Memo to a Dem Senator: This is a "profile in courage" moment!

How obscene is this? Let's check it out:

Ben Nelson Gets a Basket of Goodies, Senate Democrats Get 60 Votes For Health Care Reform

"Nelson secured full federal funding for his state to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals below 133 percent of the federal poverty level.

Other states must pay a small portion of the additional cost.

He won concessions for qualifying nonprofit insurers and for Medigap providers from a new insurance tax.

He also was able to roll back cuts to health savings accounts."

Good deal for Nebraska!

What about the rest of us? Not so good!

Sen Sanders of Vermont got his deal, too:

"A $10 billion investment in community health centers, expected to go to $14 billion when Congress completes work on health care reform legislation, was included in a final series of changes to the Senate bill unveiled today.

The provision, which would provide primary care for 25 million more Americans, was requested by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)." (Sprueill)

OK. So Vermont got a deal!

Frankly, this is obscene and some honest Dem, liberal or conservative, needs to stand up and kill this bill.

This is no longer about a public option or health care. This is about a corrupt legislative process that needs to be shut down.

I agree with Dan Perrin:

"The Daily Kos and FireDogLakes of the net could not produce a single Democratic Senator or Independent to vote no.

Conservatives could not produce a single Democratic Senate vote against cloture.

Neither could the general public.

Perhaps the left can still get one of their own to kill this nightmare.

Is there not a single Dem Senator who will stand with the public, or is this merely a quaint notion we used to have about our country — that the system responds to the public?"

So we need a Dem, liberal or conservative, to stand up and say something like this:

1) Where is the bill? Why haven't we had a decent time to read it?

2) Why are we rushing this?

3) Shouldn't we have hearings and discuss all of these pages and amendments?

4) What exactly is this going to cost?

5) What were the assumptions that led the CBO to say whatever they said?

Is there a Dem in that bunch willing to stand up and stop this thing?

Are you listening Evan Bayh? Do you want to run for president? Opportunity is knocking!

Mark Warner of Virginia? Do you want to run for president? Opportunity knocks too!

Here is the bottom line: You can not pass something that is this unpopular!

We have never passed such an important bill on a straight party-line vote.

I can't recall a major piece of legislation where the Senate leadership bought off senators.

Is there a Dem out there with the guts to kill this for the good of the country?

Again, are you listening Sen Warner or Sen Bayh?

P.S. Thanks to Bill Katz for linking to this post. By the way, this is my interview with Bill.