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Alan Grayson Apologizes on the House Floor:
From Alan Grayson’s dKos diary:
Last night, I went onto the House floor and did something that the Republicans aren’t used to. I told the truth about the Republican health care plan. The plan is simple:
1. Don’t get sick.
2. If you do get sick…
3. Die quickly.
My speech has been replayed on CNN, Redstate, Huffington Post, etc, and mainstream media pundits are saying that I’m the Democratic Joe Wilson. Of course, unlike Joe Wilson, I wasn’t rude to the President. Unlike Joe Wilson, I didn’t break a rule of the House. And unlike Joe Wilson, I actually told the truth. Every single year, over forty-four thousand people in America die because they don’t have health insurance. Read this Harvard study. That is the plain truth.
..more…
110 Comments
More apologies like this one, please!
JOE FOR PRESIDENT!
He IS the Fucking Man!
(For those unfamiliar with liberal slang and maybe lost by the lack of audible verbal inflection, the word “fucking” used in a positive context in this case.)
Josh Marshall needs to REALLY apologize to Grayson for the drivel he put on the front page of TPM about Grayson.
TPM has become a joke. Gone MSM would be a polite way of describing it.
fukkem
Josh just got carried along with the impulsive rush to judgment with the rest of the hand-wringing mothers superior in the media. Its easy for journalists to feel obliged to swat a Dem once in a while just to appear “fair.” After all the GOP liars and fools, it must be an irresistible urge to establish a semblance of fairness.
I’ve been watching Mika B & & Alex Witt (MSNBC), Gloria Borger and Wolf B. (CNN), etc. shaking their heads gravely at Grayson’s “over the top tone”. “How does this help the discourse?” Well, what are they doing to explain the facts to anyone? Nothing. They are gossip columnists.
These so-called journalists only cover outbursts, celebrities, who’s up vs. who’s down, predictions of failure, and bickering. Then they complain about the actors in their drama.
The sound you hear in the background is the grinding of Republican teeth. They are SUCH a bunch of bozos — what did they think Grayson was going to do — grovel like all those idiots who’ve offended Rush Limbaugh? Really? There are people who have come into the Senate and House over the past couple of years who are basically National Treasures: Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island is one and Alan Grayson is another.
Alan Grayson is just warming up.
Thank you, Elliott.
Recommended.
MORE, JOE! JOE, MORE!
MORE, JOE! JOE, MORE!
MORE, JOE! JOE, MORE!
Am I missing something? Is Grayson’s first name really Joe? Or are you referring, in an ironic way, to Joe Wilson?
WHOOPS! fuck me! Double dosed my overpriced meds today!
Here we go…
ALAN FOR PRESIDENT!
He IS the Fucking Man!
(For those unfamiliar with liberal slang and maybe lost by the lack of audible verbal inflection, the word “fucking” used in a positive context in this case.)
——–
MORE ALAN! ALAN, MORE!
MORE ALAN! ALAN, MORE!
MORE ALAN! ALAN, MORE!
(thanks Toby! That’s what I get for typing with one hand, taking care of kids with the other, having one eye one the computer and one eye on the future. $100 to Grayson)
your heart was in the right place — and that’s what counts
NICE, GOTTA DONATE TOO LOVE THIS GUY GREYSON, love those kids will you !!
Spinus regeneratus: the re-emergence of a spine in a species which had devolved into spinelessness.
Let’s hope it spreads to the rest of the caucus.
LOL ;-))
I’ll second that. Imagine if ALL the Dems (and even some Repubs) would grow a spine and stand for the common people. We could literally MOW over Wall Street and the greedy thugs that dwell there.
Oh! Yeah!
Sorry
JOEAlan!Elliot~~
Why the misleading headline? Why not something more consistent with the facts, like Raw Story put up (their headlines usually suck, but this one is good)…
This is what a guy with a functioning brain, spine, and conscience looks and sounds like. :-))))
HE’S SO RIGHT…
As a former embalmer, I am concerned and have been concerned for over five years of MRSA ( methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureaus ) in these deaths from a flu bug. Hospitals in America are filthy bacteria breeding grounds and the very health care system we trust, believe and depend on to keep us safe and healthy is infecting our communities with a disease that used to be an only hospital acquired infection that is so common in our homes, schools, businesses. I really believe the mix of MRSA and flu will cause more deaths than AIDS. I watched my father rot for ten months because of the status quo http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 which I am not saying is medical malpractice, what I did for a living was legal mutilation. But what is deemed, defended and supported as quality health care in America is going to kill more and more innocent people, mostly children right now, but the vunerable elderly are the next target and I can only imagine what will happen when this affects the US economy and health care system.
Even more words from Grayson, defending himself on The Situation Room.
I haven’t watched the entire CNN vid, but they sure put three to one on Alan. Disgusting.
Three on one turns out to be unfair…for Grayson’s opposition, that is.
This guy looks he could hold off a whole wingnut army.
Actually, it was four on one for most of it; Wolfie was doing some of the worst pounding on him. They did bring in James Carville on a monitor for a few words in defense of Grayson. The good thing is that Grayson was not a bit intimidated and didn’t waver a bit in his responses. I have a new hero.
It’s time for the Democrats to call out the Republicans for who and what they are but also the priviledged, pampered, rich and thoroughly compromised talking heads of the corporate media. Like Clinton did with Chris Wallace. Get these bozos back on their heals and watch them crumble. It would be a valuable teaching moment for the American people to see these self-inflated talking heads as totally clueless.
HE STAYED ON MESG. THE WHOLE TIME AND HANDLED IT GREAT, GOING NOW TO DONATE
And he wiped the floor with them.
Did you not ask, my dear, why against one
… Singer they send a hundred swords?
(Quietly, drawing his own sword)
Because
They know this one man for a friend of mine!
All that pearl clutching in one room… Grayson held his own. Awesome!
It makes you wonder why cnn does not question the republicans on they’re health care plan.
It was (4) to one on blitzer.blitzer,canstanos,johns and borger.
And blitzer kept asking him did he want to apologize.
Rep. Grayson will be on MSNBC with Rachel Maddow in a few minutes.
I sent Rep. Alan Grayson $25 via FDL’s “Stand by Alan Grayson” at ActBlue.
http://www.actblue.com/page/standbygrayson
If you haven’t already, please think about contributing to Rep. Grayson too!
awesome
Me, too. Happy to contribute to such an gutsy Congressman.
Great idea…thanks for the link….God Bless You Alan…finally, someone who represents the people!
Gee, maybe if he apologized for his over the top remarks the Republicans would start being nice to the Democrats.
Jest kiddin’…
Obama will likely have Grayson in for a stern lecture on the glories of bipartisanship.
Grayson’s also displaying a distinct lack of civility.
Meaning he’s not falling all over himself apologizing to a bunch of bozos who can dish it out but who can’t take it.
Well, we all know what civility gets you..Joe Wilson with straining neck tendons yelling ‘you lie’ in the House at the president of the United States. Bipartison in their vocabulary means ‘lay down so we can roll over you’. Colleagial means ‘No..no..and hell no”. Alan Grayson is just saying it like it is.
Pelosi, Reid and all Democrats should view this repeatedly until it sinks in. Make it plain, state your case plainly, stand your ground and turn the tables on multiple opponents. Wolf Blitzkreig who never ment a bomb he didn’t like, in full Republican defense mode was stupified by The Great Alan Grayson.
BTW, I sent Grayson $50…
Anyone who characterizes the Republicans as “knuckle-dragging Neanderthals” in the presence of Wolf Blintzner is worth at least that much.
No one should apologize for speaking the truth.
Apologize my eye!
There does need some action in reference to Rep. Grayson.
A Promotion. I wish we could make him Speaker of the House, but I’ll settle for making him one of the Democratic Assistant Whips.
I called his office in FL. I told them he was a hero. I told them he didnt burn a flag, he burned some republicans. AND GOOD FOR HIM.
I told them we need some democrats SPINE and that progressive dems have his back.
read it and weap gooper whiney titty ass babies. read it and weap.
Grayson’s money quote to Rachel: we’re dealing with foot dragging knuckle dragging Neanderthals…
almost makes the headache from the street construction outside my door bearable
He used the same line in The Situation Room, too. There wasn’t enough room on the fainting couch when all four people he was taking on got the vapors over it.
Yeah, it was a nice line, but let’s not forget that Neanderthals were human beings, too, and that they probably cared more about each other in their communities than many of these Republicans care about other Americans in ours.
Good point. It’s not really fair to Neanderthals. Can’t call Republicans and Blue Curs whores either because it’s not fair to whores. In fact there’s probably more honesty in 1 whore than in all the Republicans and Blue Curs in Congress.
Neanderthals are long gone. Can’t hurt their feelings, and as for the emotion need to raise yourself by putting someone else down, no group can be a better target than one that no longer exists. Let’s not carry this bleeding heart liberal shit too far.
eCAHN,
1) I was fucking joking. Calm down.
2) I wasn’t worried about offending Neanderthals so much as elevating Republicans to the same level of humanity.
You calm down. I was joking too. Thought that would have been obvious from my OTT tone. But if I’ve offended you, I apologize. *g*
;) sorry!
Although I must admit your point about raising the Rs up to the level of humans, even though past ones, is a good one. We must be careful not to do that.
Ah, Rachel’s talking about David Vitter and a complaint filed against him in Louisiana. Nice.
Hard to find a more honest and direct free-market transaction than that which occurs between a hooker and a john. Just ask Republican Diaper Dave Vitter. Or Larry Craig. or Haggart or Jimmy Swaggart.
What is this Dave Vitter diaper joke?
I am convinced that Joe Wilson’s stupid outburst was staged and that Republican leadership put him up to it to deflate the impact of President Obama’s speech on health care reform.
God, do I hope that Alan Grayson’s powerful analysis of the Republican view of health care – “don’t get sick and, if you get sick, die quickly” – is something that Democratic leadership put him up to as the first step in a new, orchestrated push for REAL health care reform.
CNN and Blitzer put this right-wing-biased caption under Grayson’s videopic – “Die Quickly Democrat”
Makes Grayson a “Death Panel Democrat” to the Low-Information-Neanderthal- Knuckeldragging-Independent-Libertarian-Republican Viewer.
No wonder I have not watched CNN in a couple of years.
I doubt that the leadership put him up to it. He doesn’t have any reason to be cautious. He is already wealthy.
Cong. Grayson’s website says he represents FL’s 8th District.
http://www.govtrack.us/congres…..district=8
Looks like Central FL/Orlando burbs. Doesn’t look like how you would construct a standard Democratic “easy-to-hold” district.
Honestly, that’s the first time I have laid my eyes on it. LOOKS to be the type of district that would be traditionally easy for the GOP to hold.
I sincerely doubt Pelosi or Steny Hoyer has 1/10 of the spinal rigidity required to make a central Florida Congressman “controversial.”
I’d think about giving Pelosi more credit!
But you’re probably right. Rep Grayson probably just clearly sees the obvious and firmly believes he should stand on his principles, no matter what.
The only thing I want to give to Pelosi is really long, really in depth investigation.
We never should have put a House of Congress in the hands of a BALTIMORE political dynasty. Her father was a mayor of Baltimore. Her brother was a mayor of Baltimore, too.
Ever seen the HBO series “The Wire.” Baltimore is the only city in America that makes politics in Chicago look clean in comparison.
OMG, This guy is just Awesome!!!
Why can’t more Dems be like this! He was simply telling the truth, and Repubs demanded an apology? For what? Because he pointed out that Repubs care MORE about those “unborn babies” as the Repubs like to call them, but once they’re born, ooooooh that’s “SOCIALIST” to dare try and help them get basic health care. What’s so “socialist” about valuing EVERY human being, and treating everyone equally???
And yes, Mr. Grayson, please fight on. Thanks for sticking it to the ReThugs, the party of NO solutions.
Here’s his campaign commercial on Iraq War profiteers.
He is da man!
We all need to e-mail Nancy and tell her how great we think Grayson is. Let her know what a REAL member of Congress sounds like. She might get a headache from lots of praise for him.
EXCELLENT IDEA!
http://www.speaker.gov
Thank You! Message sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. If they don’t represent our views, they shouldn’t represent us in Congress.Vote the Blue dogs and Republican sheep out of office!
United Health Care profits soar 155 percent on Medicare plans
By Jerry Mazza
Online Journal Associate Editor
Sep 25, 2009, 00:20
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United Health Care’s 155 percent profits on Medicare plans must be a company record, especially in a down economy, and an embarrassing fact, particularly as the concervatives on the Senate Finance Committee fight to preserve the present payment structure of United Health Care and its fellow private insurance companies.
Private insurance plans in Medicare cost up to 19 percent more than it would cost to care for the same people in the public Medicare program. But then, we know whose pockets the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats are really stuffing.
And never mind, as the Medicare Rights Center points out, “Private plans came into the Medicare program with the claims that they could save taxpayers money.” Right and I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn I can let you have for cheap. The fact is, “they [the Private Plans] cost between 12 percent and 19 percent more per person than the public Medicare program, amounting to $5 billion per year in over-fattened costs to taxpayers.”
I guess this must be the advantage in the Medicare Advantage plans, only it’s for United Health Care and friends not the USA and its taxpayers. In fact, as Families USA reported, “Overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans and those regional PPOs could easily cost more than $60 billion over the next 10 years . . .” Hey, piece of cake, right?
And here is Taibbi’s take
Alan Grayson to Fed counsel Scott Alvarez on the Federal Reserve’s legal authority to mess with the market.
video at link.
GIVE EM HELL ALAN
SPEAK THE TRUTH,THEY WILL THINK IT IS HELL
Give em Hell Alan! Sorry I’m late!
Grayson shows how it’s done! Glad to have his back and sent him some $.
Tough, smart, and will not be intimidated. How refreshing.
Grayson was great on Rachel in his power shocking pink tie. I donated a few shekels earlier. Gotta reward good behavior.
I had the same thought when I saw him on Rachel. Have to reward folks who have the balls to stand up when we need him. I hope that clip is played far and wide….
It’s not often noted, but Neanderthals were also homo sapiens. There have been several types of homo sapiens.
For a few examples, Google the following:
homo sapiens idaltu
homo sapiens neanderthalensis
homo sapiens sapiens (modern humans, us)
Just watched the situation room with Grayson and he was good, really good! I think James Carvell was not too sure what to make of him and the others were Rethug toads.
Grayson is doing really, really well at Act Blue.
In the last hour or so, 26 more people have donated to Rep Alan Grayson via FDL’s “Stand by Alan Grayson” at ActBlue. Right on!
http://www.actblue.com/page/standbygrayson
Grayson should replace Rahm Emanuel… finally a Dem with CAJONES!!
I’m so excited that a Dem ACTUALLY STOOD UP AND CALLED OUT THE FUCKING REPUBLICANS!!… that I sent him some dough.
May even send him more.
Obama, are you listening?
Just viewing some of the posts on this thread, it’s so obvious that FINALLY… we have an example who we can point to as what a true congressperson sounds like. After all, Grayson was not disrespectful to anyone (unlike Joe), and he was within his first amendment right to speak his mind in a non-hostile manner.
Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new resurgence in resolve to pass healthcare reform. After weeks of frustration and disappointment, this dude has gotten me FIRED UP.
he QUOTED a Harvard study
THE TRUTH IS UGLY
A true American hero! There are 45000 people dying for lack of care WTF??
Yes, the numbers I have heard are over 40K people dying due to no insurance & at least 100K dying from medical mistakes – all in the US. Can you imagine the outrage if this many Americans were dying in terrorist attacks or plane crashes annually?
Grayson’s line reminded me that actually it is men who historically die more quickly from sudden events like heart attacks, while women more often suffer from chronic illnesses in the US…
I did a post a bit ago about that same report relating the 45,000 deaths (I rounded up) to a lack of insurance. The comments are closed but the links should still be working.
Wow, it’s about time! You GO Alan Grayson! You da Man!
I’m voting for him, oh wait a minute, I don’t live in Florida. When he runs for president, I’ll vote for him then!
We need you Alan
just to add one more voice to many: this is how it’s done. No Prisoners. I knew the repubs stepped in it when they went after him, because even his original statement, which would by hard pundit law have toe be replayed reflexively on MSM, would ultimately resonate with most of the country – because it was true! Now they’re getting their faces rubbed in it. Let’s see now how Stephie and company try to cover for their masters.
To quote Paul Hackett:
I said it.
I meant it.
I stand by it.
Grayson was classic, my word how come there aren’t more in both Houses standing up and exposing the lie that is the Republican answer for Health Care Reform, they don’t have one. They have a series of tax cuts and Gov giveaways while doing nothing to control cost. It has nothing to do with insurance, but everything to do with preserving big business.
We are seeing up close and personal how much Wall St and US Chamber of Commerce have control over Congress and the debate.
cnn is so full of it. they are more concerned about the congressman’s attacks on the republicans instead of actually questioning the republicans on their plan
Conservative News Network isn’t going to call a puke on anything.
why is noone calling the republicans out on their so called health care plan? could it be that the media is trying to sway the voters?
Here he is on with Rachel…10 very strong minutes with 5 seconds of money shot at the end. Great pink power tie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfwza0jo1yw
thank you!
a demo with a spine he will be ran out of office by nancy and reid
the real dnager to the republic is nancy and reid. the repubs are new souls, actually the repubs are newer souls but no one has a clue about that.
demos sign up independent the demos no longer represent your interest they only pretend to to get your votes
they are worst liars than the repubs at least the repubs dont make any bones about it they want to work for corp america that is where the money is for reelection and a place to work after done with congress
throw them all out keep greyson and bernie and the k guy from ohio.
We need four hundred more people like Alan Grayson in the House, and at least fifty more in the Senate.
I Australia we don’t have seniority in our government. We give the job to the best person. The Democrats need Alan in charge. He’s the right man for the job. They have so much talent that needs to be used and Alan is just one of them!
Alan Grayson is wrong and ought to sincerely apologize. It is absolutely clear that the GOP does not want anyone to die quickly, or even die at all, so long as they can be a source of profit for the medical-industrial complex.
Umm! Let’s see here. I remember some news story about a poll calling for Obama’s assisnation?
This is great piss off the GOP piss off the GOP I want them to make a cause of this.
Anyone who compares any current event, especially for political gain, to the systematic, coldblooded murder of 6 million people by inhuman, unfeeling, “scientific,” and assembly-line like methods is a despicable human being–of whatever party.
There is no event of recent times or action by any person which compares even remotely to the Holocaust. That Holocaust is something which ought to make all human beings a bit ashamed just because of the fact that we were part of the species responsible for it.
To use it for political gain is below the bottom of the barrel, no matter how good the cause for which it was invoked.
Hello cregan. I hear you. I hear your anger. I’m responding not to argue with what you said. And not to change your opinion in any way. Just want you to know that upfront.
I wonder, though, if your point doesn’t indeed underscore what is going on in our country. This calculated and callous disregard for the lives of our countrymen–we saw it with the lies that sent our young men and women to iraq (”So?”) and now with the state of our health care and the debate surrounding it. Every day, some bureaucrat makes the decision to take a family’s money and to deny them life saving care.
This goes beyond passively “allowing” people to die (and that’s bad enough). These are active decisions to take money and active decisions to deny care. And thousands upon thousands die without recourse.
The Holocaust still stands as one of, if not the most horrific crimes against humanity (Pot Pol comes to mind as well). I’m sorry that you are hurting from the reference in this speech.
I also apologize if my comment rankles you further. That’s not my intent. My intent is to share my outrage about what we are witnessing in the lack of US health care.
Has Grayson reviewed some of Zeke Emanuels articles on euthanasia and end of life issues?
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Rahm’s brother, tapped for White House health …The brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a noted bioethicist, is advising the Obama administration on health care …
blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/…/dr_ezekiel_emanuel_rahms_broth.html – Similar
Incidentally, Grayson is himself,Jewish,btw.
One historical view of the Holocaust is that it is focused, systemic genocide.
“One historical view of the Holocaust is that it is focused, systemic genocide.”
How long have right wingers been whipping their favorite nonsense whipping horse… “socialism/communism” so that they can keep profiting off people’s suffering?
Since the TRUMAN administration.
http://www.slate.com/id/2175477/
Take that 45,000 per year multiply it SIXTY TWO YEARS the far right has been screaming this “socialism” nonsense to keep profiting off the suffering of other.
That’s 2,790,000 people that have died since 1947 that because they had no health insurance.
Profiting off the suffering of others for 58 years ?!?Looks like systemic cruelty holocaust to me.
360,000 over eight years may not be 6 million, but it is still systemic and structural, and if the priority of profits-over-people is not ended soon, 6 million will become the statistic.
The evolution of the German economy to a war-time economy, and the inability of people to quit their jobs are similar for us now. The costs of waging war on credit means we have far fewer resources for more important agenda items. And there may not be a law forbidding a person to quit a job, but the health care issue means that hardly anyone does. Nor do many feel prepared to start a business of their own, especially if they have a family.
Nor did Hitler and the Nazis consider a clearly defined economic program to be important. Hitler, did however, put a lot of stock into his own interpretation of Social Darwinism.
The GOP has very few original economic ideas, beyond their never-ending cry for more and more tax cuts, despite their war lust, and Social Darwinism (despite their reliance on Creationism) seems to be their ideal for any of society’s ills, including our current health care debacle.
Alan Grayson is a whack ! The GOP is bringing in some big gun’s to make sure Grayson doesnt see a second term.
List of people who may run:
1) Toni Jennings
2) Larry Cretul
3) R Croti
4) Lou Holtz
5) Danny Webster
6) Armando Gutierrez
“Alan Grayson is a whack ! The GOP is bringing in some big gun’s to make sure Grayson doesnt see a second term.”
Alan Grayson will bury anyone the GOP runs.
I saw part of Grayson’s speech on CSpan. He was great. I loved that he noted how ten times as many Americans die yearly due to lack of insurance as died on 9/11 or in Iraq. I also liked his comment about how Dems care about people “even after they are born” as a dig at the GOP who want to eliminate a woman’s right to choose but then don’t want to help struggling families.
More Dems need to have a spine. The GOP has taken the discourse very low. Grayson’s comments weren’t any lower than things I’ve heard from people like Huckabee or Palin.