Representative Alan Grayson Targets Republicans
Democrat Says the GOP Wants Americans to "Die Quickly"
Sep 30, 2009
Frustrated by Republican opposition to health insurance reform, Representative Grayson spoke from the House floor on Tuesday, September 29, and said, "If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly. That's right. The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick."
Republicans React to Representative Grayson's Tone on Health Care Reform
Grayson's harsh words for Republicans on the issue of health insurance reform were immediately condemned by GOP lawmakers, who demanded that Grayson apologize, as Republican House member Joe Wilson was made to do following his "You lie" outburst during President Obama's address to Congress on September 9, 2009.
According to the Associated Press, a resolution of disapproval similar to that passed after Joe Wilson's outburst was drafted by Republican House member Tom Price of Georgia, who said Grayson's speech from the House floor was "a breach of decorum and degraded the integrity and proceedings of the House."
Representative Greyson Responds on Daily Kos - Refuses to Apologize for Health Care Remarks
On Wednesday, September 30, Grayson posted a diary on Daily Kos entitled "Whose Side Are You On?" Within the diary, he firmly defended his remarks:
Last night, I went onto the House floor and did something that the Republicans aren't used to. I told the truth about the Republican health care plan. The plan is simple:
1. Don't sick.
2. If yo get sick...
3. Die quickly.
My speech has been replayed on CNN, Redstate, Huffington Post, etc, and mainstream media pundits are saying that I'm the Democratic Joe Wilson. Of course, unlike Joe Wilson, I wasn't rude to the President. Unlike Joe Wilson, I didn't break a rule of the House. And unlike Joe Wilson, I actually told the truth. Every single year, over forty-four thousand people in America die because they don't have health insurance. Read this Harvard study. That is the plain truth.
Representative Grayson Continues Harsh Words on Health Care Reform from House Floor
On Wednesday, September 30, Grayson returned to the House floor and stood firm, directing more comments at House Republicans who oppose President Obama's plan to reform health care. According to the Associated Press, Grayson said, "I would like to apologize ... I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven't voted sooner to end this Holocaust in America."
Such words are representative of the growing frustration amongst progressive Democrats who view Republicans as standing in the way of potential solutions to a very real health care crisis in America.
Grayson Receives Fundraising Boost
Democratic activists came to Grayson's defense by filling his coffers. Within 48 hours of being asked by House Republicans to apologize, Grayson had received over $100,000 from more than 3,000 donors via ActBlue.
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