Health care reform got a potential death blow, as Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) spelled out his problems with the bill:

In addition to the abortion question, Nelson said he has serious concerns about what he sees as unfunded mandates for states, new taxes and the massive spending in the bill. "They way in which money is raised is not acceptable," he said. "So if there isn't a way to raise the money in tight times, I think you have to look at a scaled-back version."

In other words, even after all of the ways in which the Democratic caucus moved to make Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) happy, it doesn't come close to addressing Nelson's concerns.  This doesn't mean that he'll demand everything he wants to move the bill, but Stupak language and some type of opt-out for the Medicaid expansion (which burdens the states) seem to be at least in the ballpark.

The interesting thing is that for all of the focus on Lieberman, Nelson shared all of Lieberman's concerns, and then some.  Unless Nelson is bluffing (and he's been saying things like this all along), it looks like the Administration, the left, and the media were distracted from the real problem in getting to 60 all along (assuming Snowe won't vote for cloture).  The health reform bill is in serious, serious jeopardy, because I can't see the left stomaching Nelson's demands.

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