"A politician looks to the next election. A statesman looks to the next generation."

healthcare imagesSenator Ben Nelson (D-NE) released a statement tonight saying that he would vote against the House's reconciliation package. While he lauded the "historic health reforms that will insure 220,000 more Nebraskans and 30 million Americans," the major tough point in the reconciliation bill, according to Nelson, is student loan reform. He said, "Perhaps most troubling is adding unrelated student loan reforms that have never been debated in the Senate and would result in a government takeover of student lending. It's not clear why we would, on the one hand, jeopardize more than 30,000 private sector jobs, while, on the other we are promoting job creation in every state to aid our economic recovery."  Well, Ben, if you can't understand why it's a good thing to take student lending away from private banks, let me lay it out for you.  First, the US is one of the few industrialized countries in the world where college isn't free or close to it.  In Denmark and several other Scandanavian countries, not only is it free, but the government pays students a stipend of a few hundred dollars every month for housing and other expenses.  Why?  Because it's the smartest investment a country can make in its own intellectual infrastructure, in its future, to educate its young people.  They're more productive as adults, they earn more - and thus pay more in taxes, returning to government the cost of educating them - and the country as a whole is better off with an educated populace.  But you want some of your bankster buddies to be able to make a profit off the fact that college isn't free in America.  That's disgusting and immoral.  Here's the bottom line, Senator Nelson.  You're a politician.  As the old saying goes, "A politician looks to the next election.  A statesman looks to the next generation."  Senator Nelson, you are so far from being a statesman that you're frankly not worthy of service in the United States Senate, a fact I hope the citizens of your state wake up to when you're next up for reelection.

Comments

LeMoyne (not verified) 13 years 6 days ago
#1

Senator Nelson's opposition to the HCR bill becase of the student loan cleanup actually made me chuckle - these Blue Dog Democrats are a real piece of work - real DINOs. The HCR portion of the bill is weak at best and it actually does mandate universal serfdom to for-profit insurance companies. However, as an education reform the reconciliation bill does remove the banksters from national student loan programs where they have been gouging students with exorbitant interest and fees 'helping' them starting their careers in 4 and 5 figure debt. And the HCR reconciliation package incudes billions for Pell Grants - nice.
Last night I had just reconciled myself to the HCR bill as a solid step forward in education when I found this declaration by Ben Nelson. It was so striking that we on the left can find validation by always disagreeing with these so-called key Democrats that it made me laugh.

SoloPocono (not verified) 13 years 3 days ago
#2

There's another aspect to this that I have yet to hear anyone speak about-unless it's someone who has been in medical school, (me for 3yrs) OR is Hoping to GO to Med School. One of the biggest problems with this health insurance reform, was the shortage of physicians-namely, Family Practice or General Medicine. This assistance for students will at LEAST lessen the burden for students hoping to continue on to another 3-4 yrs of school After their 4yr degree-and then several years of internship & residency. My future daughter-in-law is in her 3rd year of pre-med, and although her single Mom is a teacher, and even with her own scholarly achievements while working full-time; her options for assistance for tuition, books, labs, etc, are few while the cost is just overwhelming them! I've also read that several Med Schools are going to be offering 3yr Family Practice Programs, which will obviously be a HUGE help to the storage we will undoubtedly feel in 4-5 years. As an aside-my son is also in college, and ironically works full-time on their financial aid program. He sees and knows, first-hand of the financial burdens that trying to get a degree in these times and the strains it can have on families-especially with more than one child in College...

Ron Rutherford (not verified) 12 years 51 weeks ago
#3

It still was not discussed in the Senate. Do you like the way the system works or only when it abides by your ideological slant.

godkonws
knows that answer…

Ron Rutherford (not verified) 12 years 51 weeks ago
#4

Isn’t it so bad that your favorite bank along with your fascist promoter on your forum is against such propsals:

godknows

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