Dem congressman refuses to apologize for comment (GOP wants sick Americans to 'die quickly')

Source: AP

(AP) — WASHINGTON - A Democratic congressman from Florida is refusing to apologize for saying that Republicans want Americans to "die quickly" if they get sick.

Rep. Alan Grayson made his comments on the House floor Tuesday night while criticizing Republican health care proposals. The first-term Democrat is known for being provocative.

Republicans are likening Grayson's remark to Republican Rep. Joe Wilson's widely criticized shout of "You lie!" during President Barack Obama's address to Congress earlier this month. They say Democrats should insist that Grayson apologize just as they did Wilson.

Read more: http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/natio...

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more: Dem Caucus chair wants member to apologize for 'die quickly' remark

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/60935-larson-wants-fel...


Larson: Grayson should apologize for 'die quickly' remark

The chairman of the House Democratic Caucus is calling on one of his members to apologize for charging that Republicans want Americans who get sick to "die quickly."

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) said on the floor Tuesday night that "If you get sick, America, the Republican healthcare plan is this: Die quickly." Republicans expressed outrage at the remark, comparing it to Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouting, "You lie!" at President Barack Obama during his address to Congress.

Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.) said Grayson's remark wasn't as serious as Wilson's outburst, but still said he should apologize. Wilson apologized privately to the White House, but was officially scolded by the House when he wouldn't apologize on the House floor.

"It's not the same magnitude, clearly, and didn't deal with decorum, as it did in the case of Joe Wilson, but I would encourage Alan to apologize," Larson told reporters. "And I would encourage members that, as we get into a very heated and emotional and visceral debate, that we keep in mind the rules of the House and the way we treat and respect one another."

Big ups tp Rep. Larsom for bring ou the truth! That's what the RePUKEblicans get for lying about some stupid death panels!

Obama was going to set up death panels is the day that Democrats should say we accept your apology. We don't owe them anything!!!

When are Repugs going to apologies for not letting Dems in the minority have a conference room? Or for keeping the vote open 3 hours longer than allowed by law to get members of their own party to reluctantly acquiesce and vote for something that clearly should have lost?

When are Repugs gonna apologies for calling us, and our reps, traitors and terrorists and murderers of fetuses?

Have they apologized for lying us into war....with the SOTU no less?

Hell...they haven't apologized for WaterGate and the S&L scandal yet!!!!

I'm disappointed he would do this.

and suggest Democratic congresspeople grow some cajones.

We'll be watching to see if the young freshman Mr. Grayson can resist the demands from the echo chamber.

so I guess the fl congress man was partly right metaphorically speaking GOP wants the bill to "get sick" and "die quickly" just calling a spade a spade. Why are repubs always getting the pass. They have been accusing dems of "deathcare" all through this debate not once called out on any of their bullshit.

This isn't a violation of decorum. Not even the same category.

Perhaps he needs to reword his statement and say that people WILL die if the Republicans don't support the health care bill.

the bullies of the nation.

There comes a time when one HAS TO fight. COWBOY up.

,

LOL!

In case you haven't noticed, texASS isn't in charge of ANYTHING now - and that's a GOOD thing!!!

Dismissive too.

With folks like you along for the ride, remind me why the hell we need Republicans again?

I stand by my ACCURATE accessment.

descriptor... which is entirely accurate differing only in scale as 45,000 die each and every year from lack of access to health care due to lack of health insurance. It's a generic genocide! Not Targeted... It's economically discriminatory genocide! Alan is the ONLY ONE in the Congress standing up for the ordinary man!

It seems every time we can start to hold the high ground (re: Joe Wilsons stupid outburst) it seems like some
stupid Democrat comes along and gives it right back.

The fact that you equate speaking truth to evil with speaking falsehoods to leadership is the height of false equivalency.

it's time for the nads to drop and these freaking pukes get stood up to.

Ram them into the fucking wood chipper

Fuck high road decorum

Take a road so low that their road caves in beneath them and buries their stupid fat asses.

Pull outrageous insane shit every day and make them smash their own brains out with frying pans.

"Ewwwww Ewwww simper whine what will people think if we're not polite and propppper?"

Fuck That! Heave spoiled rotten cadavers into their midst with catapults. Splatter them with rotten stinking guts.

Chase 'em into the La Brea Tar Pits and laugh at the motherfuckers.

Make them projectile-shit their fucking pants

Tar, Feathers, Molasses, and Sawdust

breaking any specific House Rule of Decorum, or interrupting anyone, or calling any individual a liar, etc. He pointed out the inevitable consequences of not effecting meaningful health care reform. Larson should have commended him instead of calling on him to apologize. It's Larson who is taking the low road.

As an aside:

You wanna talk about guts, spine, backbone, intestinal fortitude, groins, crotches, etc., I'm with ya. But, equating courage and strength only with male genitalia or equating weakness and cowardice only with female genitalia, is Neanderthal.

I was given my balls. One of my co workers left two large ball bearings on my desk. It was a sign of respect.

Sometimes, to get people talking about an issue, you gotta stir the hornet's nest up. He did a great job doing it.

It's high time Democrats spoke the truth boldly.

slime when you go, ok?

interrupted the President while the President was addressing a joint session of Congress. Grayson interrupted no one.

Second, Wilson did not interrupt to debate a point or a bill, but only to insult the President personally. Grayson did not insult any individual personally. He spoke against the position that the Republican Party has been taking on health care reform.

Third, calling an individual a liar, as did Wilson, violated a specific House Rule. Grayson did not violate any House rule.

Fourth, Wilson lied when he called the President a liar. Grayson was telling the truth about the logical consequences of the Republican position.

Apples and oranges, false equivalency--whatever you want to call it--there is absolutely no comparison between Grayson's statement and Wilson's outburst.

This is much more like Republicans yapping about death panels, only facts don't back up that claim. Statistics tell us how many people die each and every day because they don't have health insurance and therefore back up the consequences of voting against and/or obstructing/slow walking health care reform.

What a punch of wimps...

Have they not heard the things rethuglicans have said in the last few months? Never mind that toothless cousin-fucker from SC, I'm talking about the death panel bullshit too...

Sometimes this party is just too damned embarassing..

to play for the media's microphones any time a republican demands one.

I wouldn't be surprised if he's practicing it right now...!

<<The Caucus wants the only Dem with a Spine to back down?>>


incomprehensible, isn't it.


unless you're used to american politics.

They are the 'Health Care is a privilege' people after all.

'Healthcare is a privilege and not a right' and 'Sick people should just die quickly' are synonyms as far as I'm concerned.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Your company wants you to die quickly so they don't have to cover you.

Your company wants you to die quickly so they can cash the life insurance policy they took out unbeknownst to you.

(with no benefits) before you are too far along to be any use ...

just so I can vote for him.

and is refusing to apologize for it...of course, instead of having his back, other Dems ( caucus chairman) are immediately showing us that the main part of our party's "leadership" ( I use that term more and more sarcastically all the time) is still a bunch of gutless, spineless disgraces and craven sellouts of what (and who) our party used to represent.

He woke this morning and was amazed to find it, I mean them.

I've heard first hand, from republicans, much, much worse than that.

It's about time someone started using language like this about repukes. They are killing Americans. And they don't care.

People who are uninsured die. People with insurance die, when cost savings are more important than life-saving treatments.

It's called "death by spreadsheet"

It's common

It's a fact

No reason to apologize for it

Yet again!

I am failing to see the benefit of being in the majority when you just hand over control to the minority!!!

Sorry guys
I'm not too up to date on the story but Grayson is the man!

Not because of this, but for standing up to the FED.

Grayson rules!!!!!!!

For the Rs, it's simple: adapt or die. The difference between Wilson and Grayson is that Rep. Grayson is telling the truth.

..but when threatened by a thug, I have NO problem at all with laying his ass to waste. I totally agree with this congressman. It is way past time to start standing up and calling this assholes out on the shit they continue to pull.

Sure, taking the high ground is fine when you're facing an enemy that has at least some scruples. Its been driven home more than enough, that these bastards don't even know what scruples are. So, if we keep "taking the high ground" I'm sure it'll just get us more impeachments, more swiftboating, more bogus townhall protest, more forced resignations, etc, etc...

So, I say kudos to Congressman Grayson!!!

He did!

A Democratic congressman from Florida is refusing to apologize for saying that Republicans want Americans to "die quickly" if they get sick.

He was right as rain.

Republicans and their money masters in the insurance industry want Americans to "please stay healthy or please die."

There are plenty of ways to say it. Grayson just took the shortest one. Not very diplomatic. Not wrong either.

It's about fighting fire with fire. Emotions are much more powerful human motivators than reason. It's about time we remember that and get some emotionally charged soundbites out there to trump the right-wing propaganda that the Rovians do so well.

The GOP is on the wrong side of the truth on this, and the truth has a habit of floating to the top.

The more they talk about it, the more the truth will come out.

The congressman is right - they don't care about life.

"The congressman is right - they don't care about life."

Good advice for Mr. Grayson. Please keep telling the truth!

And let him know we support him. I did!

make sure your congrats get through. And if you consider giving up (but please don't), at least email his office.

http://grayson.house.gov/contact/index.shtml While you're there, check out his website, too. Man, and I thought my Rep was good!

http://grayson.house.gov/

Just like the RW ilk and their RW-owned M$M locked onto "death panels", this one should stick to them like a fly to flypaper!

Well, at least under the GOP version of ethics.

They need to start making outrageous statements just like the pubs, except dems statements are true. repubs don't care at all if people too poor to afford insurance die quickly.

So they have a point.

A couple of friends of mine wrote a book on what it takes to be a loser, and this was #9 on the list.

Good thing Grayson still has enough spine to resist succumbing to this trait.

every year die sooner due to a lack of health insurance."

or

Republicans don't seem to care that the closest thing we have to death panels today are the private insurance claims adjusters who earn bonuses based on claims denied.

or

Republicans seem more concerned about making things fair for the insurance companies that have treated our constituents very unfairly for decades now.

we lose every year due to their lack of health insurance, according to a new report.

And then, there are all the Americans, insured and uninsured, who have to declare bankruptcy every year because of illness.

This is what Joe Wilson would say to a poor, ill, working-class American in a waiting room. Wilson and company are the liars, not Obama when he said that health care won't extend to non-citizens. And again they're opposed to Alan Grayson for daring to expose the right-wing view on health care.

Cowardly conservatism - that's what we've been seeing recently, from the noise about Dan Rather's story on Bush's National Guard service, to the health care town brawls, the Fox News conspiracy paranoia, you name it.

(archived thread started 1-1-08)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

They're willing to jeopardize our domestic national security just to achieve political points.

They're willing to let 122 more people die uninsured everyday just to score political points.

That's repulsive cruelty that need not be rewarded with any more capitulating.

Enough is Enough. Medicare for all who want it.

Republicans expressed outrage at the remark, comparing it to Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouting, "You lie!" at President Barack Obama during his address to Congress.

No, you fucking elephant turds, there's no comparison! Wilson interrupted the President with a baseless accusation, breaking Congressional decorum. Grayson made his during his comments when he had the floor!

Learn parliamentary procedures, you assholes!

The GOPricks decided long ago to turn this into a street fight with no rules or regard for anyone other than themselves. It might not have been the polite way to word it, but I've had it with the Democrats always having to apologize for any and every small transgression while we have the Repukes saying anything that they want. "Death Panels" if we get health care reform is a hell of a lot worse than what Rep. Grayson said. I wish that some of his fellow (D) Reps. would show up with T-shirts echoing what he said just so that he'd know that they have his back.

They can say:

"YOU DIE!"


thanks to alp227

whiners, every last one of 'em - and whining brings in $$$$$ from their base

Of course, Republicans owe apologies I don't think we'll ever hear about the lies they've told. And Betsy McCaughey should be made to do public penance by wearing a Scarlet L in for the rest of her life, as should Rick Scott. Dick Armey, who helped send the right wing goon squads to Town Hall Meetings, should apologize -- just before he's sentenced for racketeering.

So, I'm not going to make a big thing about it. Nevertheless, Mr. Grayson didn't do any more than the above-named to contribute to a real discussion on health care. For that, he should apologize.

YOU are one of the reasons we are going to LOSE on this health care debacle - YOU!!!

Grow a fucking spine!

And Congressman Grayson told WHAT was TRUELY in the REPUKE plan - while that fucking REPUKE called Obama a LIAR!!!

But yet you choose THIS thread to make your thoughts known, while we haven't heard a PEEP out of you for the fucking OUTRAGEOUS behaviour of the REPUKE!!!

"The Republican plan -- don't get sick, and if you do get sick, die quickly." ---Rep. Alan Grayson, D-FL, September 29, 2009






Alan Grayson from Florida. A fighter. And he's a DEMOCRAT.


It's been far too long, too few and too far between.
















More on Grayson here.


Here is some of his work BEFORE he became a Congressman last year.

He is what is needed in Florida! I hope to God they get a good Dem Candidate the next time the Governor's office is up for vote!

Go Grayson!!

And when I heard Schumer ask Grassley yesterday what he thought about (the government program) Medicare, and Grassley's answer was that Medicare is part of the fabric of our society, I started thinking that the worm has finally turned. Republicans have HATED Medicare since its inception, and to hear Grassley now defending it is beyond the looking glass.


These dysfunctional guys are so totally ripped to shreds psychologically that they are now *rooting for Medicare*.


How is that for bizarre?


Keep it up, Alan Grayson. Help us finish them off, before they destroy our country.

ly and in a great deal of pain, spending every last penny going broke and bankrupt on pharmacy drugs and taking up emergency room seats.

They want every damned penny of our kids' inheritance to go into the pockets of big medicine.

If the shoe fits....

Q3JR4.

Sniveling cowardly thieves don't deserve an ounce of respect. People die, but we must keep our decorum?

Sick.

americans die a year due to lack of health insurance than vote for Health insurance reform."

But, still it's good to hear a Democrat finally realize we are in a state of war with the Republliocans and talk of bi-lateralism
(or more euphamistically: bipartisanship) is Republican propaganda.

It's the Republicans against the American public (or at least the average non-wealthy American) and it's time for the Democrats to wake up to this fact. The Republicans attitude is politics is war. Well, so be it. Then let's bring it to 'em Dems. Act like Democrats (and like democrats) and fight for America, fight for democracy in AMerica. Fight for what's right, damn it!

(you'll find it feels good).

I just contacted his D.C. office, and told them I was very pleased with Grayson's remarks -- and that Larson should get a spine:

Larson's D.C. office: (202) 225-2265
Hartford, CT office: (860) 278-8888

A very polite gentleman told me he understood and would pass on my comments. Now to call Grayson's office and praise him.

Wankers. Fuck them if they can't take a joke. Or the truth.

Bullies seldom apologize. Did they apologize for raping Social Security to pay for W's wars?

I forgot to ask you to kiss my arse!

We could like totally get rid of Social Security For Old People if we turned them into cat food at the age of 65 and one day. Mmmm the senior menu at McDonalds takes on a whole new meaning.

I will keep trying. PLEASE CALL.

Please call and express your definitive opinion. 202-225-2265 Spineless "jellyfish" is already covered!

to send an email to Larson (they are in his district)

It is somewhat encouraging to see that at least some Democrats have a spine. I really hope he doesn't apologize, but he was wrong about one thing. Its not just Republicans that want Americans who get sick to "Die Quickly", but a lot of the blue dog Democrats holding up the works on a strong health care bill. They're just fine with how health care is in this country.

can not call - he is a terrific congress critter