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You are here: Home / Profiles in Chutzpah

Profiles in Chutzpah

by John Cole|  January 20, 20104:20 pm| 45 Comments

This post is in: Assholes

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Ben Nelson: “Clearly, the vote showed that people are frustrated with Washington…and I am too.”

Seriously, Ben- GFY. Your toxic sweetheart deal has been cited repeatedly among voters yesterday in Mass.

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Reader Interactions

45Comments

  1. 1.

    Kryptik

    January 20, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    How come the Blue Dogs that essentially ratfucked us all are the ones that get the plum soundbites and face time?

    Oh wait, I forgot, it’s not their fault this happened. It’s those damn dirty fucking hippies like Byrd and Rockefeller and Mikulski and Reid.

  2. 2.

    Stroszek

    January 20, 2010 at 4:26 pm

    The Village’s utter immunity to cognitive dissonance continues to astound me.

    Problem: Voters angry over shameless bribes demanded by Ben Nelson.
    Solution: Be more like Ben Nelson!

  3. 3.

    burnspbesq

    January 20, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    And while we’re on the subject of lunacy, try this one on for size.

    http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/20/white-basketball/

    I predict that this will be a huge hit with the teabaggers.

  4. 4.

    Deborah

    January 20, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    I hate it when politicians do the whole “running against Washington” thing. Like they’re soooooo surprised that it turns out the federal position they just begged millions of people to elect them to turns out to be…in Washington! Who knew? And also they seem to be part of “Washington” what with being senators and all, and they hate that, only they don’t immediately resign and thereby solve the problem.

  5. 5.

    mcc

    January 20, 2010 at 4:31 pm

    On the bright side, the Nebraska deal would be the absolute easiest thing possible to strip out via Reconciliation.

  6. 6.

    Guster

    January 20, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    Ben Nelson is Hamsher’s fault, too.

  7. 7.

    Robin G.

    January 20, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    I don’t even know what to say about that. I have not felt this much broiling hate for politicians in a few years now. I really didn’t expect to feel it again with my own party in total control.

  8. 8.

    Balconesfault

    January 20, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    Ben can quit being frustrated now that the only way he’s relevant is if he’s threatening to vote to the right of a Republican.

  9. 9.

    ruemara

    January 20, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    I. can’t. wait. to. move. to. New. Zealand.

  10. 10.

    eastriver

    January 20, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    @ruemara:

    they. won’t. take. you. mate.

  11. 11.

    beltane

    January 20, 2010 at 4:40 pm

    Ben Nelson and Even “Wellpoint” Bayh are crooks in the same way most of the Republicans are crooks. Corrupt politicians must throw the best cocktail parties or the Washington media wouldn’t love them so much. Seriously, all it takes to win these people over for life is to stick a weenie in their faces.

  12. 12.

    Third Eye Open

    January 20, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    Apathy is setting in…OTOH, Mass Effect 2 comes out next week.

  13. 13.

    Mark S.

    January 20, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    @mcc:

    On the bright side, the Nebraska deal would be the absolute easiest thing possible to strip out via Reconciliation.

    Or declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

  14. 14.

    AnotherBruce

    January 20, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    Unfortunately, it’s a sign of the times, the lunatics are encouraged and coming out of their rat holes.

  15. 15.

    Mark S.

    January 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    That can’t be real, can it?

  16. 16.

    freelancer

    January 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    @Third Eye Open:

    Hooray for gung-ho suicide missions!

  17. 17.

    flukebucket

    January 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    @Third Eye Open:

    Apathy is setting in

    I have heard that withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy.

  18. 18.

    burnspbesq

    January 20, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    @AnotherBruce:

    For more evidence of that, look to your left. Notice the ad for mygunspot.com. I know that our genial host doesn’t control which ads get served, but the mere existence of that ad is evidence of …something.

    On the other hand, maybe we should be encouraging social networking by gun owners. If enough of them get careless during sex and blow each other’s genitals all to hell, the gene pool will be the better for it.

  19. 19.

    eastriver

    January 20, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    Trigger the Nuclear Option. Ignore the filibuster. Pass the conference bill in the house and senate.

    This will:

    1) satisfy just about everyone left of center.

    2) nullify Brown’s win.

    3) piss the living fuck out the GOP. (Fox will meltdown in one huge, fiery SPECIAL ALERT ACTION BULLETIN!!!!)

    4) addle and confuse the Villagers.

    5) void the power of Lieberman, Nelson, and all the fence-sitting shitheads. (Wouldn’t that be fun?)

    Oh, and strip out Nelson’s deal. Zing! Gone.

  20. 20.

    GambitRF

    January 20, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    I for one was very frustrated by the health care bill’s lack of inexplicably thrown in anti-abortion language. If only we had more Ben Nelsons.

  21. 21.

    tomvox1

    January 20, 2010 at 4:50 pm

    What Ben Nelson should have said:

    “Clearly, the vote showed that people are frustrated with Washington (and the fact that most of us in the Legislative branch will not do the people’s work because we are owned body and soul by the big corporations)…and I am too. (Owned, that is.)”

  22. 22.

    burnspbesq

    January 20, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    @Mark S.:

    That can’t be real, can it?

    Seems to be.

    http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_704670.shtml

    I will say that the fact that this was announced on the weekend that includes MLK Day makes me wonder a little bit. But if it’s a spoof, it is an awfully good one. Either way, the guy’s a sicko.

  23. 23.

    AnotherBruce

    January 20, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    @eastriver:

    If the real world contained a Senate Democratic leadership with testicles (or ovaries), that would be possible.

    As others have noted, once the Republicans get control of the Senate, they will eliminate the filibuster, or at least threaten Democrats enough to get what they want. I would bet money on that.

  24. 24.

    Guster

    January 20, 2010 at 4:55 pm

    @eastriver: They can’t do that, because they can’t do that.

  25. 25.

    freelancer

    January 20, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    @eastriver:

    The execution of that would require the Dems to find their balls, but they’re too busy in the nurse’s office getting the solvent applied.

  26. 26.

    Third Eye Open

    January 20, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    @flukebucket: I am replaying the first one for XB360, I forgot just how great that game was.

  27. 27.

    Punchy

    January 20, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    I feel like I just had 2 hour sex with Natalie Portman, and only seconds away from dropping the seed, not only did she demand I stop drilling, but that I cover my own face with man sauce.

    That’s what it’s like to be a Democrat in 2010.

  28. 28.

    geg6

    January 20, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    @eastriver:

    But…but…EEEEEEK! The filibuster huuuuuuurrrrrrrrrts! Eleven dimensional chess is happening but we can’t see it! There’s a super secret plan where they’ll fix it next week..er, month..er, year..er, decade! It might make Obama cry! The independents will make them pay for such effrontery! And if we just give up everything but the mandates, maybe it will pass!

  29. 29.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    January 20, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    Nod. I kept hearing about Ben Nelson, and, you know, in the end, it’s just not defensible… he demanded a flat out vote-buying bribe, and that colored all the rest of the compromises the Dems made.

    Everything you don’t like about the bill can now be called “vote buying” because there’s at least one flagrant example of vote buying – and to a Democrat. Had they given the same deal to Snowe, it wouldn’t have mattered.

    When it comes to strong leadership in the Senate, you can count on the Democrats to crap their pants every time.

    And, you know, scientific studies have shown that, after crapping your pants on the floor of the Senate, it’s difficult to get people to take you seriously.

  30. 30.

    burnspbesq

    January 20, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    @Punchy:

    Ummm … that tells me rather more about you, and rather less about the Democrats, than I have either a need or a desire to know.

  31. 31.

    Silver Owl

    January 20, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    The childish false bragging the republicans are doing is nauseating.

    Republicans were fired from congress because they did not represent the people. Dems are going to be fired from congress because they did not represent the people. The incestuous relationship with corporations and their lobbyists have the voters seriously pissed off.

    Neither political party nor Congress is not getting the very simple message of represent the people or get fired. It does not matter if you’re republican or democratic.

  32. 32.

    Guster

    January 20, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    @burnspbesq: Most disturbing part? “2 hour sex.”

    If you can’t wrap that up in 4 minutes, son, you’re doing it wrong.

  33. 33.

    Tsulagi

    January 20, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    but the mere existence of that ad is evidence of …something.

    Sure, that barrels are always looking to screw into receivers.

  34. 34.

    eastriver

    January 20, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    @geg6:

    Time to cowboy-up, ladies.

  35. 35.

    Mike E

    January 20, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    Nebraska Jowls, he’s my Droopy substitute!

  36. 36.

    Brian J

    January 20, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    If he’s so frustrated with Washington, why doesn’t he help find a replacement who can win and get the fuck out?

  37. 37.

    Blue Neponset

    January 20, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    Nelson is up for re-election in 2012. Good luck Ben. I hope you enjoy the cushy, very well paying job some health insurance company gives you and/or your wife after you get thrown out of office.

    That will teach the bastards to cross the voters!!!!

  38. 38.

    mcc

    January 20, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    @Mark S.:

    Or declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

    No. This is silly and will not happen under any circumstances.

  39. 39.

    jenniebee

    January 20, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    @Blue Neponset: He’s already done that – Nelson is a former health insurance co executive, donchaknow.

  40. 40.

    Church Lady

    January 20, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    @ruemara:

    Don’t. let. the. door. hit. you. on. your. way. out.

  41. 41.

    Citizen Alan

    January 20, 2010 at 6:21 pm

    @mcc:

    No. This is silly and will not happen under any circumstances.

    Why not? Seriously, is there any holding you could imagine which would be so ridiculous, ill-conceived or legally flawed that it would be beyond the power of our current Supreme Court to issue?

  42. 42.

    Sentient Puddle

    January 20, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    EDIT: I don’t think I know what I’m talking about. Never ye mind.

  43. 43.

    Uriel

    January 20, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    @Guster: Amen! I used to have a friend who would go on and on about how she and her boyfriend had sex for like 4 hours- as though that was something to be jealous of! Or even vaguely possible!

    Dear lord, the chaffing alone would probably almost lethal! And that’s if you don’t spontaneously burst into flames at the three hour 15 minute mark! And who the hell has four hours in a day to kill for that, even if it is only once a month- the scheduling alone would be prohibitive!

    Me personally, I prefer my sex the old fashioned way- you get in, you get out, and you get back to 30 Rock right around the end of the commercial break. Everybody’s satisfied.

    Or at least, I think everybody’s satisfied. I mean, that’s what I’m told.

    Heavy sighs and a lack of eye contact are signs of satisfaction, right?

  44. 44.

    Sentient Puddle

    January 20, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    @Uriel: Not to mention that a man having an erection lasting for four hours or longer is a serious health risk.

    If this comment doesn’t trip the moderation filter, I’m going to be surprised as hell.

  45. 45.

    Uriel

    January 20, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    @Sentient Puddle: I’ll be damned- you made it through!

    The moderation filter is truly a mysterious and wondrous thing- Like god, it is always there, but no man can understand it’s workings. Sometimes it lets the most horrible things pass, and others it strikes down the purest innocent. We may look to the heavens and cry, “Oh why, moderation filter?” But that is not our lot to know, us mere mortals.

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