Ben Nelson made it clear early. The President's much desired healthcare reform legislation would need some tweaking to make it palatable to him. Specifically, Nelson wanted language similar to that which was included in the House version of the legislation that prohibited federal subsidies for the purchase of insurance plans that covered abortions. After appeasing Joe Lieberman, rumors circulating the blogsophere, beginning at the Weekly Standard, claim that the President is willing to include Offutt Air Force Base in a new round of military base closings to bring Nelson to heel. Offutt is a major employer in Southeastern Nebraska, in addition to being a key link in the Strategic Air Command. Paul Mirengoff thinks Nelson is safe in calling the President's bluff, primarily because Offutt is vital to National Security.

Feeling the pressure of such a loss of constituent jobs is enough to force conformity among most politicians. Even though his constituents may or may not support the passage of the legislation in question. Such a legislator is compromised. One can ignore the will of the voters only at peril to one's position, or stand on principle and risk further economic chaos in an already challenging environment. The responsibility of individual states must then be to ensure their elected officials cannot be cornered in such a fashion.

Politics as usual plagues the process. Backroom deals and naked bribery, such as the $300 million granted to Louisiana to secure Senator Mary Landrieu's vote to open debate on the healthcare legislation, are de rigueur. But they needn't be. States that don't rely on federal subsidies for operating expenses get better representation in Washington, because fewer active measures for bribing and blackmailing their representatives exist.

Several years ago, Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell lobbied successfully to keep the New London sub base open and keep the jobs associated with both the base and Electric Boat in southeastern CT. At the time I argued her course of action was foolhardy, because no employer, least of all one as capricious as the Federal Government should hold a place at the heart of any state's economy. The old saw remains true that putting one's eggs in a single basket is foolish. As is trusting the federal government to provide jobs for your state. The difference is an individual who dumps an egg laden basket and loses all the eggs is apt to never make the same mistake again. States, not so much.

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