Levin and Stabenow Get “Cash for Clotures” for Michigan

While action by the U.S. Senate in passing health care “reform” is lauded in some circles as heroic, it now appears that politics as usual played a major role. According to Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, those "combing" through the bill have uncovered many backroom deals that were made to “buy, er, secure” the 60 votes needed to "invoke cloture."  (Cloture is the legislative term for cutting off debate and holding a final vote.)

“First there was the Louisiana Purchase, $100 million in extra Medicaid money for the Bayou State, requested by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). Then came the Cornhusker Kickback, another $100 million in extra Medicaid money, this time for Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.).”

Don’t worry about Michigan being “left out.” Milbank states that Michigan Senators Levin and Stabenow did bring home some “bacon” in the form of higher Medicare payments and some reduced fees for Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

You can read the entire Milbank column at http://bit.ly/8tRb9Q

HT: Gene Edward Veith at http://www.geneveith.com/