Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., drew both support and opposition Tuesday in Nebraska for his decision to back proposed health care legislation.
Proponents of the health care overhaul praised Nelson during a press conference held at the Magnolia Hotel in Omaha. Others derided him at an evening rally outside his office in Lincoln.
To those who think Nelson didn’t stand up for his state, State Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha said: “Well, I want to know what state they live in.”
Those who spoke in favor of the legislation included physicians, pastors and representatives of senior citizens and rural associations.
John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, said that although the legislation isn’t a cure-all, it’s the only proposal to help many farmers obtain health coverage.
“This is the only train in the station,” Hansen said. Those who have opposed it have offered no alternatives, he said.
Connie Benjamin, Nebraska director for the AARP, praised Nelson and the legislation.
“The cost of doing nothing is too great,” Benjamin said. “We know it’s not over, and that is another reason why we’re here today.”
Later in Lincoln, about 90 people turned out for the rally criticizing Nelson’s support of the bill.
“Uncle Benny’s got to go, folks,” shouted Lincoln musician Gary Redden, testing a portable sound system at the start of the rally.
The gathering was held outside Nelson’s darkened office in the Sawmill Building in the Haymarket district.
The rally was sponsored by Grassrootsne.com, a group described by organizer Shelli Dawdy as supportive of “constitutionally limited government.”
Many participants said they also had attended a “tea party” rally in Omaha in April.
Accompanying himself on guitar, Redden sang of Nelson’s making “back-street deals with Harry Reid.”
“We’re proud redneck Nebraskans and we go big red and we’re not for sale,” Redden sang.
At his urging, the crowd repeated, “We’re not for sale” throughout the event, which lasted less than an hour.
The rally concluded with Dawdy’s walking to the governor’s residence to deliver a petition urging Gov. Dave Heineman to reject the additional Medicaid money for Nebraska that Nelson negotiated in the Senate bill.
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