Exclusive: Grassley Attends Secret Miami Fundraiser And Touts Opposition To Obama Health Care Plan
Exclusive: Grassley Attends Secret Miami Fundraiser And Touts Opposition To Obama Health Care Plan
The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein reported recently that Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who is up for reelection in 2010, sent a fundraising letter asking donors to give him money to help him “defeat ‘Obama-care.’” Grassley is currently locked in negotiations with a small group of Senate Finance Committee members, reportedly working on a possible bipartisan health care proposal.
As we previously reported, ThinkProgress attended a closed-door health care town hall forum in Hialeah, FL, this past Tuesday, where Sens. Mel Martinez (R-FL), John McCain (R-AZ), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) discussed their opposition to Obama’s health reform plan. After the event, the three senators took a trip across town to the ritzy Biltmore hotel in Miami where they attended a fundraising reception sponsored by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
ThinkProgress attended the closed-door reception. Upon arriving at the venue, we were surprised to see a conference room that was marked as a fundraising reception room for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Grassley was not listed on the official invitation. Minutes later, Grassley arrived, where he joined his fellow colleagues McConnell and McCain. In his remarks, Grassley told the wealthy Republican activists that he was committed to fighting Obama’s health care plan.
ThinkProgress tried repeatedly to contact Grassley’s office for comment, but they refused to get back to us.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Baucus held a two hour conference call with the renamed “bipartisan” 6 yesterday (not liking “Gangsters”).
Be thankful we don’t pay these gasbags by the hour
September 5th, 2009 at 9:26 pmWhat a farce
September 5th, 2009 at 9:27 pmGrassley’s office is scared of TP. You gotta love it.
More Re-gipizan leaders plotting against us i see… what have they got against us anyway? We just want to be healthy.
These sad bastards have to have it all or else they sit and plot our demise.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:29 pmThis is criminal behavior.
When we don’t prosecute war crimes we get more criminals in other areas of government.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:32 pmgrassley does a huge disservice to our citizens. What we need most to fear is NOT HAVING the opportunity for end of life counseling. If at his age he does not understand this, he is ignorant. If he is merely trying to bring down Obama, then he is dangerous.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:32 pmGrassley is a republican and therefore a lower life form. I simply wish they would all evaporate and take their corporate whore-donors with them.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:35 pmI dislike republicans immensely.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:38 pmCan’t they see the country is in a tail spin and wouldn’t they want to work for the common good?
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
“Exclusive: Grassley Attends Secret Miami Fundraiser And Touts Opposition To Obama Health Care Plan”
Real sad that the lizard man Assley would sell himself, the Iowians, and the American people of affordable healthcare reform for donations for his re-election in 2010. But that’s Assley: putting party and his career first before the people.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:42 pmWhy is it so hard for the Prez to see the obvious ?GOP ain’t supporting none,zero,zilch of anything coming from the Dem party.
Playing nice with bullies don’t make ‘em stop kicking your ass Mr.Prez.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:43 pmWho do you consider to be a good journalist? Chris Wallace?
September 5th, 2009 at 9:45 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
“Exclusive: Grassley Attends Secret Miami Fundraiser And Touts Opposition To Obama Health Care Plan”
I heard he also bit a finger
September 5th, 2009 at 9:48 pmWhat a mean face that man has! He looks like The Grinch.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:49 pmDoes chris wallace ever leave his compound? how would he know what is really going on any more? look who he is surrounded by.
Murdoooch! we will not let you simply swoop in and take America, you bastard!
September 5th, 2009 at 9:50 pmWillowOrchid says: 14
They all look that way – perhaps the result of years of hateful selfish thoughts. just guessing…
September 5th, 2009 at 9:51 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
i aint you says 12
No – look up “straw man” argument, and get back to us.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:52 pmi aint you says: 17
Yes. you got it wrong. go to the Democratic party web site for references.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:54 pmDo you mean be come communist like China with that “work for the common good” deal??
Please, we all know you love shopping at Walmart.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:54 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outlaw284 says 21
Bologna. starting a public option, single payer or not, is not rocket science. Every other modern nation has done it, and not looked back. You want more choices – go with more options – simple. don’t try to make it more complicated than it is.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:58 pmA Single Payer or Public Option would benefit the country so much! The people who could be free from medical problems and fear of medical problems –illness and the horrific cost of treatment– would boost the economy like a Shuttle Rocket.
But it appears our politicians and “Haves” don’t want the economy really improved: as long as the Banksters & their cronies’, the War Machine corporations and the “Media” get their Trillions, the rest of America can live on the edge of ruin. In fact it is a perfect set-up for the upper 2%.
September 5th, 2009 at 9:58 pmto the people according to their needs —– from the people according to their ability,
Apply that quote, i aint you, to the bailouts starting in 2008 [GWB]
September 5th, 2009 at 10:00 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Dear Repignofascist Trolls:
If the current healthcare system in the United States is so good and doesn’t need to be changed, why does the World Health Organization rank the US system 37th in the world?
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
Doesn’t it say anything to you clowns when Colombia (thats a country in South America for the geographically challenged Faux “News” watchers), Dominica (an island in the Lesser Antilles), and Morocco, a nation in Africa, all have better health care for their citizens than do the United States?
Furthermore what does it say to the knuckle-dragging Repignofascist trolls when the Voice of America in 2006 (that would be the Bush Administration Voice of America) reported that the United States has the most expensive health care in the world.
http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-02/2006-02-28-voa59.cfm?CFID=291172723&CFTOKEN=25733378&jsessionid=6630765c067172706b36166f2d1576716832
Does that give you at least a smidgen of a hint what the concerns are? Or are you just too patently ignorant to want to have facts blithely intrude on your reality?
You are being played as the fools you are by Big Pharma, the insurance companies and organized health care (organized under Nixon – another Repignofascist). They could care less about you…all they want is more money. And you sheeple are more than willing to do their dirty work for them.
Fools.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:10 pmAnd I damn sure dont need A ignant M radio pundit telling me what one is.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:11 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Xisithrus: Public Option isn’t free, people would have monthly payments JUST LIKE THEY DO NOW. Only, with so many MORE people opting for a Gov Plan, the costs could be kept down by the Gov negotiating with the Health Care & pharmaceutical companies: YES, they’d still be in business! And their profits would be as much if not more than they currently are- again, because of the MILLIONS and MILLIONS of new customers.
So. Have You worked hard all your life and achieved Financial Security? If so, I commend you.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:12 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outlaw: “how having to pay for a plan that I don’t use nor want is helping the country. Not to mention non of you have even shown where what i said is wrong.”
You DON’T pay for a plan you don’t want. That is why it is called the Government OPTION. It is optional, and you can stick with Blue Cross or whomever you choose.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:17 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outlaw: You are SO full of shit, it’s squirting out your ears.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:18 pmi aint you says:
they don’t want everyone covered, just as long as they, themselves are covered
I’m guessing my health coverage is vastly better than yours, numbnuts, and I’m a big supporter of universal coverage. Even people like yourself with no clue at all.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:18 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
i aint you: You mean the Banks which received TRILLIONS for or Government (thats OUR tax money). You mean Haliburtion, who has gypped the Country for BILLIONS? Or maybe you are referring to the BLACKWELL mercs. Now there’s a deserving bunch of Turds!
September 5th, 2009 at 10:20 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
I think the obnoxious troll-kind are just upset no one invited them to a holiday barbeque.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:21 pmI guess that depends on what you think the outcome of the bill will be.
Okay, why do we soend hundreds of billions, if not a trillion a year in national defense for then? Isnt insurance a form of protection?
September 5th, 2009 at 10:21 pmThere is NO BILL yet, stupid. Whatever you are reading is probably best used as toilet paper. Then again, it’d probably clog your Outhouse pot.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:22 pmOutlaw: Hope you’ve got Med Insurance for EAR INFECTIONS (see previous comment)
September 5th, 2009 at 10:23 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Grassley has turned into a real scum-bag lately….Time to start ignoring him altogether….
September 5th, 2009 at 10:24 pmYes, such wisdom of the anti-reforms, have a star wars defense, that we all pay for, trillion dollar system to protect the ininsured folks
September 5th, 2009 at 10:24 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Being stuck with a public option would be cheaper than being stuck with a subsidised private option going to their ‘approved’ testing/rehap centers.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:29 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
The problem is health care has become a “for profit” enterprise in the US. It’s not that way in other countries which have better health care than we do.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:34 pmIts the rabid punditry that is intentionally spreading disinformation about HR3200 and by doing so are rattling peoples cages and inciting anger.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:35 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Xisithrus
September 5th, 2009 at 10:38 pmSo tell me when it says that insurance companies CAN NOT write new policys does that mean they can or they can’t. Because that is what it says in the bill and I will show you the page and the lines that say it if you want
Well trailer trash what is your response to the fact that the United States has the most expensive health care in the World? Is that good for you and your double-wide?
September 5th, 2009 at 10:38 pm“Grassley’s office…refused to get back to us”.
And this goof is an elected politician? Refusing to get back to voters/constituents? What a disgrace. All politicians who refuse to respond should be suspect. They care nothing about anyone but themselves, their own greed, their own lies, & getting re-elected. The people??– forget it.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:39 pmAhhh, the old tort reform gambit.
An oldie, but a goodie.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:41 pmMike Hunt
September 5th, 2009 at 10:43 pmI never said that I am happy with the cost. I have said that they need to change laws not start a government program
As I recall [Private] AIG insured tens of billions in derivatives insurance costing taxpayers some 180 billion.
Health insurance shouldnt be gambling on the market to satisfy investors.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:44 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
For sure you jest….bipartisan…..this is like Charlie Brown and Lucy and the football….she will always pull the ball back.
After watching Bush Co. kick our butts around for 8 years….you’d think some pols would be fed up. No one represents me ..Go on and play the fool over again…..but WITHOUT ME.
L.Laks
September 5th, 2009 at 10:45 pmMendocino,CA
First of all, Great reconnaissance TP.
Second, How come no one told me Australia is going broke !
According to the latest economic figures, we’re leading every
other nation out of the recession.
And we don’t have a crappy health care system. Mainly just a
September 5th, 2009 at 10:46 pmsmall shortage of doctors and beds. But we’re fixing that.
Is everybody in Iowa a lying piece of offal? Or just this miserable excuse for a sentient being?
September 5th, 2009 at 10:46 pmXisithrus
September 5th, 2009 at 10:46 pmWhere do you think they get the money to pay for the claims. What they take in for plans doesn’t cover the amount they pay out.
Outhouse,
Every trial lawyer I have ever worked for or known was a Republican, but you just keep pedaling your tired old talking points.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:47 pmMathazar
September 5th, 2009 at 10:48 pmWhy don’t you go look at how much of they are paying out in health care. How much of it takes up their GDP.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outhouse,
Why don’t you ask me another dumb-assed question?
September 5th, 2009 at 10:50 pmZooey
September 5th, 2009 at 10:52 pmHere I will help you out. Every single Democrat in government is a lawyer. What a shock. SO why would they cut the throats of their own people.
Outlaw– i have never thought to ask that question but i’ld like to know the answer
September 5th, 2009 at 10:56 pmThe poor insurance companies hardly have any profit left after paying for an army of lobbyists, buying enough politicians to control the debate, multi-million dollar bonuses rewarding executives for figuring out how to make more money by screwing policy holders and even occasionally providing health care to the poor saps that have paid their exorbitant fees for years on end. Seems much like the bank bailouts…rewarding the very criminals that have created the problem.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:56 pmAl Franken is not a lawyer.
*outhouse goes down in flames*
September 5th, 2009 at 10:56 pmOutlaw284 says:
Zooey
Why don’t you tell me just how many Democrats aren’t lawyers.
Not Zooey, but I’m a democrat and I’m a farmer…so that’s one. Any more?
September 5th, 2009 at 10:56 pmHow about another idiotic sweeping statement from Outhouse?
September 5th, 2009 at 10:59 pmZ beat me to it..Heh
September 5th, 2009 at 11:03 pmYes, its fun gambling with other peoples money and when you lose you can just dial up Bush and say spot me few hundred billion, I’ll just raise rates and recover the loss!
September 5th, 2009 at 11:08 pmThat is the only one you can come up with.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:09 pmXisithrus
September 5th, 2009 at 11:10 pmNo different then Obama bailing out Freddie and Fannie
And if these investments were such a great idea, Outlaw, how come private premium rates are doubling every 8-10 years?
Doesnt sound like they are putting money back in the pot to me.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:11 pmThat’s the ONLY one I have to come up with, after your ever-so-confident and wrong assumptions, Outhouse.
Now, prove that every Dem in government, other than Al Franken, is an attorney.
We’ll wait.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:11 pmBush bailed out Freddie and Fannie.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:12 pmOh wait Freddie and Fannie were run by the Democrats. How much did they pay the CEO’s over 9 million each. Don’t remember hearing any of you complaining about their bonus checks
September 5th, 2009 at 11:12 pmIt was always a GCE
September 5th, 2009 at 11:12 pmUmmmm, Outlaw, we aussies pay half what you
Americans pay per person.
At tax time (now), we may have to pay the Medicare Surcharge
levy. Anyone who has private insurance, is a family member, or
makes less than $ 50,000. AU a year is exempt.
How simple is that ?
September 5th, 2009 at 11:13 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Assley is the 21th century Dr. Faust: Sold himself and loins to the healthcare industry in exchange for his career. Well, the lizard man Senator has to ask himself: Is panhandling with his tin cup for re-election donations, his Senate seat, and lining his pockets with healthcare industry donations worth it to not allowing the American people affordable healthcare reform. Well, many Iowians don’t agree with Assley’s decision. Check out the Iowian newspaper:
Special interests hold Grassley’s interest
There can be no greater abuse of the public’s trust in government, than for a politician to ask the people to put him in office and when elected, he sells his vote to the special interests. Sen. Charles Grassley has done just that.
He sold his vote to the health-insurance industry. He is choosing their interests instead of the people who elected him. Democracy is representative government, and when our elected leaders do not represent the people, they strike a severe blow to democracy.
Ask Grassley why we should vote for him again, or even look to him for leadership. He is not alone in this, and unless we can get him and others like him out of office, our democracy is surely lost.
- Jay Levsen, Cedar Rapids
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090905/OPINION04/909050309/1038/Opinion
Distresssed by Grassley’s tactics
I have been deeply distressed to hear Sen. Charles Grassley state publicly that he has been told the late Sen. Edward Kennedy would not have been given the same treatment as in the U.S. under the supposedly heartless British national health-care system. Hamish Meldrum, chair of the British Medical Association, has said these are “jaw-droppingly untruthful attacks.”
Kennedy dedicated his long, distinguished public career to working for a more just and equitable health-care system for all Americans. For Grassley to use Kennedy’s illness in an effort to derail health-care reform is unconscionable.
Quality, affordable health care must be made available to all. The preamble to our U.S. Constitution affirms our nation’s commitment to “promote the general welfare.”
If Grassley opposes health-care reform in principle, I wish he would just say so, and stop trying to frighten people.
- Ruth Anne Petrak, Des Moines
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090905/OPINION04/909050312/1038/Opinion
September 5th, 2009 at 11:14 pmOh and Zooey
September 5th, 2009 at 11:14 pmBush and his Admin tried 4 times to get more oversite into freddie and fannie along with McCain and guess who it was that stopped them. Your Democrats. What a shock
Sure I did, Here I will repeat it.
These guys dont need 9 million a year.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:15 pmWe gotta make sure the president knows about this.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:15 pmAnd he couldnt do that with a republican led house and congress?
Shocker.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:16 pmThe Bush administration never conducted any oversight whatsoever on any financial institution, an never intended to do so.
The Dems were merely convenient.
Oh, and look at Bush’s TARP bailout for Freddie and Fannie.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:17 pmMathazar
September 5th, 2009 at 11:17 pmAnd how much do you have to pay.
Still waiting for that proof that every Dem in government, other than Al Franken, is an attorney.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:17 pmOutlaw284 says:
gummble-bee-itch
WOW that was a good arguement
Maybe you should go back and read the comment I responded to. Perhaps you simply didn’t understand the stupidity of your BFF’s comment. Based on your own comments, that seems like a safe bet.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:18 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Commie Socialist Alert
Commie Socialist Alert Over
September 5th, 2009 at 11:21 pmGuess who the president was during the commie socialist alert Outlaw?
September 5th, 2009 at 11:21 pmYour saying cut military spending?
September 5th, 2009 at 11:24 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Zooey says:
Still waiting for that proof that every Dem in government, other than Al Franken, is an attorney
And, of course, no Republican politicians are lawyers, right? Oh, wait . . .
And there are a lot more Democrats in Congress these days than there are Republicans, but I can’t be bothered to calculate proportions.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:26 pmXisithrus says:
——————————————————————————–
we don’t want any more friggin taxs— enough is a enough, get the gov. out of our pockets and back where they belong
Your saying cut military spending
next time use my whole quote— i said we don’t need any more. gosh you need to try your spins with some one else, i never said any thing bout cutting any thing, that dog don’t hunt
September 5th, 2009 at 11:28 pmi aint you says:
He asked you how many are not lawyers, Are you going to going to be a brave little boy and answer, yes or no
September 5th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
No, imbecile. Outhouse made the sweeping claim that ALL Dems in government are attorneys. Now he has to prove it.
Now, get his dick out of your mouth so he can concentrate.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:28 pmi aint you says:
He asked you how many are not lawyers, Are you going to going to be a brave little boy and answer, yes or no
Zooey’s not going to be a brave little boy no matter what, doofus. And it was a meaningless question in the first place. Who cares how many politicians are lawyers?
September 5th, 2009 at 11:29 pmi aint you says:
She provided the name of one who was not a lawyer which nullified your buddy’s sweeping generalization. Ball’s in his court.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:29 pmGrassley would be broke if you could sue somebody for being a lying two faced money grubbing sell out. I wish he could be held accountable.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:34 pmZooey
September 5th, 2009 at 11:34 pmBush warned congress in 2001 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&NR;=1
And to help you out this one has it all starting in 2001 and ending in 2008
Yes, I know, questions marks are confusing that way somtimes
September 5th, 2009 at 11:34 pmlink for one above
September 5th, 2009 at 11:34 pmhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080919-15.html
Why would Sen Grassley of Iowa be raising money in Florida, when the people of Florida cannot vote for him? Why should the people of Iowa be forced to have their election influenced by people from out of state? This is one of the changes we must make to campaign finance laws. You should only be allowed to accept donations from real individual people (not corporations or PACs), and you cannot accept contributions from anyone whom you would not be representing in Congress. And political parties cannot give money to individual campaigns as a way of getting around the rules.
Anyway, the rules need to be changed, and this is an example of why.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:35 pmOutstandingInMyField says:
——————————————————————————–
i aint you says:
She provided the name of one who was not a lawyer which nullified your buddy’s sweeping generalization. Ball’s in his court
AHHH yup your right– i missed that post — must’ve hit while i was on the crapper, my bad sorry
September 5th, 2009 at 11:35 pmActions speak louder than words, Outhouse. Bush also claimed he going to stop human/animal hybrids.
Bush could always talk a blue streak, but when it came to action — nada.
Now, that proof about all Dem in Government (other than Al Franken) being attorneys…
Give your little friend a tissue for his chin.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:37 pmgummble-bee-itch
September 5th, 2009 at 11:40 pmYou just made my case. Weather there are more dems in office right now or not. Dems are for the most part lawyers. There are 56 of the 57 in the senate that are. So once again why would the democrats want to cut the throats of the same group that they belong to. Oh and of those 56 49 still pratice.
Bush was good at distributing our treasury to his contractor buddies with his phony trumped up war on terror.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:41 pmi aint you says:
While I’m sure we all accept your apology for your minor faux pas, you really did provide way more information about your personal life than is acceptable in polite society.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:41 pmZooey
September 5th, 2009 at 11:41 pmNow you are going to change your story. You were saying that he wasn’t asking for oversite and now you are saying that all he did was talk about it. WOW so what was he suppose to do write the bill himself. Oh wait the president can’t do that.
The democrats didnt take back the house and senate until 2006 Outlaw.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
I’d rather have a lawyer represent me than a bug killer.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:42 pmjb says:
Bush was good at distributing our treasury to his contractor buddies with his phony trumped up war on terror.
Too true jb. I believe this was part of his, and Dick’s, no defense contractor left behind initiative.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:44 pmAnd what did Dubya do, trim the brush at the range.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:44 pmjb
September 5th, 2009 at 11:46 pmAnd just were is it that Bush got the intel that he used and provided to all the senate members. Non of the Democrats questioned the intel when it was provided to them. But now they are. Sorry that doesn’t float any better now then it did then.
Privatized military (Blackwater etc.) is about as effective as our private for profit at any cost health insurance scammers.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:46 pmXisithrus
September 5th, 2009 at 11:47 pmSo now you are telling me that Bush was the one to blame for what freddie and fannie were doing. So i guess that means that we need to blame Obama for the fact that Government Motors lost money.
When you make such a claim its you that has to prove it.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:48 pmEverybody that was paying attention knew Bush had a bug up his butt to start a war with Iraq and knew he was cooking the “intel” to live out his wet dream of shock and awe.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:48 pmjb
September 5th, 2009 at 11:49 pmWell that is good. I see you have no clue about the Insurance Companies like most people do.
Outhouse is such an innocent babe in the woods that he can’t see when he’s being manipulated by a Republican.
Or maybe he’s just a frightened, piss-soaked submissive authoritarian, who needs Daddy Bush/Cheny to lie to him so he can sleep at night in his smelly drippy bed.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:49 pmand don’t for get it was Berry’s fault that ford did not take the bail out and still out did gov. motor, proving that the privet sect, can out do the gov.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:50 pmXisithrus
So now you are telling me that Bush was the one to blame for what freddie and fannie were doing.
No, you claimed the Dems stopped Bush from reforming Fanny and Freddie. The case is that it was a republican house and senate since 1994-2006 and Bush and the GOP led congress, couldnt get er done.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:50 pmHuh? GM, Ford and Chrysler approached the government for loans. not the other way around.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:53 pmBTW it was Bush that signed an executive order so he could use TARP funds to bailout GM.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:53 pmInsurance companies sell the illusion of providing health care. Sometimes they do, but anytime they can come up with a possible excuse to deny benefits…well you better not be too sick to hire a good lawyer to represent you. They spend millions paying lobbyists to squash any competition from a not for profit Government run option. Lying scamming criminals of no real service. That’s what I understand about health insurance companies.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:54 pmOutlaw284 says:
gummble-bee-itch
You just made my case. Weather there are more dems in office right now or not. Dems are for the most part lawyers. There are 56 of the 57 in the senate that are. So once again why would the democrats want to cut the throats of the same group that they belong to. Oh and of those 56 49 still pratice.
You seriously contend that lawyers belong to some secret club and cover each other’s backs? Obviously you’ve never actually met a lawyer.
By your theory, all the Republicans that are lawyers are in cahoots with the Democrats because, well, because they’re lawyers. It’s moronic.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:00 amGrassley is owned by insurance companies. He represents their interests, not the interests of the people.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:01 amFirst from the New York Times: Note the date!
September 11, 2003– The Bush Administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.
Under the plan, disclosed at a Congressional hearing today, a new agency would be created within the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that are the two largest players in the mortgage lending industry,
The new agency would have the authority, which now rests with Congress, to set one of the two capital-reserve requirements for the companies. It would exercise authority over any new lines of business. And it would determine whether the two are adequately managing the risks of their ballooning portfolios.
The plan is an acknowledgment by the administration that oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — which together have issued more than $1.5 trillion in outstanding debt — is broken. A report by outside investigators in July concluded that Freddie Mac manipulated its accounting to mislead investors, and critics have said Fannie Mae does not adequately hedge against rising interest rates.
Among the groups denouncing the proposal today were the National Association of Home Builders and Congressional Democrats who fear that tighter regulation of the companies could sharply reduce their commitment to financing low-income and affordable housing
The United States Senate, May 25, 2006
Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]: Mr. President, this week Fannie Mae’s regulator reported that the company’s quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were “illusions deliberately and systematically created” by the company’s senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal
September 6th, 2009 at 12:01 amThis whole thing had its’ beginnings in a well-intentioned law during the Carter Administration, The Community Redevelopment Act, which was designed to encourage minority homeownership. President Clinton, influenced by multiculturalism, encouraged it further by dictating where mortgage lenders could lend. Tough new regulations required that lenders increase their lending in high-risk areas where they had no choice but to lower lending standards to make loans that sound business practices had previously rejected. Clinton cronies Franklin Raines and Jamie Gorelick became multimillionaires through their supervision of the quasi-governmental agencies that came to manage the real estate market in America
gummble-bee-itch says:
It’s moronic.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Bingo.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:02 amXisithrus
September 6th, 2009 at 12:04 amBush bailed them out. Bush didn’t buy them. Obama is the one that bought them. There is a big difference.
Xisithrus
September 6th, 2009 at 12:05 amand what companies do the government own now. It isn’t Ford
Bush just handed out money. Obama made them accountable .
September 6th, 2009 at 12:05 amWhoever you are, if you haven’t dropped the Regipizan mantras by now you are hopeless. We’d have better luck convincing a kitchen table.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:07 amHmm… Outhouse prefers government to give money to failing corporations and get nothing in return.
There’s some fiscal responsibility for ya.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:07 amOutlaw, since I don’t qualify for the exemption, the surcharge is added to my tax. If I’m not mistaken, it’s %1.5
Which stil leaves me with a sizable refund.
Mr Ain’t, surely you must realize that the small increase in
your tax bill, will be more than offset by not having to pay a
kings ransom for basic health insurance.
When will you rich Americans finally understand that health
September 6th, 2009 at 12:08 amcare should be a birthright, not a prerogative.
If you still support the RePigs you are pathetic. how does it feel?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:08 amXisithrus
Bush bailed them out. Bush didn’t buy them. Obama is the one that bought them. There is a big difference.
We have been thru this before
Your guy is a commie socialist union lover.
Nothing has changed in my position, Outlaw
September 6th, 2009 at 12:10 amDid the troll-kind run away?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:12 amOutlaw284 says: Xisithrus
and what companies do the government own now. It isn’t Ford
About 100 smaller banks have failed, does the FDCI own them?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:15 ami aint you says:
Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]:…President Clinton, influenced by multiculturalism,…
Ya hear a phrase like this, ya pretty much give up listening to whatever point the speaker was trying to make.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:15 am*FDIC
September 6th, 2009 at 12:15 amA few law classes might do the Republicans some good.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:17 amDid the CRA cause the mortgage market meltdown?
Two Federal Reserve economists examine whether available data support critics’ claims that the Community Reinvestment Act spawned the subprime mortgage crisis.
Neil Bhutta – Economist
Glenn B. Canner – Economist
March 2009
Taken together, the available evidence seems to run counter to the contention that the CRA contributed in any substantive way to the current mortgage crisis.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:21 amMcCain the champion of “mono-culturalism”…old rich white guy culture.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:22 amjb says:
Grassley is owned by insurance companies. He represents their interests, not the interests of the people.
____________
Your comment is slightly inaccurate, jb.
Didn’t you mean to say: “Grassley’s ASS is owned by insurance companies”?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:24 amHow long before somebody wants to blame ACORN for nearly everything?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:24 amOT…
September 6th, 2009 at 12:27 amThe Thugs on Hate Radio and Tevee have done it again. Van Jones has been forced to resign from the Administration.
God, I hate Beck and Hannity and the other members of that Cesspool!
They own not just dried up wrinkly old ass, but his pompous condescending lie to your face brain and most importantly his VOTE.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:28 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Is it not treasonous to refer to the Commander in Chief as a “thing” during a time of war?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:33 amXisithrus
September 6th, 2009 at 12:33 amThe Democrats raised all kinds of hate about Bush wanting oversite into Freddie and Fannie saying that they didn’t need oversite.
Barney Frank is still fighting to federally guarantee the zero-money-down “seller financed” down payment mortgages that got us into this mess.
He didn’t learn the first time.
Who was in charge of Freddie and Fannie. Lets see Franklin Raines was in charge of fannie from 1999-2004 and made over 90 million. Jim Johnson was CEO of fannie from 1991-1998 and made how many millions. Then there is Mudd that mad millions from freddie. And Johnson and Raines were Obama’s finance people. Yup crooks to help crooks. The Democrats are the ones that cause the housing problem and they can’t run from it.
Time of War ?? with what country are we at war with??, show the declaration.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:36 amTo treat this man as anything but a liar, would be disingenuous. He will lie at the drop of a hat and not even blink. He is a greedy, deceitful man. This man’s very soul is corrupt and he makes me sick.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:36 amI suppose the coffins are coming home from a picnic.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:38 amXisithrus
September 6th, 2009 at 12:39 amThe FDIC doesn’t own a single bank. They insure deposits.
That is a far cry from taking control of a car company.
Trying to compare that to what Obama did is a joke. Obama and his Admin now own 51% of GM and they can dictate how cars are built and what they will pay and how much they can charge.
show me what contry we are at war with !!!!!!!!!!!!, we are curently in a conflict with a group of fanatics, but we don’t have a declaration, just like Vietnam was never a real war — just a conflict,
September 6th, 2009 at 12:41 ami aint you says:
September 6th, 2009 at 12:41 am
I dare you to say that to an Iraq War vet’s face.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:43 ami aint you at 12:28 am,
McCain has been an idiot since he was born, so what’s your point again?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:44 amSorry that it pains you so much to be asked to show a bit of RESPECT to our elected President. I suggest you refrain from saying anything.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:44 amZooey
September 6th, 2009 at 12:46 amYou really need to learn about what you are talking about. There is no declaration of war for Afghanistan. There was a declaration of war for Iraq. I know it is hard for you to keep up but at least try
i aint you
September 6th, 2009 at 12:47 amYou mean shooting real bullets at someone isn’t a war. ROTFLMAO
Outlaw284 says:
The Democrats are the ones that cause the housing problem and they can’t run from it.
____________
Clearly you didn’t follow the link at #153.
Funny… the Republicans could lie us into two wars we couldn’t finish, run deficits for 8 straight years, and ram the Patriot Act up the country wazoo in record time, BUT… they couldn’t overcome Democratic resistance to reforming the mortgage industry… so therefore… it’s all Barney Franks’ fault… even though mortgages made thru the RCA have performed as well as the overall subprime market.
_____________
“Two basic points emerge from our analysis of the available data. First, only a small portion of subprime mortgage originations is related to the CRA. Second, CRA-related loans appear to perform comparably to other types of subprime loans.”
_____________
Sheesh… you’re a vile little toad.
Saaaaaaaaay… aren’t you the one who posted that BS “tax comparison” between Clinton and Bush the other night and didn’t even bother to cite his source?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:47 amSome don’t seem to mind spilled blood as long as it isn’t theirs.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:48 amOutlaw284 says:
September 6th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Yeah, just walk up to any Afghanistan War vet and tell that to his face. Maybe you’ll catch him at Arlington, while he’s visiting his dead buddies.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:49 amlast i knew we won iraq and now it is over, so no more war—
we are still in a conflict in afgan.,
i will give no man respect, who give’s me or my fellow country man none, , and that thing you call a president has slammed the Amrican people too many times. I have no use for him or any one of his kind that backs him, (well yes i do have a use– i need traction in the winter)
September 6th, 2009 at 12:52 amTraction goes both way little you aint me thing.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:55 amZooey says:
——————————————————————————–
Outlaw284 says:
September 6th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Yeah, just walk up to any Afghanistan War vet and tell that to his face. Maybe you’ll catch him at Arlington, while he’s visiting his dead buddies
Show me the declaration where we declared war on Afgan. or any country in that area.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:55 amAnd yet, “i aint you” stood idly by while George W. Bush wiped his ass with the Constitution, ignored warning after warning that we were going to be attacked by al Qaeda, let thousands die in the WTC, took us into vanity wars, let New Orleans drown, crashed the economy, and generally flipped the bird to everyone in the US but his base, the “have mores.”
Didn’t have a single thing to say about any of it.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Yeah, right.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:58 amHmmm…
How long until outhouse and i ain’t you square off?
September 6th, 2009 at 12:59 ami aint you says:
Show me the declaration where we declared war on Afgan. or any country in that area.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:55 am
It doesn’t matter, you clueless f ucktard.
Every soldier who died or was maimed for life is just as dead or maimed as they would be in a “real” war.
What your f ucking point anyway?
Grow up.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:01 amI’m glad “I aint you” ain’t me, otherwise I couldn’t bare the shame of being a treasonous coward and would mostlikely kill myself. Try a long silent prayer, a bottle of rot gut gin, some therapy or a shotgun.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:03 am“In his remarks, Grassley told the wealthy Republican activists that he was committed to fighting Obama’s health care plan.”
Of course he’s fighting Obama’s plan, as evidenced by the previous statement,”Grassley is currently locked in negotiations with a small group of Senate Finance Committee members, reportedly working on a possible bipartisan health care proposal.” His opposition to the President’s preferred plan is a given.
______
Xisithrus says:
Being stuck with a public option would be cheaper than being stuck with a subsidised private option going to their ‘approved’ testing/rehap centers.
We’ll get hosed with the public option, but at least everyone will have healthcare and people won’t be going bankrupt because of medical bills.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
September 6th, 2009 at 1:04 amyes, it does matter you said——- Is it not treasonous to refer to the Commander in Chief as a “thing” during a time of war?ect——– i’ll show bBerry the same repect you show Bush
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 amI’d call the Stentor a lying cheating weasel, but he’s just a snake-in-the-grassley.
I hope the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee is working to find a credible candidate to put up against the snake. And Enzi too.
If the SDCC isn’t, the DNC should be. They both should be. This isn’t the first time Grassley has pulled this negotiate-in-bad-faith stunt, and Max Baucus knows it.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:07 amIf “I aint You” had a car how many magnets with insipid slogans do you suppose he would sport? I doubt he would even make for decent traction…shit is slippery.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:11 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
ahhhh come B.j you can do batter than that i know you can, i got faith in you, come on bj, come on boy
September 6th, 2009 at 1:16 amTora Bora.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:17 ami aint you
September 6th, 2009 at 1:19 amLook you inbreed backwoods stump broke hillbilly. I should shoot your sorry excuse for a truckdriving ass and give the whole world a break
corporations don’t VOTE so why can they make political movies?
September 6th, 2009 at 1:21 ammy question outlaw is how do you what it is to be stump broke
September 6th, 2009 at 1:21 amThe Republic of Stupidity says:
Hmmm…
How long until outhouse and i ain’t you square off?
September
Looks like you called it.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:21 amApe-Man
September 6th, 2009 at 1:22 amHow about because they can spend their money how ever they want.
Corporations buy politicians all the time.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:24 ami aint you
September 6th, 2009 at 1:24 amWell by making that comment you show that you know what stump broke is. I am sorry
Outlaw it takes a stump broke to know a stump broke HUH? but you if your gunna shoot my ars the you better be good i go deep in the bush
September 6th, 2009 at 1:27 ami aint you
September 6th, 2009 at 1:29 amWell since I am the one doing the breaking. As to you going deep in the bush i don’t need to hear about your sex life.
Outlaw — ok stumpy
September 6th, 2009 at 1:31 amgot this from Bill Moyers on corporate politics. Go to pbs and watch – it’s great!
September 6th, 2009 at 1:33 am“America is a representative democracy representing the electors which are not corporations, which are not individuals and don’t vote.”
Outlaw284 says: 193
because it’s the law right now?
September 6th, 2009 at 1:35 amOutlaw284 says: 193
There is a law limiting corporate influence over politics at this time. this means they cannot spend their money that way.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:36 amI gotta say, this Republican complaint is getting old. “Wah, wah, why should I ever have to pay for everybody else? I got mine!”
Here are the reasons:
1) Nearly all of the people making this claim aren’t rich enough to be paying for anybody else more than others would be paying them. We all know you don’t make any more money than most of the people advocating social welfare programs.
2) There are many spheres in which cooperative human activity is more effective than individual activity. Pretty much any job which is too big for one person to do works better if we do it together.
3) The fact that you don’t want to participate in America life pretty much tells us how patriotic you get to claim to be. If you want to live without having to take responsibility for anybody else, then move to Antarctica. But the rest of us are trying to have a country together here.
4) You realize you’re basically arguing for moral evil? Nobody help each other, every man for himself. We’re not going to get very far doing that.
Seriously, just knock it off. Acting like you’re some well-to-do entrepeneur and everybody else is lazy welfare queens is played out. Nobody believes it any more.
September 6th, 2009 at 5:30 amHi Outlaw284
September 6th, 2009 at 8:46 amAre you as much an outlaw as kwsventures is a small business owner?
Grassley has become a disgrace.
September 6th, 2009 at 9:27 amOutlaw at @ 58:
So tell me when it says that insurance companies CAN NOT write new policys does that mean they can or they can’t. Because that is what it says in the bill and I will show you the page and the lines that say it if you want missing punctuation
Even with your Pre-Primer grammar I think I have an idea of what you are trying to say, so let’s say your statement is cogent you’ve obviously piqued my curiosity so please cite the page and line for me as I have the PDF file and although I admit I have not committed it to memory as you obviously done, I will diligently read it and attempt to decipher your logic. I have to be honest, I do have a life so I won’t be waiting for your post with baited breath, nor will I expect an intellectual challenge from you. Just more mantras and name-calling.
By the way. If you were to lose your health care and had a physically debilitating (this means you couldn’t work) accident, where would you get your help? How would you feed your family? How would you have responsibility and work for what you want when you can’t work in the first place.
Speaking of being a self-made man, tell me how you go through the entire day not needing anyone else? Do you build your own roads? Do you answer your own medical questions? Do you grow your own food, process it, and then inspect it yourself? I’d say you are just an angry average “Joe” who doesn’t know where to take out his anger. Unfortunately you turned your radio to the AM band and found “the true word”.
Try doing your own thinking. It hurts at first, but soon you’ll be speaking your own words and hopefully your own thoughts soon.
I’ll be waiting for the page and line numbers. You see unlike you I have an open mind and I am my Brother’s Keeper.
September 6th, 2009 at 9:59 ami aint you says:
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
the piont you don’t under stand is that people don’t want it to be manditory— and it will be, the american public see’s this, and you don’t, try looking up HR3200, it is long but read it i figure it will keep u busy and out of our hair for at least 5-6 hours, and the rest of us can get down to the business at hand
In other words little racist America hater, it’s a choice. You don’t have to take the public option if you don’t want to and if you do, you have the choice of either keeping your existing for profit HIP or dropping it. The same applies with employers. What part of OPTION don’t you understand little brainless one?
September 6th, 2009 at 10:01 amGrassley won’t call Think Progress back. He’s afraid of them.
He’s definitely not afraid of Obama, though, who he continues to embarrass daily. Grassley is clearly enjoying himself humilating Obama day in and day out. I can’t believe Obama let this guy write his health care bill. I wonder if Obama will lick Grassley’s boots on Wednesday night. Obama seems to enjoy it.
Obama is a grade A moran.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:58 pm…just in case you would like to tell Sen. Shifty what you think about his standing AGAINST Americans getting health care, GO HERE:
http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm
September 6th, 2009 at 2:16 pmInsurance has paid 50,000 workers to lie about health care (which is by the way illegal bad faith and opens them up to lawsuits from anyone harmed by their lies).
I wonder if the insurance racket tossed a few bucks Chuck’s way?
I wonder if health insurance is protecting their 20% skim job off our $2,400,000,000,000 health expenses???? Hmmmm would they do THAT?
September 6th, 2009 at 6:28 pm207. JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin says: … Obama is a grade A moran. September 6th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Have you considered taking up spelling as a hobby, instead of knitting dickwarmers for trolls?
September 6th, 2009 at 6:55 pmKeep your friends close, but your enemies closer! President Obama knows all about these meetings.
September 6th, 2009 at 8:30 pmAs an Iowan, I would like to apologize to the rest of of the country for Grassley. He will soon be voted out of office.
September 6th, 2009 at 11:08 pmMaybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part but I would hope that the President would address the hypocrisy of the Gang of 6 and how they pretended to be open-minded and deliberate while promoting their own agenda out of meeting. I hope he has checked “bipartisan discourse” off his To-Do list and goes ahead Wednesday — making it clear that Health Care Reform will pass with a public option, trigger or no trigger. And then, with America’s permission, give the whole body of Republicans in the House and Senate the middle finger and a big FU.
September 7th, 2009 at 5:57 pmUrrrgh, can’t these “weasels” understand that we need affordable health care and we need it now! (though I doubt it, seeing as they all have their own “socialized” insurance and can’t seem to relate to what their constituents are going through).I just listend to Rush today on the radio for laughs and he was ranting and raving about how this was going to cause the federal government to take over our healthcare system and that people will be “forced” to take the public option because they will eaither become unemployed or their employers would drop them from the company health plan; and that Obama supoosedly caused this recession just to gain control of more areas in the economy through his stimulus bill, and supposedly only %6 of the stimulus package has been used so far. because he’s saving the rest of it for 2010, blah, blah, blah; Is it just me or do most of the people calling in to his show and share his paranoia live in “Red” states ?
September 9th, 2009 at 6:46 pmThank you for your sharing.!
September 11th, 2009 at 2:32 pm