THURSDAY APRIL 29, 2010

Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, April 29, 2010
"For the third day in a row, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) broke with his Democratic colleagues Wednesday and voted to block the start of formal Senate debate on a far-reaching bill to overhaul financial regulations....there has been widespread skepticism on Capitol Hill about Nelson's public explanation for his dissent, and the bill's sponsor, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), added further doubts by saying that Nelson raised concerns about a provision concerning exotic financial instruments called derivatives. That provision has drawn fire from Berkshire Hathaway, the Omaha-based company of billionaire Warren Buffett, and Nelson's biggest donor over the past decade. (Buffett is a director of The Washington Post Co.)
Berkshire Hathaway or individuals associated with the company have contributed $75,550 to Nelson's campaign war chest since 2000...The aide said Berkshire Hathaway and "a lot of other parties" had lobbied for the exemption. But the exemption was dropped from a final version of the legislation...Nelson acknowledged that Berkshire Hathaway had contacted him to say it would be "adversely affected" by the new derivatives legislation. In turn, Nelson said he raised those concerns with the Agriculture Committee.
Nelson's most recent financial disclosure form, filed last year, shows that he and his wife owned between $1.5 million and $6 million in Berkshire stock in 2008 -- by far Nelson's largest listed asset."

What would you say is the most likely reason Ben Nelson was opposed to debating financial reform?


A) He's an idiot.

B) He was honestly concerned that the reform bill would crush capitalism in America.

C( He's a greedy selfish putz.

D) He does not believe big government is equal to the task of regulatiing big business.

E) If you can't protect your own wallet, what's the point in being a United States Senator?

G) He merely wanted to nail down certain loose ends before letting the opposition party attack the bill.

H) His wife made him do it.

J) The Sentator voted his concious; "No".

K) You aren't from Oklahoma. It's none of your darn business.

L) And if you are from Oklahoma, I'm not giving up my money for this crummy job.

M) What? You think being rich and powerful comes cheap?

N) This econimic crises calls for sacrifice from all of us. Senator Nelson has sacrificed his sense of honesty.

O) Greed is good.

I) Can't we all just get along? And leave my money alone.