What happens when you are a Democrat on the fence about Obama health care? You become the new recipient of $300 million windfall!

Mary Landrieu of Louisiana was one of three Democratic senators that Harry Reid needed to win over to begin the debate. So a new provision got written into the health care bill that gives a 50% boost in federal Medicaid money for Louisiana--a $300 million dollar windfall just for Ms. Landrieu's state. And funny thing: she voted for the debate to begin.

Of course, the bill doesn't specifically say that Louisiana is the only state to get the extra money, but the bill painstakingly spells out specific provisions for a state to get the money: must have been declared a disaster area in the past 7 years, etc. Oddly, Louisiana is the only state that meets all the qualifications. You can read all the provisions beginning on page 432 of the bill.

That is the sad state of affairs of politics today. Congress is not voting on the merits of the bill, only on "what's in it for me." Senator Mary Landrieu sold out her country and proved that while she may be easy, she's certainly not cheap.
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