Alan Grayson: Democrat with a spine?

[bascule]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/08/alan.grayson/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

 

I'd seen some videos of this guy circulating around the Internet, but, yeah, he's pretty damn cool.

 

I think the Democrats' biggest problem right now is they can't stand up to all the Republican bluster and whining. These people have arguments based around untruths and they can't call them out on it. Aside from that they have no real plan.

 

I'm glad to see there's at least one democrat willing to stand up to them.

 

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Oh, and the Republicans demanded an apology for the above speech... are you kidding me? Grayson gave them one... he apologized to the dead.

[Mr Skeptic]

The apology:

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This guy seems like just what we need.

[bascule]

So today he started naming off people who died in Republican-represented districts because they didn't have health insurance.

 

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The Republicans freaked, moved to adjourn and strike the names from the Congressional record.

 

Wow.

[iNow]

Smart. Nice move. Makes it real.

[Phi for All]

That's a strong, no-nonsense argument and I really like the strategy. Unfortunately, many conservatives see healthcare reform as helping people whose lifestyles they disagree with. I think they see it as too much leveling of the playing field, and so they'll never be moved to make it easier for the indigent sick to be healthy.

 

Kudos to Representative Grayson for a big brass pair.

[Dudde]

currently residing in Oklahoma, I was slightly dismayed to hear this state's name founding the majority of the deaths counted. However, I'm not from here, so I have no problem in agreeing wholeheartedly that we definitely need it.

 

thanks for posting that video, interesting

[JohnB]

Since the Dems have controlled both Houses for a couple of years, wouldn't it be fair to recount the losses in Democrat areas?

 

And, since there are more Dems in both the House and the Senate, wouldn't there be more deaths in Democrat held regions?

 

They have had the numbers for quite some time, yet have done nothing but bitch about the Repubs. This would be truly laughable if it wasn't so serious.

[Dudde]

Since the Dems have controlled both Houses for a couple of years, wouldn't it be fair to recount the losses in Democrat areas?

 

I think the point was that the democrats are trying to help those people dying, whereas the republicans are yelling at the top of their lungs. No need to count numbers in regions where they're trying to do something if you've got several people not willing to move forward with no good reasoning

[The Bear's Key]

Since the Dems have controlled both Houses for a couple of years, wouldn't it be fair to recount the losses in Democrat areas?

 

And, since there are more Dems in both the House and the Senate, wouldn't there be more deaths in Democrat held regions?

 

They have had the numbers for quite some time, yet have done nothing but bitch about the Repubs. This would be truly laughable if it wasn't so serious.

It depends. You do live in Australia so it's possible that many nuances simply escape you.

 

But you might remember this...

 

 

 

 

Seems to be the norm.

 

It's like the Dems try to play the game more fair with a party that might just be out to destroy them. Look at how many conservative Democrats there are in our government. Now compare to how many liberal Republicans there were in the Bush years and even now.

 

Remember too during 2000-2006, which party controlled everything but also did nothing...*

 

 

This Republican-led, do-nothing Congress is on its way home for a five-week vacation. I'm sure while there, they'll be glad to explain to their constituents why they need so much rest in a year in which they will work fewer than 80 days.

 

It's an illness of both parties -- to do "nothing" -- yet each with different symptoms.

 

The Republicans were in lockstep a great portion of their leadership (yet still failed).

 

Where the Dems' main problem is they've been playing kiss-ass, let's-not-anger-the-Republicans. In other words, being pussies.

 

Also the Dems attempted to include Republicans in the decision making process. Yet all they've gotten in return has been interruptions, fear-mongering, twisted facts, and a near circus.

 

But the Republican -- while in majority -- demanded things with no regard to what Democrat leaders thought or uproared about. The Republicans were solidly partisan -- quite like robots or Borg -- for much of six years.

 

Democrats are going to lose numbers after one year in power, thanks to outright misinformation in constant waves of propaganda vs Dems, a lot of it with beginnings disguised as news.

 

I'm pissed at the Dems for having given the (neoconned) Republican leadership so much time and benefit of doubt. As a result they've both screwed up healthcare so the final bill's now a joke and one more nail in the coffin for Dems.

 

Finally, I believe they're unable fix much without a spine in place against fabricated rhetoric. Still, I believe no one party should control all of government -- especially in the most powerful nation and/or the one with most foreign influence.

 

Also, I strongly disagree that it's just politics. No, it's been about lying in a very hurtful manner to the nation's well-being.

 

I'd say politics is mainly about conflict or disagreement in policy...it's certainly not about screwing the nation with lies in order to benefit a handful of people who continually bribe our elected officials. It's not about sabotage of the other party on a mass scale. It's not about disrespecting the constitution and our wishes.

 

But as to the OP of the thread, yes, Alan Grayson has a spine. In another vid, he gets tough on the Federal Reserve. So does Bernie Sanders.

 

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However it's not politics wouldn't you agree? But considering how much Republicans supposedly oppose the Federal Reserve, how about we see their grilling of the Fed as well?

 

And the conservatives like to speak about teaching someone how to fish instead of just handing someone a fish, therefore the person can now fish and eat the rest of their life. Sounds nice, almost like a platitude really. I'm not seeing them introduce any major/widespread programs for teaching how to "fish", do you? Theoretically, it'd be only a for a short time, as many people would quickly learn to become self-sufficient.

 

No?

 

While I disagree with handouts as being the main answer to reduce poverty, some help must be given. At least Dems are putting forth methods to combat the problems. But too often the Republicans are just putting forth methods to combat the Dems.

 

*And then Lou Dobbs proceeds to blast Democrats as well.

Edited November 10, 2009 by The Bear's Key
clarifications in a few sentences