Grayson does it again... he is one Dem that has balls... big balls...

[Jokinomx]

Today, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation called the “War Is Making You Poor Act,” which aims to call attention to a) how much money is being spent to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and b) how budget gimmicks are used to pay for them. Grayson’s legislation would slash the $159 billion request for supplemental war funding and use that money to deliver a tax break for all Americans. Grayson demands the Pentagon use its currently existing $549 billion defense budget to fight the wars. Speaking on the House floor today, Grayson underscored that the point of his legislation is to highlight the costs of the wars:

http://www.buzzflash.net/story.php?id=1098067

[AllentownJake]

1. The one thing I like is balls

Probably because I have basketball sized ones in my own pants. Have to balance that with brains though.

[Jokinomx]

4. LOL...

I just played a part in the play "A Few Good Men" and was Commander Stone....

There was one a line by Col. Jessup.... "Who will I ask for? Dr. Stone with the big stones"...lol

funny stuff

[happygoluckytoyou]

29. GOP only seems to have TARBALLS, and they are all deployed to the gulf...

[nightgaunt]

62. Its back bone not testicals that make the brave person-sexist

Yo! Sounds like elephantisis, you should see a doctor.

Grayson is among the very few in the two official parties who haven't been sold out or removed just yet. No doubt the PTB will be working to do just that, by hook or crook.

[Gregin Orlando]

2. HR 5353 - War is Making You Poor Act

Grayson made a great political move, even if the bill won't pass. I can picture the ads now: "_______ claims he/she are for reducing spending, lowering taxes, but voted against a bill that would have reduced spending by $159 billion and made the first $35 thousand of your earnings tax free." For more info., check out this article: http://www.examiner.com/x-38220-Orlando-Independent-Examiner~y2010m5d24-House-bill-would-eliminate-federal-income-tax-on-the-first-35K-of-all-Americans-earnings.

[Jokinomx]

3. thanks for the link... very interesting stuff....

:toast:

[redqueen]

26. That'd be a great ad.

Welcome to DU!

[gateley]

5. I post this every chance I get - Tweety called him Captain Cojones! nt

[Captain Hilts]

40. Matthews is a sexist shit. So, I believe he said that. nt

[tabbycat31]

6. I'd love to see more cosponsors to this bill

[polichick]

7. This is the guy I'd like to see in the WH some day! nt

[Esra Star]

10. He is possibly more effective right where he is.

I think the downside of the presidency is the amount of work they can bury you in.
Also remember Bill Clinton's "lightning rod" comment.

[NorthCarolina]

23. Me too, how about. 2012? n/t

[MissDeeds]

30. Great idea

I hope he's thinking the same thing.

[Swamp Rat]

8. Plus, we already lost the war in Afghanistan.

We got out asses handed to us by goat herders.

[kenfrequed]

21. Eh...

It really isn't much of a war. It really isn't even on the scale of a police action. It is a confused occupation without an obvious purpose save to defeat the idea of fundamentalism. Fundamentalism can never truly be defeated from outside and the existence of outside pressure and an external enemy often gives it additional strength.

[kenfrequed]

22. Well.

Ok I will take back that last post halfway. It might be possible to defeat the idea of fundamentalism and it would be easier if the prospect of accessing Afghanistan's resources wasn't an under the table reason for being there.

[Swamp Rat]

60. Our empire will be buried in Afghanistan, just like all the rest.

Can you see... feel the end coming?

[bdamomma]

50. of course the goat herders know their country to deter

invaders for centuries. :hi:

[BrklynLiberal]

9. My hero.........Alan Grayson

:loveya:

[guitar man]

11. Rock On!!

This ones for you Alan! :headbang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YUuyzQDmjY&feature=youtube_gdata

[Jokinomx]

12. LOL.... Rock on!!

thanks for the link!

This should become his signature song!!

:toast:

[guitar man]

15. I agree

:toast:

[LWolf]

13. That one wins the "best name for a bill ever" award,

whether or not it ever goes anywhere.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[IDemo]

14. I'm for the Clone Grayson and Send Them All to Congress Act

Why is this man's kind of character such a rarity among our "leaders"?

[Jubal-Waters]

16. i like it

[ima_sinnic]

17. Grayson asks: please sign the petition calling on Congress to pass this act

http://salsa.mydccc.org/o/30019/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=34

YouTube video of Grayson presenting this bill in Congress:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TexNkbNToA

[voteearlyvoteoften]

18. rec for all things alan grayson

over the top and loving it

[freddie mertz]

19. Great work, Alan! We support and love you! nt.

[Soylent Brice]

20. K&R

[dmosh42]

24. But we need the opium! n/t

[ShortnFiery]

25. Those progressives within Congress need to get behind Grayson.

Now is the time for coalition building. It's only through numbers - strength in Congress - that we can get our laconic leaders to move on these initiatives. :thumbsup:

[D23MIURG23]

27. That's a beautiful idea. The defense budget is already 10 times bigger than what anyone else spends

I'm sure they will manage on that. Though they may have to stop producing weapons designed to fight the Russians to do so.

[davidwparker]

28. does anybody know if he's planning a trip to Iowa in the near future? n/t

[1776Forever]

31. Good one! I did find this:

Alan Grayson For President For Life Forever at Wonkette:

http://wonkette.com/411370/alan-grayson-for-president-for-life-forever

.............

:fistbump:

Note: I absolutely think Pres. Obama has done a good job so far with what he has been given but it sure wouldn't hurt to have Grayson on the ticket in 2016!

[BumRushDaShow]

32. K&R

He's #1 out of the 435!

:applause:

[gcomeau]

33. Can't agree with the thread title...

..for one reason:

Grayson’s legislation would slash the $159 billion request for supplemental war funding and use that money to deliver a tax break for all Americans.

We. Don't. Need. More. Fucking. Tax. Breaks.

Stop pandering for cripes sake and cut the fucking deficit with that money! Any piece of legislation that uses the words "tax breaks for all Americans" in it's description is not anything resembling an act of someone with great big balls. Someone with great big balls would tell people to grow the hell up, they don't need a tax break, we have debts we need to pay with that money.

[Jokinomx]

34. you may be correct....

However, I don't think that he really thinks this will pass. I do believe it was to bring awareness to the issue. I maybe wrong...but it looks like that to me.

Thanks for your input...:toast:

[bvar22]

35. I agree. "Tax Breaks" are not the solution.

They are "The Problem" today.
We're DEEP in a hole.

Use the money for JOBS.

[Kalyke]

43. The problem is not taxes - it's stagnate wages.

The reason people feel so encumbered by taxes is that their wages haven't kept up with the cost of living.

[and-justice-for-all]

36. K&R

[florida08]

37. Grayson, Sanders and Dorgan

and my absolute favorites. They never let you down or disappoint.

[democrank]

38. K & R

for Grayson

[Captain Hilts]

39. You don't need balls to have moral fortitude. nt

[avaistheone1]

41. k&r

:kick:

[ThatsMyBarack]

42. I like Schweddi Balls!

I love how they glisten!

Good times. Good times.

[Jokinomx]

45. I remember that episode of SNL lol

It was hilarious....

thanks for reminding me of it...heheh

:toast:

[Riverman]

44. Finally! Thank You Rep Grayson- WAR IS A RACKET! Only

winners are the war profiteers, the corporations and the politicians who stay, temporarily in office - this is the source of evil and human-made misery on this planet!

ENOUGH!

[Lorien]

46. What he has is spine and guts

some of our bravest Americans have no "balls" at all.

[Jokinomx]

47. Yep... didn't mean

to forget our the women in our lives.... thanks for the reminder.

:toast:

[colsohlibgal]

48. More Than Even Brass

Alan has titanium ones. If we only had more like Grayson and Bernie Sanders, a girl can dream.

BTW, according to a recent "Harpers" index, there are still 22 billion dollars completely unaccounted for in Iraq. That's 22 freaking billion. That most people aren't aware of this is about as good an indictment of mainstream news as could be.

As for trying to track it down, I'd look at Darth's bank account first.

[Radical Activist]

49. Tax breaks instead of job creation?

Even when our debt is so high? Doesn't make much sense but it's good theater.

[Dr Fate]

53. Obama promised middle class tax cuts. Grayson is giving him another way to do it.

Also, Grayson never said that the top 1% or multi-national corporations or war profiteers could not be taxed to make up the difference.

[Radical Activist]

54. Obama delivered on middle class tax cuts.

Don't pretend this is a broken promise he needs help with.

[Dr Fate]

56. I'm not pretending Obama broke a promise- I'm saying Grayson is in line with his promise...

...and that focusing on war waste could amount to EVEN more financial relief for the middle class. Frankly, I'm not feeling too much relief from his middle class tax cuts- I could use even more breaks. You?

I said Grayson is giving him yet "another way" to deliver on that- I'm not pretending that Obama broke a promise.

Maybe you shouldnt pretend that Grayson's idea somehow means that the top 1% cant make up any difference in lost tax revenue, or that informing voters about war waste somehow means no job creation.

[keepthemhonest]

51. i think his way of thinking nt

[Dr Fate]

52. The Conservat-err, I mean "centrist" wing of our party will make sure it never happens.

Does this sound like something the Rahm Emmanuel/Obama/Reid wing of the party would support? I doubt it.

My guess is that Obama will never come out in support of this. Are there any indications that he will?

It is a nice thought, and the majority of Americans would support it, but I doubt that out party leadership will back this up.

[LiberalLovinLug]

55. There was a time.....

...when I ass-umed all Democrats shared the same kind of values and would stand up and fight for them.


sigh

[Spheric]

57. Action item from Rep. Grayson...

His email:

Now THIS is how we end a war.

More than 21,000 petitions since Friday.

Congressional cosponsorship from Republicans like Ron Paul and Walter Jones to antiwar Democrats like Barbara Lee and Dennis Kucinich to powerful committee Chairmen like John Conyers. In total, 7 members of the House of Representatives are signed on as co-sponsors (list below).

And a powerful idea - the 'War Is Making You Poor Act' would eliminate the separate funding for the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and use that money to eliminate federal income taxes for everyone's first $35,000 of income (or $70,000 for couples) each year. And, it would help pay down our national debt.

That is what momentum looks like. Now it's time to build on this success.

Call or email your member of Congress now and encourage them to co-sponsor The War is Making You Poor Act. Even if you're in a district with a bad Democrat or a Republican, your voice matters. Members talk and a momentum building movement makes them worry and re-evaluate their position.

Contact your member of Congress now.

This week or next, Congress is going to 'debate' yet another 'emergency supplemental proposal' to shovel billions of dollars towards endless war. We say, enough. We say, it's time for the 'War Is Making You Poor Act'.

So far, the following members of Congress are co-sponsoring the legislation: Ron Paul, Walter Jones, Dennis Kucinich, Lynne Woolsey, Barbara Lee, John Conyers, and Bob Filner.

If your member of Congress is on the list, thank them for standing up for common sense and for an end to the war. If not, let's turn up the heat.

Contact your member of Congress and ask them to support and vote for HR5656: The War is Making You Poor Act.

Courage,

Alan Grayson

Follow this link to fire off an email to your congress critter:

http://salsa.mydccc.org/o/30019/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=35

[AtheistCrusader]

58. Little sexist, but ok.

At least you're being positive I think.

[earth mom]

59. This is good, but after being burned by Kucinich, I don't trust ANY of em in DC now. nt

[RagAss]

61. Al "Cannon Balls" Grayson