Ben Nelson: America 'traumatized' by health-care debate, "misinformation", agnostic on public option

America 'traumatized' by health-care debate, key Democrat says
Posted: August 21st, 2009 05:54 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Americans are gripped by "an awful lot of concern, fear, anxiety" and "frustration" in the health-care debate, a key Senate Democrat warned Friday.

The description of an increasingly nervous national mood illustrates the growing challenge facing President Barack Obama and supporters of health-care reform as Congress prepares to return in less than three weeks.

"I think America has been traumatized by the debate," Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a moderate Democrat, said on the CNN Radio show "44″ with Ed Henry.

Nelson, considered a critical swing vote in the Senate, bemoaned what he called the "misinformation" and "misunderstanding" that has characterized so much of the debate. He highlighted the confusion over a provision in the House version of the health-care bill that includes coverage of end-of-life counseling for Medicare beneficiaries who want it.

The provision — which opponents claim would create federal "death panels" to discourage care for the sick and elderly — was recently dropped by Senate negotiators.

"I am … trying to help people understand the difference between fact and fiction coming out of Washington," Nelson said.

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"If the public option is not in the … position where it could destabilize the insurance that currently 200 million Americans have, that certainly makes it more palatable," he said. "… (But it's) hard to sign onto anything until you've seen everything."

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http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/21/america-traumatized-by-health-care-debate-key-democrat-says/

He sounds better then Kent Conrad.

I like that he slams the misinformation too.

Thanks.

promising not to help the Republicans filibuster is key.

It was a few months ago. I guess he could have changed his mind since then, but he did say it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/08/ben-nelson-says-he-wont-f_n_212789.html

By Blindly rejecting anything Blue

They ignore the Whole...some of which might be Good/better than status quo....they stifle progress in favor of stagnation because of their econ position...they refuse to change...mostly because they're told to

He needs to declare forthrightly the Republicans are lying about the Bill, lying in their negotiations, and commit to voting against any Republican filibuster of any Bill presented to the Senate, and any amendment to the Bill proposed by any Republican. The fence is gone; there is nowhere now to straddle.

"Tell me, which side are you on? Which side are you on?"

and the gun toters, and the birthers.

Debate is good. Realizing there are a lot of crazies in the woodwork, well that is scary.