Ben Nelson: failbag.

[Teaser]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/ben-nelson-leaves-dems-one-vote-shy-of-wall-street-reform.php?ref=dcblt

Democrats in Washington might want to nudge West Virginia governor Joe Manchin to name a replacement for Sen. Robert Byrd already.

The good news for Dems is that tonight, in a statement to reporters, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) hopped aboard the Wall Street reform train. "I intend to support passage of the legislation when its brought before the Senate," she said. That would make 60 votes -- enough to overcome a filibuster -- but now a Democrat is hanging out in the undecided camp, preventing the package from coming to the cloor

The bad news: Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) explicitly told reporters this evening he's not committed to voting for the legislation, citing a handful of measures, and concern about potential future directors of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

[geek tragedy]

1. He wouldn't matter if Russ Feingold would man up. nt

[Phx_Dem]

4. That's right. Ben's no more of an asshole than Russ is.

They're equal on the asshole front.

[Teaser]

5. When did Feingold go nuts?

I'm away in europe for a couple of weeks...then I come back and Russ has gone loony?

What gives?

[Phx_Dem]

12. He's voting against financial regulation

because it doesn't go far enough. So his answer to do nothing at all.

What an ASSHOLE.

[karynnj]

14. He's just like he always is

There were times in the Bush years that he was cheered for doing just this. He is a loner and he is willing to vote against a bill even if he agrees with most of.

He has often been an undependable vote. For other reasons, I looked Feingold's votes and summarized all the votes in the first half of 2009 where he disagreed with Kerry. It was done because there was a group that rated Feingold as Progressive and Kerry and Sherrod Brown (!) as less so. (Rather than re-write this - it does show patterns in Feingold's votes - http://journals.democraticunderground.com/karynnj/33 - so I hope you forgive the irrelevant Kerry info.)

[depakid]

7. Wow.

Whatever credibility you had- you just lost.

Sort of like Jane Hamshire when she went after Bernie Sanders.

[geek tragedy]

10. We actually agree on this one.

Feingold is flawed, as is everyone in Washington, but he's not the complete DINO that Ben Nelson is.

[Phx_Dem]

13. I was wrong.

Russ is actually a bigger asshole on this issue than Nelson. Nelson is voting with the Democrats for financial reform, while Russ is voting no with the GOP.

Russ has taken a page from the GOP playbook. If you don't get everything you want, vote no and do nothing. That's very helpful.

And, I'm just devastated that you don't find me credible. Whatever shall I do?

[w4rma]

6. Feingold isn't filibustering. He's only not voting for it. Nelson is corrupt to the core. (nt)

[geek tragedy]

8. Incorrect. Feingold is fillibustering as well.

Which makes him an asshole.

[asphalt.jungle]

9. no one would have a problem with feingold's stance if that was the case

he's for filibustering just like ben nelson. no difference between the two on this one.

[flpoljunkie]

15. Thing is, Russ Feingold is right that finreg does not really end 'too big to fail.'

We can only pray that it might. Finreg does some good stuff, but letting auto dealers be exempt from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau stinks to high heaven!

We need Russ Feingold in the Senate, and I will continue to support him.

[Joanne98]

2. &^%$#

[DCBob]

3. Seems a Democrat in NE is equal to a wacko conservative here in Maryland..

Nelson makes me ill.

[Jennicut]

11. I know....Nelson would NEVER get elected as a Dem here in Connecticut.

Is that what passes for a Dem in Nebraska??