"Democratic Congressman with guts is a mythological creature, like a unicorn."

By GottaLaff

When Democrats unify, they actually accomplish things. Imagine what it would be like if they unified and communicated effectively. What a concept.

How many times have you yelled back at the Tee Vee Machine, as if you were a surrogate for Congress Member X? How many times have you gnashed your teeth as Rushpublic after Rushpublic punditiot over talks a Democratic one?

How many times have you asked, "Why can't our side do that?"

How many times have you called a Dem "spineless"?

"People want a congressman who stands up and speaks out. People have come to think that a Democratic Congressman with guts is a mythological creature, like a unicorn."

-- Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), quoted by the Plum Line.

I do believe in unicorns, I do believe in unicorns, I do I do I do. (Apologies to Bert Lahr)

[H]is appeal to Dem base voters resides in the fact that he’s not afraid of GOP attacks, that he doesn’t let Republicans own the debate, that he makes his case as aggressively as he can and hopes for the best — in short, that he fights. [...]

Rank and file Dems across the country have grown so fed up with watching their leadership cower in the face of GOP attacks that they reward this kind of feistiness when they see it — and even regard him as their Representative, Grayson says.

Reward the feisty, dump the wimps. Good idea. But first, we need to scrounge up a few more of the feisty.

Video- Alan Grayson: Urologist Who Put Anti-Obama Signs Up in Violation of Ethics Rules

More about this gem of a doctor here. Video via Heather. GAWD it is slow.

AUDIO: Rep. Grayson: 5 Year Old Son Thought My Death Threats Were For Him

By GottaLaff



One of Rep. Grayson's five-year-old twins thought the death threat was aimed at him.

"If you vote for health care, I'll kill you," said the woman on the phone, and his little boy heard it, and didn't understand that it was a message for Daddy.

Five years old, and he's already worried about death threats, whether they're directed at him or his dad.

Family values at work again.

TPM also reports that Grayson compared the GOP to the Nazis. Read about it here.

H/t: Gr8RDH

VIDEO- Rep. Alan Grayson on Palin: "She's an Inspiration to Quitters All Over the Country"

By GottaLaff

Leave it to Grayson to give it to us straight, and, well, give it to Quitty McDingbat straight between the eyes:

"She's an inspiration to every student at school that cheats.... She just wants to make money."

His Medicare You Can Buy Into plan is something I have signed on to (via petition). He has at least 80 co-sponsors so far, and now that health care reform is becoming a reality, this looks more promising than ever. Go Alan!

Alan Grayson: "Queen of Quitters" Palin doesn't get doing "good things for benefit of all"

By GottaLaff

Alan Grayson sent me an e-mail today. He is so thoughtful, and so entertaining... and said "kvetching".

That was all it took. I'm his forever. That and how he took apart Moosey McQuitQueen (bolding mine):

Dear Laffy ,

Last week, Sarah Palin came to Orlando to help defeat me. Palin gave a speech in which she said that the Republicans needed "take me out." Like she was shooting a moose from a helicopter.

This week, you and I got 75 cosponsors for our Medicare You Can Buy Into Act. 75 co-sponsors, in six days.

We did this together, with People Power. I was talking to members on the floor of the House, and you were sending e-mails and phone calls. My colleagues told me about all the creative ways that you reached them. Many of you forwarded to me the messages you sent.

THAT is what a movement looks like. THAT is the America we believe in, where we help each other, where we do good things for the benefit of all. It is an America that Palin would never understand, despite her formidable powers of comprehension.

And here is something else that we've done together. We've put together a campaign to beat back Sarah Palin. A campaign not funded by favor-seeking rich people and corporations, but by people like you. Last quarter, you helped me raise $500,000 dollars in one day, an average of $50 at a time. This blew away fundraising for every other House campaign, including people that took money from insurance companies, Wall Street, and defense contractors.

And you sent a message that was heard loud and clear. We like leaders with guts. And now, despite all the right-wing stalling and kvetching, we are going to get things done.

Let's send that message again. On March 27, we're going to drop another moneybomb on the special interests. I need you to make a pledge to give to my campaign on that date, at http://www.congressmanwithguts.com.

On March 27, your pledge of $25, $50, $100, more more will join with the pledges of thousands of other people. And we will speak again, loud and clear.

http://www.congressmanwithguts.com

Progressive politics means having a head, and a heart. We've stood together before. And that's made a big difference. So please, stand with me again.

http://www.congressmanwithguts.com

And what was my response to the Queen of the Quitters? I said that I looked forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them.

Courage,

Alan Grayson

Alan Grayson: 72 hours. 66 cosponsors for Medicare Buy-In in the House.

By GottaLaff

Alan Grayson sent me an e-mail. That was so thoughtful. I really should return the favor, wink (bolding is mine):

72 hours. 66 cosponsors in the House. 21,254 citizen cosponsors at WeWantMedicare.com.

The Public Option Act. It's simple. It's popular. 82% of Scott Brown voters favor it. It lets anyone buy into Medicare at cost. You want it, you pay for it, and you're in.

You know and I know that it's a winner.

Private insurers make money denying us the care we need, when we need it most. Medicare doesn't. So we want Medicare. And we want it now.

Ask your Member of Congress to stand up for us. Call your member of Congress now, and ask him or her to cosponsor HR 4789, the Public Option Act.

Call the switchboard: (202) 224-3121

After you call, please let me know how it went. I need to know if your Representative is with us or against us. Tell me how it goes.

This is the week to act. We are likely to vote on a healthcare bill without a public option. We should get a vote on the Public Option Act as well. The four-page bill opens Medicare to all. It's that simple.

Call your member of Congress now, and ask if he or she has the guts to stand up for you.

Call the switchboard: (202) 224-3121

Courage,

Alan

You heard him. Call.

Alan Grayson v. Sarah Palin: No contest

By GottaLaff

Alan Grayson is "colorful", but what is currently on his site.. even more so: (bolding mine)

On Friday night, Sarah Palin came to Orlando, and attacked Rep. Alan Grayson. This is what she said:

"[W]hat can you say about Alan Grayson? Piper is with me tonight, so I won't say anything about Alan Grayson that can't be said around children. [...] But thank you, Florida, for allowing candidates in a contested primary to duke it out over ideas and principles and values, all with the same goal, and that is unseating those who have such a disconnect from the people of America. That's what the goal is here in this race against Alan Grayson..."

Palin, the former half-term Governor, current-nothing and future-even-less, charmed the all-Republican audience with her folksy folksiness and her homespun homespunnery. Atypically, Palin was wearing clothes that she had paid for herself. At the end of the event, she shared her recipe for mooseface pie.

In response to Palin's attack on Rep Grayson, Grayson actually complimented Palin. Grayson praised Palin for having a hand large enough to fit Grayson's entire name on it. [...] Grayson added that Palin deserved credit for getting through the entire hour-long program without quitting. Grayson also said that Palin really had mastered Palin's imitation of Tina Fey imitating Palin. [...]

Grayson said that the Alaskan chillbilly was welcome to return to Central Florida anytime, as long as she brings lots of money with her, and spends it. "I look forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them," Grayson added [...]

Over the top, to be sure, but come on, we're all thinking it. Whether it should come from a U.S. representative is debatable (I hear both cheers and jeers for his zingers, mostly cheers).

I concede, taking the high road is preferable, but the immature side of me is saying ogodthisisfun.

Medicare Buy-In Watch- Alan Grayson: 50 cosponsors & counting...

By GottaLaff

Via an e-mail just now (bolding is mine):

Dear Peggy ,

We want Medicare.

So do 50 cosponsors of my bill, the Public Option Act. That's 50 cosponsors, after just one day.

This list of cosponsors includes five powerful Committee Chairmen: John Conyers, Nydia Velazquez, Barney Frank, Ed Towns, and Bob Filner.

It includes the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and both Co-Chairs of the Progressive Caucus.

And of course, it includes public option champions Anthony Weiner, Dennis Kucinich, Jared Polis, and Chellie Pingree.

Now THAT'S momentum!

Let's keep it going.

Ask your member of Congress to sign on to HR 4789, the Public Option Act.

You can find your member of Congress and write your message here.

Onward!

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson

AKA the "Medicare You Can Buy Into Act."

I bought into it, and I contacted my Congress members. Your turn.

Grayson rapidly picking up cosponsors for Medicare buy-in

By GottaLaff

Alan Grayson has been criticized for being a little over the top, but even so, I find him to be a breath of fresh air. Especially because it's not just hot air. He follows through.

Via Chris Bowers over at Open Left:

Representative Alan Grayson has introduced a four-page bill that would allow all Americans under the age of 65 purchase Medicare for a fee. [...]

The bill currently has ten co-sponsors. Notably, I have learned that these co-sponsors were gathered in only 15 minutes, making one co-sponsor for every 90 seconds of effort. [...]

The Medicare buy-in proposal has, it would appear, significantly more support than a new, stand along public option. [...]

This is an effort with a lot of potential support in Congress, so much that it could potentially be passed as a stand alone bill. You can support it over at WeWantMedicare.com.

IMHO, this is a better option than what's left of the public option. And yes, I signed the letter.

Video- Michelle Bachmann, Alan Grayson square off on health care

Gotta has a blow by blow here.

Michele Bachmann and Alan Grayson are on Larry King Live

By GottaLaff

Michele Bachmann and Alan Grayson are on Larry King Live, and I can't resist liveblogging:

King: What's wrong with majority rule?

Michele: That's not how the Senate works. That's the nuclear option. The Senate would have to break the rules to pass the bill.

Alan: She's entirely wrong. There's nothing that prevents reconciliation. If it's good enough for tax cuts to the rich twice, under Bush....

Busted, Michele.

King: Your solution?

M: Let Americans buy any policy with their own money, deduct the rest of expenses. Obama's bill won't bring down costs for Americans.

A: According to CBO, it will provide insurance to 80% who don't have it. Two identical people, one without hc has 40% better chance of dying.

M: What in the world is going on in the WH. He offered a judgeship to brother of a member of Congress. We need an investigation... Is the WH trading health care votes for judgeships?

A: Another weapon of mass distraction, change the subject away from hc. We need affordable health care that is accessible. ... going off on a tangent...

M: Corruption isn't a tangent... This is VERY serious. We need an independent investigation.

A: We will have a health care bill. It's gonna happen.

Um, well, that lasted 8 minutes. Much ado...

UPDATE: Heather at C and L has the video.

Vintage VIDEO- January: Chris Matthews berates Alan Grayson for suggesting reconciliation

By GottaLaff

KagroX reminded me about this video in which Chris Matthews condescended, berated, chided, and barked at someone who knew a whole lot more than he did:



Chris Matthews: "This is netroots talk... You're pandering... When will they do this, I wanna write this down..."

Grayson: "When did you become the Senate parliamentarian?"

Hey Tweety, here's when they'll do this: Now.

VIDEO: Chris Matthews tells Rep. Alan Grayson: You don't represent the "real world of Congress"

By GottaLaff



Tweety needs to take a breath:

[U]nlike Chris Matthews, Grayson is also a member of Congress and has a vote.

Video- Rep Alan Grayson on Countdown 1/21/09

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video- Rep. Alan Grayson on MA Special Election and Health Care Reform

Vid via FDL.

Blame Game Backfiring on Republicans?

The blame game will only backfire if the D's find some cojones and start getting in front of these memes. Send Eric Massa, Joe Sestak and Alan Grayson on a media blitz and go from there. Via Taegan-

Mike Allen notes that the GOP is blaming the Obama administration for the failed Christmas Day airplane attack. "But Republican lawmakers, candidates, pundits and commentators -- and the Bush administration -- blamed the CLINTON administration for 9/11."

Flashback to September 2006, Secretary of State Rice told the New York Post editorial board: "Nobody organized this country or the international community to fight the terrorist threat that was upon us until 9/11... We just weren't organized as a country either domestically or as a leader internationally. But what we did in the eight months was at least as aggressive as what the Clinton Administration did in the preceding years... We were not left a comprehensive strategy to fight al Qaeda."

That logic would mean the Bush administration is also culpable for the intelligence failures discovered over the last week.

Alan Grayson on health care, Afghanistan: Liveblog

By GottaLaff

Alan Grayson is on the Thom Hartmann Show, talking health care reform: [some paraphrasing]

Alan: The House thinks the Senate will hold a gun to their heads, and force the Senate bill.

Reconciliation should have been done months ago. CAFTA passed with 54 votes.

Thom: The Senate parliamentarian has to say that the bill is eligible for reconciliation. The reality that the president of the Senate can decide. Must only be bills that affect money, can't be for an agency. Is that right?

Alan: I'm not an expert, but you're basically correct. Must be a money bill, and he does make the initial determination. But his word is not final. Any Senator can appeal the ruling, and then have a majority vote.

Thom: We should go for reconciliation.

Alan: Unscrupulous people have been playing rope-a-dope, the Republicans. It's not only that we haven't moved on hcr, but anything else...

Thom: Afghanistan needs appropriation bill. Word is that House will put a stop loss on it.

Alan: The president's strategy is mistaken. The people want to give him a chance to try his strategy, but what's the difference if you have 60 or 90K? We outnumber the Taliban, we have missiles, they have rocks and stones. He discounted the idea of peace. We can't afford this any more. We already won the war. You can't win the same war twice. If you want to do something useful, then invade Pakistan, and nobody wants to.

Thom: Not necessarily useful, then you have a recruiting poster for Al Qaeda, Taliban. How about building schools for girls?

Alan: Nobody has ever asked us to send troops... just money.

Thom: What's on your radar?

Alan: Finish jobs bill, budgets bill, appropriations bill, etc. I think we made effort to bail out banks, but not ordinary people who need help. Jobs, housing, they owe more than they own. We need to help them.

Taking calls now:

Caller: We're being bullied, we can't have our dreams if Congress can't help us out.

Alan: I was inspired by Obama campaign, and I've tried my best, not tried to pretend to be a Republican. We're a party to make health better, jobs, education. Rs just blame everyone. I think the President tapped into America's goodness, the other side is blind to that, selfish. Obama is still trying to make the gov't. as good as the people, something the Rs don't understand. We're frustrated lately, the Rs always rammed through what they wanted, wars... and here we are with enormous majority and we still have to deal with one or two strays in the Senate. It's a question of life and death! It's amazing to me that so little discussion is about that. If it's about insurance companies, we've really lost our way.

I'll update if necessary.

VIDEO- Hardball: Rep. Grayson tells Cheney to 'STFU'

By GottaLaff

In my last post, I couldn't resist making a crack about Chris Matthews' apparent oblivion to the well-known acronym STFU (at about 4:00 in the clip below).

Here is the video of that and more:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Grayson does it again:

Cheney also accused Obama of giving "aid and comfort to the enemy."

Grayson recalled that it was the Bush administration who was close to the Saudi royal family.

"I remember Bush Junior kissing Prince Abdullah on the cheek, and then holding his hand for an extended period of time," Grayson snapped. "Maybe if he'd let him get to second base, then gasoline would be a dollar a gallon."

Dickless McHeartStent, STFU.

Video- Rep. Alan Grayson on Auditing the Fed

This could be very interesting.

Hoyer: Health Bill to Pass No Later Than Tuesday

By GottaLaff

Roll Call is subscription only, so this is all I have for now:

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday he is “hopeful” Democratic leaders will wrap up work on a package of changes to their health care overhaul today, setting up a floor vote as soon as Friday.

Yesterday Rep. Alan Grayson said something about things wrapping up Saturday or Monday. The time frames are roughly the same.