The 2009 Louisiana Purchase:
“Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, provided one of the last two votes needed to bring the government health care takeover to the Senate. She didn’t even blush about selling her vote. “I am not going to be defensive. And it’s not a $100 million fix. It’s a $300 million fix,” Mrs. Landrieu bragged on Nov. 21. This gross windfall will flood into her state through added benefits in the health care bill.” – The Washington Times
And check out the stocking stuffer Ben Nelson got for holding out:
“Nebraska will receive $100 million in assistance for its state Medicaid program under provisions negotiated by Sen. Ben Nelson (D) in the Senate’s healthcare reform bill.” Michael O’Brien, The Hill
Yes, I detest both of these cash for vote schemes. However, I’m maintaining a cool head because this is nothing more than business as usual in politics. Politicians get things done in the political market by constructing deals with other politicians to maximize the money sent to their districts. The shrewd dealmakers get reelected by their constituents for another term.
It would be hypocritical of me to give a blanket statement like, “political horse trading is always wrong.” In the world of second best (one with a state), sometimes you have to make an ugly compromise to achieve your ends. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Prime Minister Boris Yeltsin had to effectively bribe the Soviet party bosses that stood in the way of privatization. I support the Yeltsin-Nomenklatura deal because it did the best for the Russian people and the long term prospects of Russia.
People who support the health care bill will give a similar justification. They believe it’s worth bribing a few Senators so that the bill will be passed with an overall positive effect. I can’t blame liberals for supporting political deals because that’s the nature of politics.
The only way to escape the ugly consequences of the game is to stop the game from being played. Rational decisions by politicians usually lead to poor group results.
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