The thing is, when you try to do a crooked deal at other people's expense and it goes public, they tend not to be happy about it.
I could have predicted this one a mile off..
Attorneys general from 13 states penned the top two Democrats in Congress Wednesday requesting they remove extra Medicaid funds directed toward Nebraska.
The attorneys general, all Republicans, say that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tacked on extra Medicare funds to the Senate bill to buy the vote of holdout centrist Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) on healthcare legislation.
The state officials, led by South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, say that the provision is unconstitutional and ask that Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) remove it as to avoid a lawsuit.
"We ask that Congress delete the Nebraska provision from the pending legislation, as we prefer to avoid litigation," they wrote. "Because this provision has serious implications for the country and the future of our nation’s legislative process, we urge you to take appropriate steps to protect the Constitution and the rights of the citizens of our nation."
Critics, who have dubbed the funds as the "Cornhusker Kickback," say that the $100 million deal is emblematic of Washington wheeling and dealing and that it is not fair to other states who have to use their own funds to pay for the Medicaid expansion included in the healthcare overhaul.
The one thing that surprises me is that these are all Republicans, although a number are from Blue states like Pennsylvania. I know that here in California I've heard a number of Democrats criticizing our two senators for not holding out for a sweet deal, but apparently loyalty to Prez Zero comes before pleasing their own constituents. Or some private assurances have been issued from the White House making some back door promises we won't find out about until later.
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