Goodbye, Cornhusker Kickback

How stupid must Ben Nelson feel tonight? He sold his soul in return for a kickback, he's reviled in his own state and will likely never again be elected, and now his bribe has been removed from the hot mess that is the healthcare bill.

Slick move, Ben.

On the other hand, some fresh bribes are in the bill.

Bye bye, Cornhusker Kickback. Hello, special treatment for Tennessee and North Dakota.

Democrats unveiling revisions Thursday to their health care overhaul bill decided to kill the extra $100 million in Medicaid funds for Nebraska that has become a symbol of backdoor deal making.

But the 153 pages of changes to the massive health care package include extra money for hospitals in Tennessee that serve large numbers of low-income patients. And though the bill would revamp the nation's student loan system to make the government the only lender, one bank - the state-owned Bank of North Dakota - would be allowed to continue making student loans.

That provision ended up rubbing Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., the wrong way. Fearing it would become a target by Republicans in what he said is "an overly heated partisan environment," he asked the House late Thursday to remove it from the legislation.

Still alive is special spending for Louisiana, Connecticut, Montana and other states that was included in the health care bill that the Senate approved in December. The House may give it final approval this weekend.

Instapundit links. Thanks!