Grassley Bucks Iowa Polling On Public Option: ‘I Base My Decisions Not On Polls But On Town Meetings’
Grassley Bucks Iowa Polling On Public Option: ‘I Base My Decisions Not On Polls But On Town Meetings’
EDITOR’S NOTE: Over the coming month, ThinkProgress will be traveling to town hall events across the country to report on what we’re seeing on the ground. This is our third eyewitness report.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the Senate GOP’s lead negotiator on health care reform, has stated repeatedly that he opposes a bill that includes a public option, having once called it a “deal breaker.” “We need to make sure that there’s no public option” for the bill to be bipartisan, Grassley has said. Grassley even admitted this month that his GOP colleagues are urging him to block the public option in his negotiations.
However, a Des Moines Resgister poll released in May found that 56 percent of Iowans support the public option (and indeed, large majorities of Americans nationwide do as well). On Wednesday in Winterset, IA, ThinkProgress asked Grassley if he is willing to buck the will of the majority of Iowans. “That poll is old,” Grassley replied dismissively. “I base my decisions not on polls but on town meetings and mail,” he added. Watch it:
Unfortunately, a large majority of local Iowans who attended Grassley’s four town hall meetings on Wednesday were adamantly opposed to the public option, with some calling it “socialism,” a “government take over” and an encroachment of freedom. Citing Iowa public opinion, a recent Des Moines Register editorial urged Grassley to support the public option:
Congress should give Americans the choice of buying into a health-insurance plan administered by the government, in addition to private-sector plans. A public option could bring down administrative costs in health care, give Americans another alternative for insurance and force the private sector to offer adequate coverage or lose business. Yet Grassley remains opposed to such a plan.
Also on Wednesday, Grassley said that he opposes the public option because of a recent Lewin group study (an inaccurate study that doesn’t reflect the bills currently before Congress). When a town hall attendee later noted that “the Lewin Group is a subsidiary of [a] big health care company,” Grassley replied, “I didn’t know that.”
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Hmmm, I didn’t know democratic representation was based upon how loud you can be….
August 14th, 2009 at 3:17 pmAnd many have been quite who support it because they thought it was in the works.
When all voices are actually heard, these people will be shown as the minority that they actually are.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:18 pm=
“I just listen to the wackos”
Enjoy the remainder of your last term, Chuck.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:19 pmHow can someone as dumb as Grassley get elected to anything ?
August 14th, 2009 at 3:20 pmquiet sorry.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:20 pmGrassley doesn’t support the public option supported by 56% of his constituents…hopefully Grassley’s constituents will return the favor and not support him come election time…
One can hope…
August 14th, 2009 at 3:20 pmSounds like a few more supporters showing up should change his mind.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:20 pmLet’s all go to Chuck Grassley town halls and scream something like, “We want knotty pine panels, not death panels.” or “Where’s our death panel truck, Chuck?”. Just something marginally coherent to further confuse the issue. That is what he’s going to town halls for, isn’t it? Confusion? That’s all anyone else is hearing from them. A good (well designed) random poll is so much better in getting an overall sense of where one’s constituency might be. Sure, a town hall can give you a sense of “ho hum” or “kill the mothra fracker”, but that emotion can’t really be contained well in the legislation, can it?
August 14th, 2009 at 3:24 pmThe Senate should censure Grassley for his egregious lies about “pulling the plug on grandma.”
And then the voters need to get rid of him.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:24 pmHe based his decision on what GOP Boss Limbaugh wants, what insurance companies want, what the radical right wants to bring the President down. Grassley is supposed to be a moderate Republican, apparantly there is no such thing.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:24 pmJust like with the bible, people can find the opinion they seek if they’re willing to look hard enough and ignore everything that doesn’t support their argument.
Ignore polls at your own risk, Gr’Assley. The 2010 election is just around the corner.
PEACE
August 14th, 2009 at 3:25 pmSo Grassley does not want a democracy, but a sonacracy, government by the loudest mouths. No damn wonder Rush Limbaugh is the head of the GOP. Let’s forget voting booths and replace them with with instruments that measure decibels and determine winners of campaigns and settle issues by how loud a crowd is. (Sorry I can’t think of the word for that instrument – I think the GOP nonsense has been frying my brain. I can’t imagine what it is doing to those who believe the nonsense.)
August 14th, 2009 at 3:27 pmIowa deserves what it voted for. But the rest of the nation should not be subject to his fickle, inept and pandering nonsense. He is a symbol of all of the inappropriate old men who have betrayed their constituents and laid down for the lobbyists. I have known smarter and more responsive turnips.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:29 pmTime for GrASSley to be scheduled for an appearance before a political career death panel.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:31 pmVirtual Pebbles, your idea will just add to the general decibel level and “knotty pine panels” would just be recorded as “death panels”.
The only alternative in town hall meetings is to go visual with signs, costumes, and performance art to bring the message of supporting healthcare reform to the attention of representatives and to the media.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pmIf Grassley were honest, he’d simply state that his vote goes where the money is (campaign contributions from insurance, healthcare, and pharmaceutical companies). Whatever group of voters he can blame his votes on suits him just fine as a handy, dandy excuse.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pmGW says – Hehehe…that Grassley sure is a fine upstanding conservative type of guy…he knows what the people want…they want to go broke paying thru the nose for health insurance…the little people still have a little bit of money and us rich guys want it…my Swiss bank account is just full of the little people’s money…where did you think that billion on pallets went…hehe…if they get sick, let them die…that’s what we do here in Texas.
Dick says – I need more blood from fresh puppies.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pmChuck Grassley – the guy that killed bipartisanship – FINALLY!!
Shut these Rethuglicans out. Just like the W tax cuts for the “haves” and the “have mores.”
Elections have consequences, you know.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pmBy the way, Grassley, an election is a poll. Apparently you don’t care about governance of the majority through elections. You prefer big mouthed people joining in mass hysteria fomented by bigger mouthed people and people with money.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:34 pmThat poll is old,” Grassley replied dismissively. “I base my decisions not on polls but on town meetings and mail,” he added
yes keep that up chunky cause the 20k votes that you will get from the town hall will more then make up for the millions votes you will lost.
thats some real good god fearing math you are doing.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:34 pmthe XMtalk channel 165 is mostly right leaning… randi rhodes comes on after glen beck (i think)… the news is provided by a different source, IRN, than talk left channel 167, which is APradio news, which is biased right… IRN is way right…
anyway, the latest report had a spot on the congress email server being overwhelmed… and mentioned joe barton from texas has received thousands (2? 3?) of messages and he guesses that over 90% are AGAINST obama’s reform…
… sigh…
August 14th, 2009 at 3:36 pmGrassley said that he opposes the public option because of a recent Lewin group study . .
~ ~ ~
Grassley then said he did NOT KNOW that the Lewin group is a subsidy of a big health care company . .
Isn’t it his job to know about the ‘bona fides’ of the company that he is relying?? Appears Grassley never inconvenienced his staff to investigate whether or not Lewin had any connection to the health industry?
And now the American people are stuck with the Lewin group and their OWN health care industry AGENDA . .
August 14th, 2009 at 3:36 pmHey, Snake of the Grassley seems to be supporting a new form of government, a Shout-ocracy, where some right-wing zero-information creeps and bullies get to decide public policy. Gee, why didn’t we think of that before? A Shout-ocracy, why it could be so much faster than those silly elections, where each woman and each man gets one silent vote…
August 14th, 2009 at 3:38 pmSpeaking of those town hall screamers from whom GrASSley takes orders, kind of ironic that their hysteria over nonexistent death panels has seemingly led to stripping authorization for end of life counseling from at least the senate bill. How appropriate that these sheep have now ensured that they will die the same way they have chosen to live: frightened and ignorant.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:39 pmFor the 2010 elections we need to have our own poll – one that identifies the top 10 or so Representatives and/or Senators to target for defeat. We should each start saving some money now to be ready to give their opponents.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:39 pmGrassley said that he opposes the public option because of a recent Lewin group study . .
~ ~ ~
Grassley then said he did NOT KNOW that the Lewin group is a subsidy of a big health care company . .
wow sounds like he needs a crack information person to look up important things. mmmmmmm who could he get.
AWWWWW Gretchen Carlson yes she`s sharp as a blunt pin and spens all day working hard on facts and all.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:40 pmGrAssleys “indecision” is all about waiting for the lobbyists to up the ante until it reaches the amount he will sell his soul for.
Personal gain and or party first..the Repug credo.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:45 pm“I base my decisions not on polls but on town meetings and mail,” he added.
____________________________________________________________
Translation: “I only pay attention to polls when they back up my position, I only read the mail I agree with, and I only allow people who agree with me to come to my town hall meetings.”
Every single one of these “polls don’t mean anything” politicians (and there are plenty of them on the left, too) will suddenly decide that polls are the gospel when they back up their agenda.
This can safely be spiked on the BS spindle.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:45 pmCan this country overcome the stupid? I will always be optimistic but……….
August 14th, 2009 at 3:49 pmI base my decisions not on polls
Obviously, cuz Poland has a good national health care plan.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:52 pmThere are 26 “health insurance providers” in Iowa. They are Phuque Chuck’s constituency in this.
The Health Insurance parasites (HIp) own him. He’ll vote their way, should the mississippi river flow in favor of a “public option.” He’s sucked up almost $200,000 in campaign contributions from the HIp in the second quarter alone. Each company can buy a little piece of him for under $10k/quarter, a bargain at more than twice the price, considering the absolute, phuqing BONANZA the HIp stands to corral when EVERYONE in Iowa (and everywhere else) will be COMPELLED BY LAW to buy their “product.”
August 14th, 2009 at 3:54 pmSo Grassley bases his decisions not on polls, but on town halls?
He eschews the scientifically derived measure of public opinion in favor of his own sense of who can shout louder?
Oh, that’s right — he’s a Republican. They don’t DO science.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:54 pmShorter Grassley:
“I only listen to those I tell what to say”.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:54 pmHey Grassley–how did that whole “Terri Schiavo-government involvement in life and death decisions” gig work out for you and Tom DeLay?
August 14th, 2009 at 3:56 pmIt’s time for Obama to take this fool out. Put a contract out. Set him up and knock him down.
I like how Obama and his staff finally took a cue from President Bartlett and The West Wing today; they went to Senator Baucus’s own state and shoved it right into his face.
That’s what Josh would do.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:57 pmGrassley sure seems to think Sarah Palin is the pied piper all of a sudden.
Watch out for that death panel cliff!
August 14th, 2009 at 3:57 pmSome other notable quotable people from the last week. Quite an incredible collection. Some are inspiring, some are funny, some are pathetic and some will just make your head explode.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:58 pmI base my decisions on townhalls and mail but not really because I base my decision on a study by a subsidiary of a large health care company but really I base my decisions on what lobbyists want, who arent even from ny state, and my colleagues want and not what the people I was elected to represent want and you know my constituents need to know its me that forms their opinions and not them mine.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:59 pmI might add, for the Senators benefit, that it’s stupid to quote a study if one doesn’t know both what it says and who commissioned it.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:02 pm“Base my decisions on Town Halls, not polls.”
BS, you use the Murdock Magic 8 ball. Possible answers are:
August 14th, 2009 at 4:05 pm1. No
2. Hell, no
3. No way in hell
4. What would Reagan do?
5. Is it corporate friendly?
6. It it rich person friendly?
7. Does it keep the “working poor” poor and working?
8. Is it good for Chuck Grassley?
huh.
just heard another report… about the new ads running FOR healthcare reform… the guy pointed out that they were funded by phrma and other groups – but in such a way to indicate it was subversive, somehow…
and i’ve NEVER heard of ANY report about how the anti mobs are funded by corporatists…
imagine that…
August 14th, 2009 at 4:05 pmIn addition to the fact that the Lewin Group study is already out of date and was written without the benefit of a consolidated bill to consider, it should also be pointed out that one of the major sources used by the Lewin Group was the summary of the draft legislation provided by Sen. Grassley’s own Finance Committee!
August 14th, 2009 at 4:09 pmWhen is Grassley up for re-election?
We need to aggressively fund and support his opponent.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:12 pmHe didn’t know the Lewin Group was a subsidiary of United Health Care? The rest of the world has know that for months!!! What belgercarb.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:13 pmThe Insurance Industry may be an idea who’s time has past. It’s just not cost effective anymore when we worry about things like administrative costs over who gets healthcare.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:14 pmdaveincolorado says:
He didn’t know the Lewin Group was a subsidiary of United Health Care? The rest of the world has know that for months!!! What belgercarb.
That’s what stood out to me as well. He either admitted that he’s blindly ignorant about a study he quoted or flat-out lied. I find either of those to be disqualifying in an elected official.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:16 pmThis makes Grassley either an idiot or willfully negligent. Could be both, I guess.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:20 pmI Base My Decisions Not On Polls But On Looking in the Mirror and Smiling!
August 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pmSkepticRising says:
This makes Grassley either an idiot or willfully negligent. Could be both, I guess.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:20 p
Nah, bro. He’s just another wholly-owned subsidiary of corpoRat Murka…
August 14th, 2009 at 4:33 pmCan you all help me out here — how is it that the backstabbing, indecent and untrustworthy Chuck Grassley is in any position to dictate terms that are or are not “deal” breakers. Is this myopic, grandstanding fool not aware that he is a Republican and, not just in the minority, but a decidedly filibuster-proof minority. He dictates nothing. And can someone please tell me why the lilly livered Dems don’t remind this fool of that at every possible turn.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:33 pmhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/18170222/HCAN-memo
I like page 4 the best.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:37 pmhow is it that the backstabbing, indecent and untrustworthy Chuck Grassley is in any position to dictate terms that are or are not “deal” breakers.
In a word: Seniority.
The Senate is NOT filibuster-proof. That’s a myth.. Here’s a list of the Senators who have ALREADY “compromised” with the fascisti, along with the bucks they’ve scored for their duplicity:
Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)- $465,944
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)- $82,250
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)- $246,223
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)- $534,746
Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)- $1,231,299
Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)- $404,731
Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)- $828,787
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)- $1,190,463
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)- $369,490
Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN)- $602,752
Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)- $206,690
Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT)- $1,033,402
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)- $213,800
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) $495,000
Count ‘em. 12? And all the Pukes need is 41 votes?
August 14th, 2009 at 4:38 pmjust found at D.U.:
Freepers, Birthers, Morons of all stripe, You didn’t get mad…
You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.
You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.
You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn’t get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn’t get mad when you saw the Abu Grahib photos.
You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn’t get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden.
You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city drown.
You didn’t get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when.. when… wait for it… when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all ok with you but helping other Americans… well f/ck that. That about right? You know it is.
You people have all lost your f/cking minds. You are selfish, greedy, obnoxious, narcissistic, and frankly… stupid. Your pathetic little misspelled protest signs are embarrassing. Maybe you ought to find the smart person in your midst and let them make up all the signs, cause man, you look like a bunch of idiots.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:41 pmAgain, this man sounds as dumb as a post, but consider this: as a C Street / Coe Christianity fellow, he would deeply disdain democracy and the opinions of a public he considers to be utterly unequal to him, one of the power elites.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:45 pmThis guy should have just carved a B on his face.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/13/facebook.racial.threat/index.html
Well, it’s not that unusual.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:46 pmhttp://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2007/11/05/News/Freshman.Who.Reported.Swastikas.Drew.Them.As.Well-3079332.shtml
You people have all lost your f/cking minds. You are selfish, greedy, obnoxious, narcissistic, and frankly… stupid. Your pathetic little misspelled protest signs are embarrassing. Maybe you ought to find the smart person in your midst and let them make up all the signs, cause man, you look like a bunch of idiots.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
What is there about this you don’t understand?
It’s a text-book case-study of that dificult to isolate phenomenon, “real racism,” whereby the majority uses it political power to inflict humiliation, suffering (and discipline) upon a despised minority by depriving them of ‘public goods’ (adequate health care) which are not dened to the majority.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:48 pm‘levin group says it’s bad’
LOL, I wish there was more pushback on this levin group which is just a numbers factory for conservative talking points.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:50 pmer. Token, Senator Cantwell came out for the public plan option this week… Just sayin…
August 14th, 2009 at 4:50 pmJust in case anyone is wondering where the tow hall protesters learned their manners.
Watch this clip and pass it on.
http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2540
August 14th, 2009 at 4:52 pmGrassley:
“I am the lizard king….I can go anything”
August 14th, 2009 at 4:52 pmAnd is it easier to stack the results in polls or in town hall meetings ?
August 14th, 2009 at 4:57 pmCut the shit. You base your decisions on the funding that maintains your emplotment…
August 14th, 2009 at 4:58 pmObama needs quit the bipartisan BS, dump the niceness towards Grassley and the other bastards only interested in campaign contribution rather than the growing number of lives being ruined due to the unsavory practices of the health insurance groups.
The economic survival of our country depends on a decent health insurance system.
And please – a public option, not a give away co op for the evil insurers.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:58 pmI say, go here:
http://grassley.senate.gov/
And tell Senator Idiot…that he is an idiot.
Also, the Lewin Group. It’s a sub-company of UnitedHealthCare…UnitedHealthCare also owns Secure Horizons, PacifiCare, and Prescription Solutions (mail order drug provider). UnitedHealthCare also recently agreed to shut down a shady company that was keeping track of price issues for the medical industry (someone can clarify this, I simply don’t remember all the sleezy details)?
I’m sure these companies are just the tip of their iceberg. UnitedHealthcare is a MONSTER sized company.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:02 pmThe last couple of times I’ve driven through Iowa I have been very impressed with the kind and progressive nature of the people I met there. I believe they will do the right thing. Enjoy your swan song Grassley.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:06 pmGrassley got a taste of how well “Moderation and compromise” go over with the GOP Base. He was Booed, when he mentioned how he was trying to work with Democrats.
He will NEVER Survive a GOP Primary…unless he toes the line with the Prolife /ProPalin / AntiObama Religious Right which has taken over the Iowa Republican Party.
Proof???…he said “end of Life” conversations should be with Jesus , not the Government….to loud cheers from his teabagger audience.
These people Lost the Election….they are really Mad about it…they see Healthcare Reform Defeat as a way to Stop Obama, and the change he campaigned on.
Democrats have forgotten that they WON the election….In a landslide.
Someone better organize HUGE Political Rallies in Favor of Healthcare Reform….use the Internet….and blow these Sore Losers out of the Water.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:14 pmThose of us, myself included, that are not yet affected by:
need to get out there and fight for those unable to because of overwhelming emotions,from one of the above…overwhelming emotions caused by the evil acts of insurance industry.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:18 pmLike most Iowa Republicans, Grassley has his meetings during the work day and only in smaller communities. Working people like me who live in the cities have almost no chance to question him. I’ve lived in Iowa since 1992 and I have never seen him live. I’ve met Harkin and Loebsack and Braley but never Grassley.
He must be afraid to come to the Eastern part of the state.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:54 pmThe Gong Show is as good of an example of a way to run government as any, especially if one thinks Glenn Beck makes sense.
August 14th, 2009 at 6:11 pmSen. Grassley has been able to avoid detection as a lightweight by acting as a serious think by acting as a thought person.He has obviously fooled the President and others by his inclusion on the group to work on health.( Iknow that he is the ranking minority member)But like all things human, once you examine him and put him under the microscope you find out how utterly stupid he is.The best and brightest, he is not.
August 14th, 2009 at 6:25 pmI like this the TP tries to use a poll from may and everyone here is going nuts because of his answer.
Well for those of you that don’t know it isn’t the Republicans that need to watch their seats it is the Democrats.
Tuesday’s Rasmussen poll found that 53% of voters oppose Democratic “Congressional health care reform,” with 44% strongly opposed. Only 42% support it. But that doesn’t tell the whole story: the remaining supporters are overwhelmingly non- or low-tax payers under 30 (67% support it) or Democrats (69% support it). Seventy-nine percent of Republicans oppose it, as do 62% of unaffiliated voters.
More importantly, another Rasmussen poll found that only 32% of Americans support a government monopoly, or a “single-payer system” — of course, the end goal for Obama is a government monopoly. And only Democrats widely support the idea of a government take-over of medical care:
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Democrats favor a single-payer system, but 87% of Republicans are opposed to one. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 22% favor a single-payer approach while 63% are opposed.
For those of you that can’t understand that it means that the US doesn’t want this plan.
Here is a poll that shows that people will have to pay more in either taxes or insurance costs with Obama’s plan and that they will receive worse care than now.
http://www.pollingpoint.com/result/88
August 14th, 2009 at 7:09 pmthis one was taken at the end of july 2009.
Once again the people on this site are out of touch with the majority of americans.
17. PatrioticLiberalChristian sez:…
Crud. You’re probably right. Nah, Glenn Beck would report it as a cry for “death panels with designer wooden coffins”.
snark
August 14th, 2009 at 7:11 pmYup, that Sen Grassley is one brilliant genius! Basing his decisions on the loudest craziest vocal mobs at a town meeting. Nice …
August 14th, 2009 at 7:35 pmAnd when I thought I heard it all…
August 14th, 2009 at 8:19 pmmk3872 says:
Yup, that Sen Grassley is one brilliant genius! Basing his decisions on the loudest craziest vocal mobs at a town meeting. Nice …
HAHAHA for real.
I know he has a living will paid for by us.
August 14th, 2009 at 8:37 pmdbadass says:
You base your decisions on the funding that maintains your emplotment…
___________
Hmmm… bad spelling… or… a New Word???
Emplotment – Noun… the scheming that goes into planning where your income is gonna come from…
I LIKE it!
August 14th, 2009 at 8:51 pm“That poll is old,” Grassley replied dismissively. “I base my decisions not on polls but on town meetings and mail,” he added.
IOW, he listens to the AstroTurf™ Screaming Blue Meanies that the insurace companies and their RW cohorts in talk radio and the like have sicced on him. Yes, the best way to good policy is to listen only to the loudest of the loud. That’s the mark of sincerity.
Cheers,
August 14th, 2009 at 10:09 pmWe should be asking everyone why we should listen to these Reichwingers…especially Seniors when it was Bush and his cult that wanted to privatize Social Security and put the money in the stock market. That would have worked out real well wouldn’t it?
August 14th, 2009 at 10:25 pm#73 Outlaw284 says:
Here is a poll that shows that people will have to pay more in either taxes or insurance costs with Obama’s plan and that they will receive worse care than now.
Hmmm. So polls determine facts, eh? Better yet, Rasmussen polls (as you were citing earlier). Maybe on your world. But unlike Uranus, here facts are not subject to public approval.
Cheers,
P.S.: You’re an eedjit. It would serve you well not to advertise that fact.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:28 pmzuch
August 14th, 2009 at 10:51 pmThat is the issue here that you are all crying about is that he said that the poll is old and doesn’t listen to it he listens to the people. Rasmussen, Gallup, and most every other poll shows the same thing that the people don’t want this plan.
I like how the polls only matter when they are in your favor otherwise they don’t mean a thing. Double standard. To bad they reflect what the people of this country want.
So time to wake up from your dream world and join reality the people of this country are speaking and they don’t want social health care like the democrats are trying to give us.
By the way why aren’t you libs complaining about the fact that Obama has quadrupled the deficit since he came into office. You were screaming load and long about Bush adding to it. Oh that is right he was a Republican and Obama is a Democrat different rules for him
What you must understand is that Grassley and many others do not represent the American people but the giant healthcare for profit corporations that OWN them.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:25 pmWell i would hate to own an Insurance company right now for 2 reasons.
1. the democrats want to run them out of business with this health care bill.
2. there isn’t a big enough profit to make it worth while.
Sonce the Insurance companies only made 3.3% in profit last year.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_otfwl2zc6Qc/SoMLoWBKM4I/AAAAAAAAK4g/wKdZyg5LxQ0/s1600-h/profits.bmp
Wow the insurance companies were 86th. From the looks of it the government should be going after the beverage companies they made 25.9% in profit.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:23 amLooks like that is the industry to be in. It sure isn’t health insurance.
82. Outlaw284 says: zuch
That is the issue here that you are all crying about is that he said that the poll is old and doesn’t listen to it he listens to the people. Rasmussen, Gallup, and most every other poll shows the same thing that the people don’t want this plan.
… the people of this country are speaking and they don’t want social health care like the democrats are trying to give us…
Almost, outlaw284, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. What people don’t want is not the Democratic Party’s plan, but the straw man plan that the Republicans have been telling them is, and selling them as, the Democratic Party plan. The Republican straw man is lies and BS from the get-go, but since they’ve managed to make so much noise and piss so many people off, no one has paid any attention to the actual Democratic Party plan.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:45 amVirtual Pebble says:
Almost, outlaw284, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. What people don’t want is not the Democratic Party’s plan, but the straw man plan that the Republicans have been telling them is, and selling them as, the Democratic Party plan. The Republican straw man is lies and BS from the get-go, but since they’ve managed to make so much noise and piss so many people off, no one has paid any attention to the actual Democratic Party plan.
So what you are telling me is that HR 3200 is the idea of the republican party and that the democrats didn’t write a word of it.
August 15th, 2009 at 1:56 amAlejandro says:
And allie says QUICK LOOK OVER THERE. Or over there or anywhere but the TOPIC. Bite me troll
August 15th, 2009 at 4:02 amomg; a “token republican”.
August 15th, 2009 at 6:09 amno wonder he is on the committee.
geez
yeah outlaw; I’d hate to have the avg income of the top 10 or 12 insurance comp ceo’s; 9 million a yr over the last 10 years.
August 15th, 2009 at 6:16 amNot to mention the double digit premium increases, lessening of services, and 400% increase in ceo pay.
Outlaw snivels
Insurance companies SHOULD be out of business they make their money on the DEATHS of Americans. 18,000 Americans per year DIE from lack of access to healthcare. They make their money impovrishing Americans then NOT delivering healthcare. Half of all bankrupcies are medical related and more than half of them STARTED with insurance. When they got REALLY sick and needed their coverage the most they lost their jobs AND their insurance. You dont CARE who dies or goes bankrupt Outlaw you only CARE about money and whose pocket it goes in. You SHOULD be ahsamed of yourself but you have no decency so you wont be
August 15th, 2009 at 7:46 am86. outlaw264 sez:…
I don’t believe that’s what I noted, outlaw. What I said was “straw man”.
The Democrats would like to discuss HR 3200, but the Repulicans have drowned out any debate by misrepresenting HR 3200 thus provoking anger from a lot of people who don’t understand what is in HR 3200, and taking the rePublicrite’s word for what’s in there, taking the straw man to be gospel, are busy blowtorching Democrats.
It’s not a subtle tactic; it’s been all over the news.
Troll much, outlaw?
August 15th, 2009 at 10:50 amThat poll is old,” Grassley replied dismissively. “I base my decisions not on polls but on town meetings and mail,” he added=
“I just listen to the wackos”
Enjoy the remainder of your last term, Chuck.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:14 pmThe conclusion I reached after reading this article:
1. Either Grassley is functioning in a bubble that is out of touch with reality or he is lying.
2. Why would anyone think that a town hall meeting is more representative than a poll (that is old)? By the time this bill actually is debated in the Senate, the town halls will be old and polls will be new…will he adjust his statement to reflect “current”?
3. For Grassley to say that he does not know the ties of an interest group to reports by Conservative Thinktanks, is either a lie or he is the most ignorant individual in DC. If he somehow thinks that his “head in sand”, gee, I didn’t know that statement will be accepted by anyone, he is wrong.
It really is pitiful to observe how the Big Money in Industry owns the GOP conversation C. Shumer said that Banks run DC. Well, banks, here are your partners. To be fair, some DEMS are making money as well, the individual taxpayers are the big losers here.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:50 pmWhat Grassley is saying is that he is an old man. He is not going to oppose the crazies and he will go along with all the insanity in the townhalls. He does not want the confrontation. He is also a party wonker and he will vote to the right of right wing, always. Look at his record. To be trying to deal with this snake is beyond ridiculous.
August 15th, 2009 at 1:48 pmukeman123
So you think that the government should dictate what a person should be able to make or what a compnay should be able to pay their people that work for them.
Do you have any idea what has caused Insurance to go up? It isn’t because of Insurance companies and if you had any idea of what you were talking about you would know that. Ask a doctor how much his malpractice insurance has gone up and then ask your self why it has gone up that bad. I will give you a hint. Law suits and Texas has proven it. They have gone and done tort ruform and limited law suits and guess what insurance has gone down medical costs have gone down and yet your democrats don’t want to do that.
The five largest Texas insurers cut rates, which will save doctors about $50 million, according to the AMA (Houston Chronicle, 5/17/05).
wow what a concept and look they proved it works.
http://www.atra.org/wrap/files.cgi/7964_howworks.html
Next time try reading up on what you are going to talk about that way you know what you are talking about.
EugeneDebs
August 15th, 2009 at 2:31 pmYou want to talk about who is making money and big money on people dieing then why don’t you talk about mortuary’s they are really making money off of people dieing.
As to people losing their insurance when they lose their job that is a lie. Have you ever heard of Cobra. Besides that can you tell me that your employer is going to still cover you if you no longer work for them. I think not and if you had a company of your own you would do the same.
Once again you complain about Insurance companies and how much it cost for insurance and i will refur back to Texas and their tort reform and how it CUT insurance costs medical costs doctors costs. But you liberals don’t want to hear that because it doesn’t fit your “free” government health care.
Tell me if government health care is so good then why are all they other countries moving away from it.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9994.php
well look at that france is moving towards a US type insurance. Not to mention England and others. I hate when the US is right don’t you.
Virtual Pebble says:
——————————————————————————–
86. outlaw264 sez:…
I don’t believe that’s what I noted, outlaw. What I said was “straw man”.
The Democrats would like to discuss HR 3200, but the Repulicans have drowned out any debate by misrepresenting HR 3200 thus provoking anger from a lot of people who don’t understand what is in HR 3200, and taking the rePublicrite’s word for what’s in there, taking the straw man to be gospel, are busy blowtorching Democrats.
So things like you will lose your insurance isn’t true.
August 15th, 2009 at 2:45 pmWell let me see the bill says on page 16 lines 10-16
” (1) Limitation on new enrollment
(A) In general. Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual of coverage is on or after the first day of Y1″
Well I don’t know what your libs have been telling you but that means that the insurance companies can NOT write new plans after this bill is signed into law. Which means that when your insurance changes you will have to go on the government plan because they wont be able to write any new plans. And a change to your plan makes it a new plan.
You want me to tell you where the other things that the republicans have been “lieing about” are and what it actually says. Better yet why don’t you look it up for yourself and read it yourself.
This is all 1018 pages of your democrat bill that they republicans and the people are saying that they don’t want.
Now do you have to guts to read what your libs are saying are lies.
http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf
Bush didn’t follow the polls either.
Anyone remember the Gilligan’s Island episode where Gilligan dreamt he was the emperor and he relied only on information from his trusted staff.
August 15th, 2009 at 3:11 pmSomething has happened to Grassley. He has turned into a cold, calculating, superficial, sob who cares more about party than Iowans. He’s become a complete embarassment. Call his office in DC 202-224-3744, and give him the attention he needs.
On a personal note . . . if a United States Senator from Iowa, in a public forum, starts telling us about Jesus Christ during a healthcare debate, we must go out of our way to make sure he understands that he has stepped way over the line. It’s the worst kind of pandering, and he should not be re-elected.
August 15th, 2009 at 5:55 pm96. outlaw264 sez:…
Outlaw, that entire section “grandfather’s in” existing plans and requires that insurance companies do NOT degrade the coverage provided by the plan. If the plan is not a qualified plan, the issuer will not be allowed to enroll new members, other than dependents of existing members. Employer-based plans, as opposed to individually purchaed plans, will be required to come into compliance with coverage standards within 5 years.
Insurors will still be able to enroll new members in qualified plans and they’ll still be able to create new plans and enroll members if the plan meets coverage standards.
Generally, the minimum standards will be those in force for Medicare.
August 15th, 2009 at 7:46 pmThe Senator needs to remember that he represents to people of the state. They elected him to office, They can vote him out. He needs to listen to the people.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:14 pmBesides townhall meetings, Grassley also relies heavily on tarot cards, fortune cookies, and tea leaf readings to formulate his policy decisions.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:52 pmOutlaw284 says:
You are just a stupid brainwashed moron. YES people lose their jobs they lose their health insurance. Cobra COSTS and it is s government program. Mortuaries make money when people die because THAT IS THEIR FUNCTION MY GOD how can you be so stupid? I dont expect the company to cover them when they dont work for the company but the point you were too STUPID to understand, actually you are too stupid to understand ANY point, is WHY is it set UP that way? The reason is SO that when you get REALLY sick and the cost of SERIOUS illness is involved you lose your job and they can stop paying for you. So they can take your premiums for a couple of decades while you are healthy and when you get REALLY sick they dont have to cover your costs anymore. What is it about this simple concept you are just flat too stupid to understand? It is a SCAM. Other countries are NOT moving away from their national healthcare plans. To say they are is stupid beyond all belief. The guy who brought national healthcare to Canada was recently voted the most important Candian in HISTORY. If you think for ONE SECOND that France will drop its national healthcare then you have gone from merely stunningly stupid to flat out insane. MANY countries that have national healthcare plans also have private medical outlets. Mostly they perform the elective surgeries that are a long wait or are not covered BECAUSE they are cosmetic or have a long waiting period and they target more affluent people. So what? I have no problem with that but that in NO WAY means a lack of committment to national healthcare. You are so stupid it is a waste of time to even discuss anything with you. You are so brainwashed facts, reality and truth mean NOTHING to you. Only what Rush TOLD you to believe and repeating it endlessly means anything to you. You are a scum sucking MORON
August 17th, 2009 at 11:54 amblclem says:
The PEOPLE want healthcare reform and universal healthcare. The fact you are too brainwashed to understand this pretty much says everything we need to know about you
August 17th, 2009 at 11:57 am