Was he always this much of an asshole?

i've generally lived with obama's centrism even though it's not my cup of tea, but the obsession with getting gop support for health-care reform is pointless and stupid.

This is the same Grassley who, when asked by a constituent ...

He's also the one who said AIG execs should do the honorable thing and quit or commit suicide. This is not a guy who feels compassion for people.

But it would be a terrible, awful, naughty mistake for Obama and the Dems to push through legislation with their supermajority without getting Republicans on board.

This would also be the same Grassley who said GREED is a natural law, like gravity .......... could someone just find a giant tube of PREPARATION H and 'liberally ' put this on this CORPORATE HEMMOROID ? problem solved

This from a "smaller Government is better" party leader? We should all go out and get government jobs if we want good health insurance? What would that cost us in additional salaries and benefits? What jobs would have to be created to accomodate the 47 million who are now without "healthcare" coverage? This sounds more like a dismissive response than a caring, constructive suggestion.

At some point thinking people will recognize the ironic and cynical attitudes of so-called conservatives. Unfortunately, "thinking people" does not seem to apply to the MSM, so this recognition will be slow in coming; it will come in due time.

I am committed to Oneness through Justice and Transformation
peace,
st john

You have to admit, his candor is refreshing. He's not out there pretending not to be an obstructionist, he just clearly likes, and admits, to being a dick. Now if he could just be just as honest as to why he doesn't want government plan we could move this discussion past lobbying dollars.

I wish someone would explain how a Senator from Iowa becomes the main Health Care reform advocate. Aren't there a lot of farmers, presumably, un-insured farmers or paying through the nose for insurance farmers, in the state he represents ?

Want my insurance, get a federal job.
Want my paycheck, become a Senator.
Want my life, sell your soul to the insurance/health care lobbies...

The poor Democrats, they really REALLY need Republican support - it's tough to get anything done with a mere 60-40 minority.

This is the part of high Broderism (aside form the fact that the man is still in print): While it is essentially stated GOP policy to refuse to cooperate with any Dem proposals, it is the Dems themselves who need to be more bipartisan.

If we had an honest MSM, the GOP would not be able to filibuster everything that moves in the Senate, and then hold press conferences touting the Dems' ability to pass anything they want. If the GOP wants the Dems to own a bill, they should let it come up for a vote.

This from a "smaller Government is better" party leader? We should all go out and get government jobs if we want good health insurance? -- St John, @12:16

What's really amusing is not just that his solution would make the government bigger, in direct opposition to his stated goals. It's that, when you have a situation where everyone's got a government job, with the attendant health care (and other "perks")... you have the dreaded, *communist* or, at the very least, socialist, system. In that system, "even a twig of parsley is nationalised, from field to pot", as my mother used to say.

Is communism what Grassley's now prescribing for US? Communism USA -- just what Doctor Grassley ordered...

This is the same Grassley who, when asked by a constituent how he can get the same kind of health care options members of Congress have, said, "You can. Just go work for the federal government."

Since jobs are at a premium these days (even government jobs), I'd be more than happy to move to Iowa and help said constituent get Grassley's job. Clearly, Grassley isn't interested in doing his anyway. Perhaps Grassley should pull a Palin.

Grassley's Iowa has the highest percentage of insured citizens of any state. So, they aren't especially interested in paying more taxes to help out other people. So much for neighborliness.

However, they are interested in cutting the cost of healthcare and the legislation Dems are producing will do just that.

Grassley stands squarely against the public option despite the fact that by insuring more people there will be a larger pool of reserves and presumably lower costs per individual. So, he stands against the interests of his electorate.

But, I suppose he won't admit to that. He'll just call it socialist or something and go on.

I wonder how many Republicans will vote against the legislation and still claim credit for it later. They did that on the stimulus bill, so why not this time.

Dems are taking all the flack. I wonder if they'll get all the credit for what they're producing.