Unlike many in the blogs, I have been someone who has provided a kind word or 2 for Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson. To be honest, I am greatly surprised that Nelson voted for even the crappy Senate health bill. I credit the health insurance industry's tacit support for the bill, the persuasions of Senator Reid and his loyalty to the Dem Caucus. It surely was not because Nebraskans favored the bill. GOP pollster Ras, perhaps in a final attempt to get Nelson to vote No (or at least hold the line on the senate bill) released a poll showing Nebraskans strongly oppose the health bill (Ras will never tell you about how they feel about the public option or Medicare buy-in):

If Governor Dave Heineman challenges Nelson for the Senate job, a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows the Republican would get 61% of the vote while Nelson would get just 30%. Nelson was reelected to a second Senate term in 2006 with 64% of the vote. Nelson's health care vote is clearly dragging his numbers down. [. . .] 64% oppose the health care legislation [. . .]

I never thought there were 60 votes for meaningful health care reform, and there aren't. The Senate health bill is not reform. Unless of course you believe in the magical exchanges. This is why the road to meaningful health care reform required a reconciliation strategy.

Speaking for me only