Grassley 2010: "If [a mandate] was unconstitutional in 1993.. well, nobody gave it much thought."

By GottaLaff

We just had a giant scoop of hypocrisy from Eric Cantor.

Now Chuck Grassley is on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell taking credit for all the work he did on the health care bill. Yes, that health care bill.

There are "a lot of things in this bill" he likes. Suddenly there's a "consensus" for these things. But it increases taxes and destroys Medicare, see.

"The bad outweighs the good, it's just that simple," says he.

He's pretty simple himself, says I.

You came up with the individual mandate back when, says Andrea.

Grassley (paraphrased slightly):

"The difference between 1993 and the year Now [yes, he said "the year now"]... if it was unconstitutional then.. well, nobody gave it much thought. Lawyers didn't look at it until it became an issue, which it did just lately.

Besides, I came back to the P.O.V. Obama had during the campaign, when he said a mandate was wrong, and Hillary was for it.... Now the information is out that it will take a lot to enforce the mandate that we NOW think is unconstitutional."

Well then, that clarifies that.

Re: violent threats to House members:

"That is not what should be going on in America. We should have respect, get involved in the political process. Speak up, but no violence. Nothing illegal. We should all set an example of civility."

I guess he thinks it's civil to encourage volatility at town hall meetings, not to mention lie about death panels and killing grandma.

Grassley Face One, let me introduce you to Grassley Face Two.

Hyp. O. Crite.

Summit Quote-O'-The Moment: Chuck Grassley's god edition

By GottaLaff

Chuck Grassley:

"I consider CBO god around here."

I thought the word NO was his god.

I wonder who the Congressional atheists are.

The next Republican health care reform roadblock

By GottaLaff

Per Thom Hartmann, this will be their so-called Big One, a big fat obstacle that will consume time and energy. These people will do anything, and none of it benefits Americans. None:

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said today he still has questions about the constitutionality of an individual health insurance mandate. [...]

Critics of the mandate say the constitution grants no authority to demand individuals buy insurance.

Supporters have argued that the insurance market is a matter of interstate commerce, giving Congress all the authority it'd need for the mandate.

They'll try to shove it off on to the Supremes. They're desperate, because if Democrats pass health care reform, they get votes in 2010. It's so reassuring to know the Rushpublics are looking out for our best interests.

Grubby, er, Grumpy Obstructionist Party.

Grassley backtracks on wanting to defeat "ObamaCare": Nah, just the public option

By GottaLaff

Not minutes ago, I posted about Chuck Grassley's raising money to defeat "ObamaCare". Now his office is attempting to, er, clarify:

Asked for clarification, Grassley spokesperson Jill Kozeny emailed:

The letter describes the government-run plan in the House and HELP committee bills that President Obama supports and Senator Grassley opposes.

The fundraising letter does seem to suggest much more general opposition to Obamacare and to the Kennedy effort, and this appears to be a bit of a walk-back of that, though it’s unclear how reassured Dems will be about Grassley’s true intentions.

Well, boy howdy, if that ain't bipartisan, I don't know what is.

Sarcasm.

H/t: Cody

Republican "bipartisanship" defined- Grassley: I’m Working For The “Defeat” Of “Obamacare”

By GottaLaff

Despite my expressions of frustration, my feeling down deep has been that President Obama has been waiting and watching (his usual M.O.), allowing the Rushpublics the month of August (a month when most people aren't paying much attention) to rant and rave (literally), assess, and then come back fighting.

After Robert Gibb's statement that Enzi is betraying bipartisanship, and now this, the door is wide open for an Obama strong finish:

Ezra Klein gets a hold of a striking fundraising letter from Chuck Grassley to his constituents that will make it even easier for Dems to claim Grassley is not negotiating in good faith towards a bipartisan health care “compromise.”

The letter says starkly that Grassley is working for the “defeat” of “Obamacare” [...] :

I had to rush you this Air-Gram today to set the record straight on my firm and unwavering opposition to government-run health care.

And ask your immediate support in helping me defeat “Obama-care.”

I’m sure you’ve been following this issue closely. If the legislation sponsored by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives and Chairman Ted Kennedy in the Senate is passed it would be a pathway to a government takeover of the health care svstem. lt would turn over control of your health care decisions to a federal bureaucrat … and take it away from you and your personal physician.

The funeral is over. Time to go all anti-Kennedy on us. And yes, Grassley is raising money to kill health care reform.

Second, Grassley is also broadly condemning the proposal from Kennedy’s committee — which includes a number of provisions that Grassley hasn’t thus far described as dealbreakers — as a potential “government takeover” of health care. This leads, again, to the question: Is there any reform proposal that Grassley is willing to support?

Put up your dukes, Prez O. It's time for that strong finish... and it better include a public option.

VIDEO- Former Grassley voter : "Democrats and Republicans back home want the public insurance option."

By GottaLaff

This spokesman in this video is a former Grassley voter:

Two progressive groups launched a hard new television ad on Monday, using the testimony of a longtime Iowa Republican voter to attack Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for his opposition to a public option health care option.

Sponsored by Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democracy for America (DFA), the spot charts new ground in the health care reform debate.

Health Care Watch: Grassley and Baucus have it al-l-l-l figured out

By GottaLaff

If I may, a copy-and-paste from David Kurtz at TPM:

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) twitters on Obama's White House remarks:

Obama speech on healthCareReform Absolutely nothing new Waste of time saying we are going to get that done Baucus and I know that But doRITE

Worries me that Grassley and Baucus think they have it all figured out.

Tuh-Weet! Chuck Grassley to Obama: "I'm no NAIL"

By GottaLaff

Le Tweet du Chuck:

Who knew Chucky could Tweet with such fervor? Why, he's approaching the passion level of a, how you say, Frenchman!

Obama, after months of standing back and leaving the details of health care legislation to Congress, inserted himself firmly into the debate in recent days, including using his weekly radio address Saturday to declare "it's time to deliver" on health reform.

That didn't sit well with the Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Finance Committee, which has been laboring to come up with a health care bill that Democrats and Republicans can support.

Grassley is a frequent user of Twitter [...] and he directed two angry "tweets" Sunday morning at Obama. [...]

Grassley's first tweet: "Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us 'time to deliver' on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND."

A short time later: "Pres Obama while u sightseeing in Paris u said 'time to delivr on healthcare' When you are a 'hammer' u think evrything is NAIL I'm no NAIL."

A Grassley spokeswoman verified that Grassley was the author of the messages. [...]

Grassley's attitude is significant because any hope for bipartisan consensus on health care rests on an alliance between Grassley and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.

Le Chuck just wishes he were in la France. Mon dieu, seriously, complaining that he has to work weekends? Insinuating that President Obama is a lazy slacker who vacations as his minions slave on his behalf? Suggesting a "let them eat cake" attitude? Vraiment?

Peut etre Le Chuck needs to chill out un peu.

VIDEO: Chuck Grassley Jokes About Having Sex With Kent Conrad’s Wife

By GottaLaff

This speaks for itself, loudly, clearly, and cringe-worthily:



UPDATE-- Clarification from Rachel Maddow:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

VIDEO-- Conservatives want to torture AIG: "Boiling in oil", "exemplary hanging"

By GottaLaff



Here come those family value conservatives again. Don'tcha just love their torture-y language? Aren't they just the bestest role models ever? Imagine if a Democrat had spoken these words:

While conservatives have joined in the mass discontent with AIG, some are taking their anger a bit too far. Yesterday on a local Iowa radio show, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) suggested that AIG executives consider committing suicide [TPC posts here and here]. And last night on Fox News, far right pundit Charles Krauthammer and his milder counterpart Mort Kondracke argued that some should be put to death:

KRAUTHAMMER: I’m all in favor of keeping this heaping opprobrium. I would deny them the bonuses if possible. I would be for an exemplary hanging or two. Have it in Times Square, invite Madame DuFarge. You borrow a guillotine from the French and we could have a party. If that’s what it takes to maintain popular support, let’s do it. But it’s not going to change anything economically. […]

KONDRACKE: I was going to recommend boiling in oil in Times Square, but look, because these are the people who invented these crazy credit default swaps that are leading to the whole disaster.

Rushpublics have this bizarre obsession with resolving every crisis with violence, torture, and bullying. The thing they haven't figured out yet: They sink lower and lower into the vast abyss of public opinion as a result.

Quote of the Day

He's going to be backtracking on that one soon. Imagine if it had been a Democrat...

"Follow the Japanese model... resign, or go commit suicide."

-- Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), quoted by the Washington Post, on AIG executives who took bonuses despite a massive government bailout.

An aide later explained the senator does not actually want executives to kill themselves.

ADDED- Seems them conservatives do love the torture-

From the Dep't. of Duh-- Dems: GOP rejected bipartisanship

By GottaLaff

The GOP has rejected all overtures from President Obama. Big. Duh.

So to make that fact even more obvious, Party of No, a fresh can of Duh is coming your way. Open it, take in the aroma, and then eat it. And by "eat it", I mean, erm, "eat it":

Democrats fired back in the rhetorical fight on bipartisanship Sunday, complaining Republicans didn’t support President Obama’s stimulus bill even when their ideas were embraced.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) complained Sunday that even after the Senate voted to accept amendments offered by Republican Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), the GOP senators voted against the bill. [...]

Grassley’s amendment to spare millions of people from having to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax is in the final bill. But Isackson’s housing tax credit was stripped out in conference after initially being adopted by the Senate.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) echoed the point, saying that other Republican senators who voted for the plan got their ideas included. [...]

But Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he knows bipartisanship when he sees it, and he didn’t see it.

Watch Lindsey McDramaQueen's 20-second soliloquy here.

Then go find yourself a porcelain receptacle.

Then get your weekly dose of Frank Rich here. You'll feel better, and there are no scary side-effects.