How much did Ben Nelson learn from Blanche Lincoln's @#$-kicking at the Polls?

Apparently, not much.

Remember when Blanche Lincoln tried to convince Arkansas Democrats that she had everything under control, that she was a better candidate than Bill Halter, and still got curb-stomped (electorally speaking) by 30 points?

It's about to happen to Ben Nelson.

There is no point to having Ben Nelson in our caucus. He will stab us in the back every chance he gets.

This helps...Part 1

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NB), talkin' reconcilliation:

“If Republican colleagues are serious about fixing our health care system and want to avoid using the reconciliation process, then I will go to the negotiating table with them,” Senator Nelson said. “If Republican senators join me at the table, we can use bipartisanship for health reform rather than use reconciliation, which needs only 50 votes to approve legislation.

“All it takes is one Republican to come forward, put partisanship aside, and work on behalf of those that do not have or cannot afford health insurance,” Nelson added. “Working together, we can fight to ensure health reform relies on our private market system, rather than the government to reduce the cost of health care and deliver better care for millions of Americans.

“Reconciliation has never been my preference for moving legislation. Instead, I always prefer the regular order process that allows full and open debate, many amendments and an opportunity for broad bipartisanship. That can be achieved, if Republican colleagues come to the negotiating table with their ideas and proposals,” Nelson said.

HuffPo: Maybe they should have had some beers... (VIDEO)

So, middle-class Nebraskan, Michael Snider appears in ad ripping his Senator (and alledged Democrat) Ben Nelson for costing him his Health Care.

Then, Ben Nelson (doing the right thing mind you) called Mr. Snider to address his concerns.

Hey, full points for doing this. This is what Democracy is all about. A Constituent has a concern? Let's find out what's the problem is, and then address it.

But that noble impulse soon faded because I don't think Senator Nelson was the least bit interested in listening to Mr. Snider.

"To be real honest with you, I don't know if he was just being aggressive or nervous but he just wanted to put out his position on the issue," Snider recalled in an interview with the Huffington Post. "He said he supported the public option but one that wouldn't affect the current plans of 200 million Americans."

"I told him I didn't understand. And he tried to explain it. He put his position out. He said if we went with a full public option -- which he called a government plan -- it would drive the price down and hurt private companies. I said, 'you mean competition.' And he replied that it would force people off the private plan and onto the government plan."

"That happened twice," Snider concluded. "He was telling me how bad a public option would be and when he was done I said, 'So you don't support a public option.' He would reply, 'That's not what I say.'"

The call lasted roughly ten minutes. In the end, Snider thanked Nelson but made no plans for future discussion.