Dems in Despair Finally Find a Champion Who Won't Back Off Defending Sanity: The Unlikely Hero is Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida.
BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG
By Mark Karlin
A Democratic who doesn't back off telling it like it is and sticking to his guns when the GOP bullies try to get him to back off?
Is it possible?
After nearly 10 years of publishing BuzzFlash, we can say that our readers and our staff are in chronic despair about the Democratic wimp factor, when the Republicans intimidate them -- again and again and again -- into backing off of principled positions with rapid fire lies and a right wing media echo chamber.
Even the White House regularly backs down when confronted with the strategic, dishonest accusations of the Rethugs. They disposed of the green expert, Van Jones who is a tremendous resource for creating environmentally friendly jobs, after Glenn Beck attacked him. And others have been let go by the Obama Administration when the Right Wing lie machine cranks up.
Forget the minutia of the healthcare issue for a moment, what so many of us thought we were getting with Obama was someone who had the oratorical and personal leadership skills to reframe issues and leave the GOP fictional and hateful alternative universe in the dust.
But candidate Obama has seemed unable to transition a brilliant campaign full of passion and hope into a juggernaut that cuts down the corporate PR, lobbyist, and corporate media emotional manipulation of America's vulnerable working and middle class whites.
That brings us to one obscure Democratic Florida Congressman, Alan Grayson who showed what progressives have long advocated; it's not the size of the dog in the fight: it's the size of the fight in the dog.
ThinkProgress.org offers this account of Grayson's dust-up with the Rethugs on healthcare reform:
Yesterday, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) said the Republican health care plan is “don’t get sick,” and if you do get sick, “die quickly.” After offering those facetious and sadly accurate remarks, Grayson came under criticism from Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), who demanded that Grayson apologize on the House floor. Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Grayson said, “Yes, it was tongue-in-cheek. I’m surprised I have to explain that, but that’s the way it goes these days.” He added that he’s “not taking any of it back” and will “stand by what I said.” When asked if he would apologize, Grayson offered this response:
“I would like to apologize,” he said. “I would like to apologize to the dead.”
Citing a statistic that 44,789 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance, Grayson said, “That is more than ten times the number of Americans who died in the war in Iraq, it’s more than ten times the number of Americans who died on 9/11. …It happens every year.”
Grayson added in another apparent dig at the GOP, “We should care about people even after they are born.”
Grayson apologized one last time.
“I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven’t voted sooner,” he said.
“I don’t think the Democrats need to be on defense,” Grayson told reporters. “I think we should be on the offense and not the defense, and that’s where I plan to stay"
On CNN later, Grayson said words that were like finding water after a decade in the desert:
"I'm not the one who should apologize, they should apologize to America." He added, "Democrats have to have guts. And now we have to have the guts to take the majority that the American people gave to us and do something with it. And what we have to do is solve people's problems."
We despair that too many Democratic senators (and Blue Dog House Representatives) not only don't have the courage of their convictions; they may not have any convictions other than getting campaign contributions from Big Money and Big Corporations. But Grayson stood up for the people of America over the corporations and corporate media in putting the facts, not the fictions, on the table -- and not backing down.
Add to that an unexpected and fesity broadside against FOX on the official White House blog, and it was quite a day. The blog entry was detailed and referred to statements by FOX as "lies."
Oh, happy days, at least for one day.
Just wait until Harry Reid shambles up to microphone and does his usual capitulation statement -- as if he were the minority party instead of the one with 60 votes -- and we'll be back to our usual despair that the Dems will ever return to the needs of the people instead of being co-opted by the Rethugs and Big Money.
But for one inspirational day, we felt the joy and triumph of Dems showing some spine.
Americans like people who fight for them, not ones who back down whenever the bully enters the school yard.
The Dems should remember that. It was a glory to behold on Wednesday, especially after the Baucus Finance Committee sell-out the day before.
Can we have a three-peat this week, please?
BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG
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This guy has some guts!
Ah! It's like a breath of fresh air! Not only did he state the truth, but refused to appologize for it! Now if only our president and the other democrats would follow his lead. Isn't it nice to find a politician who actually is doing his job by looking out for the American People rather then the American corporations?
We Need Better Heroes
Isn't it amazing how just one bold act by an otherwise unknown Democrat can inspire elation! Have we progressives become so inured to disappointment that we have overreacted with Grayson's fairly mild attack on GOP hypocrisy?
I watched Grayson on Rachel Maddow's show after he delivered the apology to the dead, and she had to try three times before he would address her question regarding the use of "holocaust" in the original statement. Despite my glee over a Democrat whose gender anatomy isn't incomplete, the longer Grayson spoke the less enchanted I became. I am convinced that Grayson saw an opportunity to advance himself in a worthy cause - and I don't blame him for taking advantage of it - but his demeanor and his expressions screamed opportunist. He thus doesn't inspire confidence in me, and I expect that he will now become the latest GOP distraction in the rear-guard action to protect corporations from the American people.
I will take what I can get, but I'm not celebrating the end of the war. We won a small skirmish thanks to Grayson, but the Commander-in-Chief is still living in a la-la-land in which one's opposition can be enticed to hold hands and dance around a campfire singing uplifting hymns of unity and tolerance just because it's the right thing to do. Would someone at the White House please locate a biography of Gen. Lloyd Fessenden and read to Obama what happened at the Kasserinne Pass in 1942 - and why?
[Spoiler alert - Fessenden cowered in his bunk for three days, miles from the action, while his forces were under attack by Erwin Rommel's Afrika Corps. Eisenhower fired him after the battle ended and shipped him home in disgust for not acting like a leader should. His replacement was George Patton. You know his history!]
Obama has shown himself to be a FRAUD.. and IS showing himself..
Mr. Obama has shown himself to be a FRAUD regarding genuine Health Care "reform".. and he IS quickly piling up evidence that suggests that he is HEARTLESS & SOULESS Right-Wing Republican masquerading as a "Democrats," on issues from PRETENDING NOT TO NOTICE banks using BAILOUT BILLIONS for BONUSES, to using TAXPAYER BILLIONS as a "profit" cushion to FORECLOSE on and EVICT homeowners who could possibly be refinanced to stay in their homes; to allowing Single-Payer activists to BE ARRESTED from Max Baucus' "MOST CORRUPT SENATOR IN THE SENATE" "the fix is in" senate "reform" hearings back in April.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKP05AyfRsI&feature=channel
Obama DISGRACEFULLY PRETENDING NOT TO NOTICE, as a "Democrat" senator USED BUSHIAN "ARREST THE PROTESTERS!" tactics to CENSOR real "reform" debate from even the most preliminary of Senate "reform" hearings!
As if Obama/Emanuel/GoldmanSachs co. PUTTING THE FIX IN to HELP the corrupt Senator Baucus SABOTAGE genuine reform wasn't bad enough... there is an element of VIOLENT treachery here, for in order to enable Baucus' SABOTAGE, the Emanuel/GoldmanSachs/Obama White House HAD TO LET THE CRAZIES and Right-Wing DEMAGOGUES DOMINATE the ENTIRE Health-Care debate, for the ENTIRE MONTHS of April to October!!
These Right-Wing demagogues INCITE MURDER, but Obama/Emanuel co. was WILLING TO GIVE THEM AN UNOBSTRUCTED STAGE, so as to HELP Baucus SABOTAGE genuine reform!!
Bring on Congressman Grayson... an American citizen who PERSONALLY HAD TO DEAL with INSURANCE COMPANY DENIALS of his medical needs.
So, THE big question is... will Emanuel/Obama/GoldmanSachs co BE ABLE TO DUMP Rep. Grayson in the "swept under the rug" bin, as they did to the Doctors who courageously got themselves ARRESTED to PROTEST Max Baucus' CORRUPTION, but were given the COLD SHOULDER by Obama co?
Or will DEMOCRATIC VOTERS __DEMAND__ that THEIR VOICES BE HEARD, REGARDLESS of whatevery future DECEIT and TREACHERY comes out of the White House?
The Republican Health Care Plan
Obama are you paying
Obama are you paying attention! This is what real leadership looks like and this should be you instead of Mr. Grayson speaking the truth!
For the first time in my adult life
I can say I am proud to be a Floridian! Good for Representative Grayson. I'm not in his district, but intend to donate to organizations supporting him. He should run for Mel Martinez's Senate seat if he's eligible.
Alan Grayson
At last, some hope for the roll-over-and-play-dead Dems! The wingnuts will, of course, attack Grayson by every means possible (usually sleazy, illegal, and untrue--even, as we've seen in the media, lethal).
Counter that with your support--emails, cash--and keep Grayson in office, or higher office, if possible. Tell your friends that Kennedy is not dead, and the spirits of Truman, Johnson, and--dare we say--FDR live on!
Holocaust - suggestion
Suggested apology: I apologize for mis-using the term "Holocaust" to describe the tens of thousands of Americans who are killed every year because of Republicans policies that favor insurance CEOs. The tens of thousands of Americans who are killed every year because of Republicans policies, does not constitute a "holocaust" and I am sorry that I mis-spoke. The tens of thousands of Americans who are killed every year by Republicans policies is more technically a "slaughter" of Americans.
eh, I'm not so sure
A holocaust is not "The Holocaust," and holocaust's synonym is "slaughter." That said, I believe we could have a respectful, reasoned debate on whether my point is a distinction without a difference, in which I would concede your point has merit.
You like Grayson?
You would like to keep him? You would like more Graysons? Contribute to the worthy cause, because Graysons like him are in very short supply. Go here https://www.graysonforcongress.com/contribute.asp and give. Give a little if you cannot afford to give a lot. If everybody gives a little, Grayson will have enough money to win the re-election... We need to make sure he wins. We need Grayson. If we lose him, there will be nobody left (with exception of Kucinich) to face the 'thugs, to tell them the truth in a way they understand, and to give them hell in general.
He's correct
Rep Grayson is correct in all he's saying. The repugnants are loonie-bins when it comes to making sure no one can stop a pregnancy, but once the kid is born they relinquish all support. So, we've a bunch of crazies trying to populate the world with people beholden to them. If a few die, then so be it. As long as they get the votes from the cath-licks and even-gelicoats.
But that's just ONE Democrat!!
So you vote for the Democrats because of one or two heroic Democrats like Grayson or Kucinich, while the rest of them sell us out to the corporations?! Some strategy.
Can't you see that your approach of unconditionally supporting this other corporate-funded party isn't working?
We must vote Green and/or socialist as a warning shot to the Democrats to start representing citizens' interests.
Then if they don't get a clue, we must REPLACE them with a party that isn't corrupt, like the Green Party WHICH DOESN'T ACCEPT *ANY* CORPORATE MONEY!
The Democrats aren't the only ones that need a spine.
Grayson is the ROLE-MODEL!!!!
I been dreaming for years that a Democrat would get asked to apologize, and say sorry I didnt offend you any worse than I actually did. This is awesome!!! Bi-Partisanship is worse than Conservatism!!!!! Being demanded an apology over BS is an opportunity not for Defense but for Offense!!!! Bi-Partisanship is nothing but lack of Patriotism!!!!
I finally registered just to
I finally registered just to say I'm donating to Rep. Grayson today. Wouldn't it be great if thousands of folks showed their appreciation by filling his coffers before the lobbyists can? THANK YOU REP. GRAYSON! LIVE LONG and KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT!
Finally - A Democrat with a spine!
Clone Grayson or breed him quick before the Corporate Party leaders have a chance to perform a spinectomy and neuter him with gobs of corporate cash.
He's absolutely 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.
Finally, A Representative who Represents "We the people"
Rep. Grayson is the rare kind of Democrat I will support in the next election. As for any more donations to the Democratic Party in general, forget about it. Not until more of them follow Grayson's lead and start standing up for the people rather than the corporate interests.
Rep. Grayson demonstrates what having a spine means. We should all give him our full support.
What made it ten times better
was watching him stand his ground as Rachel Maddow picked up on Olbermann's unfortunate attempt to sort of vitiate Grayson's words by decrying his use of the word "holocaust" in the sentence you quoted. The real sentence that Grayson spoke was, "I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven't voted to end this holocaust sooner."
Oh my god, did someone hijack a sacred icon and use it for dramatic effect? Rightwing anti-abortionists can use the word to tar and feather abortion providers but a Democratic congressman can't use it against an industry that kills more than 40,000 people a year in this, the supposedly greatest country on earth.
Three times Maddow tried to get Grayson to apologize for his choice of words and three times he refused to do it. A little less fair and balanced please Dr. Maddow; this is a war we're in.
If only the PO was as important as the Chicago Olympics
What about the lack of advocacy for a public option from the administration? I noticed a commercial the other night aired on MSNBC with Obama advocating his insurance plan, which eliminates pre-existing conditions and caps along with mandating coverage for everyone with no mention of a public option or even an insurance exchange. He obviously finds advocating the 2016 Olympics in Copenhagen with Oprah a more pressing matter to show support for.
THANK YOU Alan Grayson !
Finally a Democrat with guts ! do you think the others will follow? I am not holding my breath on that one, but I will tell you this: I am disgusted by my party's lack of courage in standing up and if the Dems. are defeated in the next elections they would have no one to blame but themselves. Mr. Grayson, you are a true patriot and my hero!
http://www.sauvessanges.com/ "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." ~Martin Luther King Jr.~
Mr. Grayson-the man with gonads..."
MoniqueF,
You hit the nail square on the head. If there were more progressive demos like Mr. Grayson, we wouldn't be in this mess. Hope he keeps fightin'...
Get the CODS OUT of OUR Democratic Party
"CODS" are Corporate Owned Democrats. They are killing the (D) Brand. If we wish to ever have progressive legislation, the CODS must be kicked-out of the Democratic Tent. Primary the Blue Dogs, including the Blue Dog President we have. Obama is corporate owned. Listen to his speeches, but then watch the actions that follow. Will Obama accept any health care bill? That's not even a serious question.
My New Hero
Rep. Alan Grayson is my new hero. He said, tongue in cheek, what is true! Harry Truman would have loved him. I hope other Dems get their spine back and start working and apologizing to the American public for their inaction and greed in some cases. I want to be proud once again of my elected officials whether they be Democrat or Republican!
FINALY SOMEONE WITH THE GUTS
FINALY SOMEONE WITH THE GUTS TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS!
No Gray(son) Area Here
"I never gave anyone Hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was Hell."
-Harry S Truman-
Nothing stings so much as the truth. Atta boy Alan!!!!
mike kohr
THANK YOU REP. GRAYSON
This guy needs to be president ... or at least majority leader. He could be our new Lyndon Johnson.
GIVE 'EM HELL, ALAN! KEEP TELLING THE TRUTH!!!!