Worst Democrat of the Day: Ben Nelson

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Yes, it's a new series here at The Reaction. We focus heavily on the inanity, insanity, and idiocy of Republicans, but there are more than a few Democrats who deserve much the same treatment, not least because they are, or claim to be, Democrats. (Which is to say, you can and should expect inanity, insanity, and idiocy from the other side. When it comes from our side, it's rather more disturbing.)

So...

The inaugural WDD is...

Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. HuffPo's Ryan Grim has the details of Nelson's terribleness:

Sen. Ben Nelson announced at the beginning of this month that he opposed the creation of a public health care plan that people would have the option to buy into. He'd be gathering together a coalition of like-minded senators to oppose the plan, the conservative Democrat from Nebraska promised.

More than two weeks later, it's still a coalition of one.

Since Nelson's announcement, eight moderate Democrats and one Republican have told the Huffington Post that they are open to a public health care option. Two others, Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), have signed on to the idea.

Last week, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) said they were open to a public plan but undecided. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) said much the same in a letter to the advocacy group Health Care for America Now.

Add more names to the list of those open to a public option: Jon Tester (Mont.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Maria Cantwell (Wash.).

That's right, Nelson is pretty much alone among Democrats, with a couple of moderate Republicans (and there are only a few anyway) siding with the Democrats. Which means that Nelson, a Democrat, loosely speaking, is solidly Republican, conservative Republican, on one of the central issues of our time.

I don't support ideological purification in the party, and I don't support any sort of purge -- that's what the other side is up to -- but how is it that Nelson is still a Democrat? Right, because he's from Nebraska, and you pretty much have to be a Republican to get elected as a Democrat there.

Still, that doesn't make it much better. The "D" after his name may come in handy from time to time, but, when it matters, as it certainly does on this key issue, Nelson can hardly be counted not just to vote with his party but to do what is right.