted glory.
It’s supposed to be the other way around.
But let’s run with Nelson’s analogy for a moment. Beat the family dog long enough and it’ll turn on you.
Family dog?! Coming from the runt of the litter, that’s tragically amusing.
I’ll say it again, because I love dogs and think they are more humane than most humans: IF THE FAMILY DOG BIT NELSON, IT’S BECAUSE HE IS NOW KILLING UNBORN MEMBERS OF THAT FAMILY. Dogs will bite criminals, you know!
Personally, I’m flattered at the comparison.
…apparently those “Democrat Dogs” don’t bite one another!!
The Govenor of Nebraska was just on Greta Von Susteren said “Senator Nelson vote NO on this bill. You still have time to stop this. We don’t want the $100 million, we don’t want special treatment we want fair treatment.” Jill and mods it is an excellent interview I think if you can post it it will be very informative to prolifers to know this. I am still praying as I know many of you are. Do you think it will help to email Rep. Bart Stupak or other prolife Democrats? Will the prolife organizations let us know if their is something we can do or should we just wait to see how this plays out?
Bitten by the family dog? Why Sen. Nelson! I believe you have it bassackwards…when a dog betrays his family, he bites. YOU are the dog that betrayed and bit the family.
Not to worry, though. The family will be sure to send you to the pound in 2010. I really hope that you enjoyed your run!
Well, I’m sure Mr. Nelson will try all his tricks before he’s forced into the pound. He had better know how to beg well. If he had known how to heel, then he wouldn’t have bitten anyone in the first place. Besides, knowing how to heal would allow him to speak much more knowledgeably on the health care issue. But perhaps Mr. Nelson’s best trick is to play dead and not run at all in the next election.
An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog
Good people all, of every sort,
Give ear unto my song;
And if you find it wondrous short,
It cannot hold you long.
In Islington there was a man,
Of whom the world might say
That still a godly race he ran,
Whene’er he went to pray.
A kind and gentle heart he had,
To comfort friends and foes;
The naked every day he clad,
When he put on his clothes.
And in that town a dog was found,
As many dogs there be,
Both mongrel, puppy, whelp and hound,
And curs of low degree.
This dog and man at first were friends;
But when a pique began,
The dog, to gain some private ends,
Went mad and bit the man.
Around from all the neighbouring streets
The wondering neighbours ran,
And swore the dog had lost his wits,
To bite so good a man.
The wound it seemed both sore and sad
To every Christian eye;
And while they swore the dog was mad,
They swore the man would die.
But soon a wonder came to light,
That showed the rogues they lied:
The man recovered of the bite,
The dog it was that died.
– Oliver Goldsmith
Reid and Nelson started to say goodnight, and wound up hugging each other. Nelson hugged Schumer next and then left.
When I read that, I was reminded of this.