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Source: WOWT
While Washington braces for a congressional brawl over health care, one Heartland senator thinks he may have the answer to the debate.
Senator Ben Nelson feels he can use his moderate record to help achieve the compromise necessary to move forward.
On Sunday he was in Bellevue to rally the Sarpy County Democrats, Senator Ben Nelson talked about change, and momentum.
The feeling is that the Democratic Party is gaining ground in Sarpy County.
Senator Ben Nelson says, "You begin to realize things have changed and will continue to change dramatically."
The focus of the day is on health care. Depending on who you listen to health care costs have risen between six and nine percent for the past five years.
Senator Ben Nelson says, "It's important that we reform it or the cost are going to be too great for everybody and then I think the problem will be so big no one can solve it."
What hurt that effort were interruptions at town hall meetings, angry rhetoric and misinformation rather than debate.
Senator Ben Nelson says, "Will all the misinformation go away? Absolutely not. There are those out there who can spin the myths faster than you can debunk them and that will continue."
Nelson says Congress has to focus on the needs of voters, and pass a fair health care bill that doesn't mortgage the country's future.
One of the more delicate negotiations in the health care debate is expected to center around the public option.
Senator Ben Nelson says, "I can't tell you that the public option is gone, but I can tell you that I don't see a public option emerging as part of this legislation."
No matter what the health care bill is made up of, nelson says it is up to all members of congress to inform voters what the legislation contains.
Senator Nelson believes he sits in a unique position; he's already been part of one bi-partisan negotiation process, and thinks that coalition can help again.
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