Ben Nelson can Feel the Heat

The Wall Street Journal reports these headlines: "Heat Rises on Nebraska's Nelson...Senator Launches Ad Campaign at Home to Defend Key Vote on Health Bill." On the surface, this seems like odd headlines for a person who just figured out how to permanently provide "free health insurance" for his constituents.

The article points out that "Mr. Nelson, who faces re-election in 2012, backed the Senate health-care bill only after lengthy talks in which he won agreement that the federal government would permanently cover the full cost in Nebraska of expanding Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the poor." His vote was crucial in getting the controversial bill through the US Senate. Nelson's vote has drawn criticism from around the country and close to home. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a moderate Republican noted for his tolerance of liberal actions called Nelson's vote "sleazy." The Senator's own governor, Dave Heineman, has been critical of the circumstance behind the bill's passage, stating on Fox News that "The responsibility for this special deal lies solely on the shoulders of Senator Ben Nelson." He is now said to be considering running against Nelson in 2012.

The damage for the bill has been significant. In Nebraska, a Dec. 28 Rasmussen poll showed Heineman, who opposes the bill, soundly beating Mr. Nelson in a theoretical 2012 match-up, 61% to 30%. This is devastating to Nelson, who is 68 years old and was last re-elected in 2006 with 64% of the vote.

The Democrats are in trouble when it comes to the health care bill in general and that legislation will likely serve as a referendum in the 2012 elections. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll in December found that 44% to 41% of Americans prefer the health system as it is to the Democrats' health overhaul. The bill is so bad that they cannot even give it away for free in Nebraska.There will be much debate over the sudden decline in Nelson's popularity. It could be because the people of Nebraska are like the rest of the nation who are opposed to rationed or socialized care. Some of them may understand the Constitutional obligations of a US Senator and believe he violated his legal mandate by supporting this bill that is without legitimacy. I believe that Nelson should have learned a lesson from George McGovern, the candidate who lost the 1972 race for the Presidency by a landslide. In the early part of 1972 McGovern was doing very well in his race against Richard Nixon, until he placed on his platform the redistribution of $1,000 to individuals who made less than $5,000 a year. $5,000 does not seem like much now, but at the time it was a huge sum of money. In fact, that described a majority of Americans at the time. But the vast majority of them believed they would make more than that some day. Furthermore, in spite of the weak morals of our elected officials and deep seated cynicism in the way they judge their constituents, I believe most Americans are not mere free loaders eager to get on the welfare dole. The people of Nebraska are hard working and do not want to be seen as dependents on the rest of the country. Nelson's dim view of his voters will likely provide grim results for him in 2012.


Kevin Price is a syndicated columnist whose articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media. Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

"Joe the Plumber" to Become a Trademark?

In an effort to try to locate "Joe the Plumber" in the Toledo, OH area in order to do an interview, I spent some time visiting with some of the people from the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce. They had no idea on how to reach Joe Wurzelbacher, but did tell me that the aspiring plumber (he isn't one yet, but works for one and intends to be one some day) did contact the Chamber through his father. The reason for the call? He wanted to know how to trademark the name, "Joe the Plumber." It appears that Joe is trying to make his fifteen minutes of fame last several hours.

Joe will face challenges, of course. There are numerous companies that describe themselves as "Joe the Plumber." Just check it out in a Google search.

Other observations about Joe the Plumber:

* His presence reminds me of the impact Sarah Palin had on the McCain campaign. Those "every day values" so absent from politicians today. You would think one of these campaigns would continuously surround themselves with such people, let them speak to the media about the issues of the day, and get away from the slick individuals who drive politics.

* Typical of Obama and his colleagues, they are now attacking Joe in the media. "He doesn't make $250,000 a year" we are told, "he had an ugly divorce" (and liberal bloggers are writing about it online), and "he has a tax lien against him" (which may prove his point that taxes are too high). This type of ugly attack is going to be perceived by millions of Americans as an attack on them. It is very elitist, which has killed many Democrats' campaigns before. Interestingly, as they attack Joe, McCain's numbers are going up nation wide to where he is well within the margin of error nationwide at this time.

* Joe reminds those who are not in the "top five percent" why they should worry about redistribution. Joe doesn't make $250,000, but wanted to know how it impacted people like that. Obama's supporters scoff as if he had no business asking the question. But Joe is like most Americans who aspire to make more some day. He wants to be in a higher income bracket and not pay those who haven't achieved such. The politics of envy has its limits. Obama has yet to learn that.

* Obama should learn a lesson from both Joe and George McGovern. Joe showed the sentiment of million of Americans. George McGovern learned the same thing the hard way. In the early part of 1972 McGovern was doing very well in his race against Richard Nixon, until he placed on his platform the redistribution of $1,000 to individuals who made less than $5,000 a year. That described a majority of Americans at the time. But the vast majority of them believed they would make more than that some day. It sunk McGovern in the polls.

The big question for McCain is will Joe have "staying power"? McCain needs to surround himself with average Joes and Janes who want to harness the American Dream and are suspicious of politicians who "want to take care of them." After all, they are a better reflection of a majority of Americans than the elitist that tend to surround most political campaigns.

Kevin Price articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Obama Gets Bad News on Economic Policies

Barack Obama has been heavily preaching the gospel of wealth distribution for years and has made it a central theme of his candidacy for President. Obama has been going around the country and telling them about how he was going to take from the rich and give to the poor. The devil, of course, is in the details.

For over two decades poverty has been in rapid decline and wealth has expanded in this country. More businesses have started in recent years than in any time in history and unemployment is remarkably low (even among recession concerns). So, although Obama has won the Democratic nomination with his "us against them" message, many are questioning whether that message will work in November. For example, if people make $227,000 or more a year, their taxes will go up by $23,000 in Obama's plan. Most people at this threshold do not consider themselves rich and under McCain, they would actually enjoy a 15,000 tax cut. Furthermore, there are many families below that financial bracket who aspire to reach the $227,000 threshold.

It reminds me of 1972 when George McGovern was performing well early in his race against Republican incumbent Richard Nixon. Then he started promoting the idea of "Demogrants,' which were subsidies that would go to people who make less than $15,000 a year. Instead of his support swelling, it actually popped his electoral bubble because there many members in this lower income bracket who knew that such programs were paid by those who made more than $15,000 a year and they believed they would be among those numbers. Americans are, by their very nature, positive and believe the best for themselves and future. They knew they could earn more and would.

Americans are the same today. According to a recent Gallup poll, 84 percent of all voters are opposed to redistributing wealth as a way of solving economic problems and only 13 percent support such a policy. Instead, the vast majority of the 84 percent support policies that encourage economic growth and job creation. They believe in free markets. Obama's redistribution policies remind me of a Ponzi Scheme that will encourage poverty rather prosperity and a game which all of us will lose.

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Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.