We demand an apology!

Amen! Finally a Dem with some cojones!

Finally a fire-breather on our side of the aisle. His performance on CNN further shows that he's not just good at planning a message in advance and delivering it, he thinks well on his feet, won't back down an inch and will call a Neanderthal a Neanderthal.

Thanks for highlighting. I made a contribution at ActBlue.com....

I keep reading (here and elsewhere) that he went on CNN and called the Republicans "foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals." But I recall that he said this on the Rachel Maddow show (MSNBC).

Did he go on both outlets and say the same thing?

Maddow liked his positions but was not thrilled with his choice of words -- giving Grayson multiple opportunities to walk back using the word "holocaust". When he finally backed down (a little) he then doubled up by using the Neanderthal line.

Republican leadership won't follow up on their indignancy because to do so they'd have to take the lid off the box of obstruction. Grayson's rhetoric forces the Republicans to explain why they have no health care reform ideas, let alone why they do not support reform in the first place. Note to Republican leadership: 122 Americans lose their lives every day in the current dysfunctional health care system. Do you or do you not think this is a tragedy worthy of our attention? If so, why aren't you working to help provide solutions! If not, get out of our way so we can do something positive for the American people! -Kevo

The republicans seem more uset that one of our guys said they want people to die quickly, than they are about the fact that we want to kill grandma and retards. Some priorities they got.
Oh, and their death panels are worse than our death panels. Take that you republicans.

What Grayson said wasn't actually over the top at all. It's, you know, true. Unlike all that crap the Repubs fling around with such abandon, what Grayson said is easily proven:

a) Repubs support the status quo (& defend those poor insurance providers who will cut a cancer patient off at the knees over a hang-nail)

b) there are tens of thousands of deaths each year caused by the status quo

c) therefore defending the status quo is defending tens of thousands of deaths resulting from the United States lagging far behind the rest of the world wrt providing for the general welfare of its people.

He then went on CNN and called Republicans opposing health care reform "foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals."

I expect an angry rebuke from the Geico cavemen at any minute.

-Z

I'm sending Grayson $100. Maybe he can use it to help pay for a spine for some of his fellow Dems.

The GOP finally realized that they were pushing things too far, and that they'd be opening some sort of giant vortex of hypocrisy that would suck their whole party into another dimension.

Or we just finally figured out where their self-awareness actually kicks in.

Maybe they won't pursue the matter, but I certainly hope Grayson does!

"Do you know how to get Capone? He sends one of your guys to the doctor, you send his guy to the hospital. He sends your guy to the hospital, you send his guy to the morgue. That's how you get Capone."

It's the Chicago way.

Zhak is correct. Grayson even had the numbers to prove his point. Didn't Political Animal run an item in the last two weeks about a student in Ohio who died of H1N1 because she lacked health insurance and so didn't go to the ER? Unfortunately, examples like these should be easy to find. That's why we need more Alan Graysons among the Dems calling out the Republicants for their hypocrisy. I wonder what Ted Kennedy would say now.

I'm not sending Grayson money, because he's pretending that Republicans are blocking health care reform.

Democrats (specifically, "moderate Democrats") are blocking health care reform.

Anthropologic research is now suggesting that Neanderthals were, in fact, wiped out by lack of comprehensive health insurance. They all got sick from a genetic illness and after the Cro-Magnon insurers rescinded their coverage for this pre-existing condition (which had been encoded in their DNA for several millennia), they all went backrupt and lost their caves in foreclosure. Then the dinosaurs ate them. Yeah, it's true. Look it up.

Oh, and the dinosaurs also lacked proper healthcare, though that's just because they were dumb.

I am from the land of Truman. I love a fighting Democrat. Too bad there aren't more of them.

I'm sending $$ to this guy with a thank you note.

Any other congresscritters are welcome to earn the same reward.

The funniest thing was watching the Villagers on CNN react to Grayson. Wolf and his team of pundits were all flummoxed because they didn’t know what to make of Grayson. Grayson wasn’t acting according to the Democratic script and he got them very confused. He didn’t fall for their verbal traps and none of their standard questions worked on him. It was so embarrassing for them, but enormously delightful to me.

When are Democratic politicians going to realize that the reason they might lose the house next election is that they aren't standing up for what their constituents want.

Any Democratic Senator who doesn't vote for cloture on any f**king issue as important as health care should be drummed out of the party. I am looking at you Lincoln, Conrad and Baucus. I don't give a flying fig if you think you are owned by some insurance company. You get in the way of health care reform and you deserve to face a real Republican all by yourselves next time. I bet there aren't enough Blue Cross Blue Shield employees in your home state to elect you. I bet you won't get the support of any Democrats to speak of.

To answer Joesbrain, yes, he did use the phrase on both shows. And I'm thrilled to finally hear a Democrat stand up to the feces throwing Republicans and their enabling partners, the corporate owned media. Wolf Blitzer was shocked that a Democrat would be so crude.

This made front page news here in west central Florida, the attending article revealed that Rep. Grayson is Jewish. Although I am not, I can't think of a more apt term for the result for those almost 45,000 people (per year)whose death can be attributed to lack of health coverage than holocaust. Sorry, Rachel, not the right call.

Could anyone say Senator Grayson (D-FL) ?

Both Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann said last night that Grayson's use of the word "holocaust" was inappropriate. Why? If you look at a dictionary definition of holocaust, you will most likely see a reference to the Big H Holocaust after the definition; but I never saw the new rule that forbids any other use of little h holocaust. If anything, the usage by Grayson is imprecise, as the death of 45 thousand every year doesn't involve fire. But I don't believe it's anything over the top.

Discussion?

Another point to make, has anyone noticed how the republicans keep saying they have a good plan and whine about how the dems don't want to see it?
Have they forgotten Grassley's statements at the town halls that his job was to stall the reform, also McConnell's statement that if they got everything they asked for they still would not support reform, so they have no room to complain.
When the reform goes through they will whine that Obama pushed it through with no consultation with them, just like they did on the stimulus & they are doing their best to say that the stimulus did not work.

BuzzMon said:
Could anyone say Senator Grayson (D-FL) ?

After hearing Grayson say that it was time to worry about saving the lives of people after they are born, I was thinking that if Obama tanks on a public option --

Grayson
2012!

Matt Stoller 1, GOP 0.

Well I hate the man more than even Republicans but good show. We'll see about the re-elect though.

The reason you're not getting any Republican votes on your little healthcare bill is that you're all so discourteous.

Try acting like ladies and gentlemen and see what happens.

Myles, you know what happens. The GOPers take away your lolipop and knock you over into the mud puddle.

Never forget, as much as I love them Keith and Rachel work for GE. I bet they seized on the word holocaust to find a way to change the subject. The Democratic base is way bigger than the Republican base. If the Democratic base ever gets it's back up, the suits running the MSM are in serious trouble. Hell, their politicians might have to do something for regular people.

Want to know why Charlie Cook is predicting a Republican win next election. There aren't enough suits working for the front offices of all the Fortune 500 companies combined to win the race for dog catcher in Chicago. Right now the Democratic base has no reason to show up to the polls next year. If Democratic politicians don't figure that out quick the rest of the Obama administration will effectively be over in 13 months.

Like the N- Word, the H- Word is not to be used in polite society. And Everybody Knows that the Media and the Republicans are charter members of polite society, observers of correct speech,and have unquestionable middle american values.

Anyone that dares to step across this line, can, to Quote Dick Cheyney, "Go F- themselves". . .

First Republicans are the enemies of mankind.
Second the term "the Holocaust' is a description of what took place during WWII.
The word holocaust is a description of a horrendous situation, such as what is taking place in the USA, in reference to the health care situation.
These fucking twits are diving headlong into idiocracy.
Grayson couldn't be more right but to call a spade a spade.

I DEFINITELY think the use of the word "holocaust" was wrong. Because the only reason he used it was because it has such strong connotations with Nazis. And I think it's wrong to water-down what the Nazis did by linking them to every group we don't like; even if we're accusing that group of allowing people to die.

I have no problem with calling fascists "fascists," but once we get into specific Nazi comparisons, we better be comparing them to a group that was comparable with Nazis. So until Republicans start setting up "health clinics" which consist of gas chambers and send people to them in the millions, I think the Nazi references need to go away. Godwin's Law, and all that.

I should add that I completely approve of everything else he said and can't believe this sort of thing isn't happening more often. I don't want to hear Obama speaking this way, but Congressmen are supposed to be more rambunctious.

My reaction to Grayson's comments was the same as that of most liberals: At last someone tells it like it is! Judging from a myriad comment threads, liberals have been dying for someone to take the fight to the Republicans. And, it's absolutely fascinating to see the Republican reaction: First, inevitably, they had to pitch a fit, but as kevo noted above, they had to back down since Grayson managed to shift the debate where it should have been all along: the current health care insurance system allows people who can't afford health insurance to die, and anyone who's against reforming it, such as the Republicans, is guilty of negligent manslaughter at the very least.

However, here's a depressing development: many prominent liberal pundits, some of whom I actually like, seem to think it's more important to come across as "reasonable" rather than accept Grayson's argument as valid. First out of the gate was Josh Marshal, rushing to tell us that Grayson's comments were "really over the top" and pearls firmly clutched, would not besmirch himself by actually defending them. Then Arianna and Olbermann chastise him, while at least agreeing with his overall thrust, for using the word "holocaust" as if every use of a perfectly useful word must mean The Holocaust. Maddow was equally upset with "holocaust" to waste three questions during her interview trying to make sure Grayson could not have meant The Holocaust. What's wrong with these people? For once, under this particular political climate, where obviously insane people have taken over the Republican party, I would have liked to see prominent liberals defend Grayson on the substance of what he said without any caveats about using that word or the other. I know Democratic politicians are a spineless, but what's with our pundits? Are they so desperate to be invited to Broder's cocktail parties?

____________________________________________

Holy holocaust Batman

Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance.
One person dies every 12 seconds.

Not holo-caustic enough for you?

"what's with our pundits? Are they so desperate to be invited to Broder's cocktail parties?"

Nope, Keith and Rachel work for GE. I have no idea what Huffington was thinking, but she is pretty much the definition of a cocktail circuit liberal but she usually throws them.

It isn't "progressives" who use "bloodless technocratic terms" it is the DLC-tuck-tail-don't-rock-the-establishment establishment. These folks fight their pro-reform base, call for calm, and deliver the same old goods to the same old corporate sponsors. They want a kinder, less insane conservative establishment that keeps the lobby money flowing into the Democratic Establishment. The Republicans know they can run the whole show just by being bullies. It has worked like a charm since the '90's. As usual they are trying to discipline the likes of Grayson and will soon work on character assassination. Let us see what the Dem leadership does.

FDR described the cruelty of Republicans in withering terms that would shock the current Establishment in Washington. The Obama administration has made a deal with the health care industry. They are not going after the Republicans in a Grayson way because they are not fighting for fundamental change, nor do they regard the current system as immoral. They want to score legislation they can sell as change but that is really (because change is politically unaffordable) placation, and even expansion, of the money-making monopoly that is health care in the United States.

"Right now the Democratic base has no reason to show up to the polls next year. If Democratic politicians don't figure that out quick the rest of the Obama administration will effectively be over in 13 months. "

Absolutely right. Miserable and PATHETIC bunch of Democratic Senators we have. Gutless pawns.

You know what Conrad said to Ezra Klein? We can't do "public option" because it's not in our culture!! Not in our CULTURE !!!

Why don't these Corporate slaves we call senators just curl up on the floor in a fetal position so Mommas - Grassley Ensign and Hatch can suckle them?

Conrad, Baucus, Nelson, get out of this party.

Lincoln, leave NOW.

Joesbrain: "I keep reading (here and elsewhere) that he went on CNN and called the Republicans 'foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals.' But I recall that he said this on the Rachel Maddow show (MSNBC). Did he go on both outlets and say the same thing?"

Yes, he did, and he refuses to back down. Here's the CNN clip, complete with the obligatory double standards from Wolf Blitzer and Gloria Borger.

Mike K: "The reason you're not getting any Republican votes on your little healthcare bill is that you're all so discourteous. Try acting like ladies and gentlemen and see what happens."

Well, it's been along time since anyone accused me of being a gentleman, and since we don't need your support, go fuck yourself.

"I DEFINITELY think the use of the word "holocaust" was wrong. Because the only reason he used it was because it has such strong connotations with Nazis."

This is an idiotic distraction, and the more we get sidetracked over the proper use of a simple, straightforward word, it becomes more likely that people will keep dying because we will not reform the health insurance system, thereby contributing to a holocaust of our own making.

(Editor's note: The use of the term "a holocaust" above should in no way be construed to refer to The Holocaust).
____________________________________________

"Nope, Keith and Rachel work for GE. "

What's wrong with Josh Marshal? I thought he was independent. Maybe he's afraid he won't be quoted by the MSM any longer.
____________________________________________

I wonder if our "leaders" understand just how angry their base is becoming. You know we here at PA are not a bunch of flame throwers. Most of us prefer the reasoned approach to just about everything, but Grayson has struck a nerve with us. I wonder what the folks over at the Daily Kos are saying?

Tip of the day for you, Steve: Former OR GOP Senator Gordon Smith wrote a book that was part memoir of himself, part biography of his son, part confession a few years ago ("Remembering Garrett"). As you may recall, his son suffered from depression, and committed suicide in 2003. Smith wrote the book partially in order to come to terms with his death. In the book, Smith quite candidly talks about how foolish the GOP is on health care, how his party places way too much emphasis on a false view of "personal responsibility" and ignores how the government could play a more constructive role. It may be worth your while to pick up the book and read it--it is a quick read, and may give you still more fodder for your column.

Not that you need much more fodder--you have been spectacular on this issue (not to mention a number of others)! Thank you for your work.
Sam Wilen

Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance.
One person dies every 12 seconds.

Not holo-caustic enough for you?

Uh, no. The Nazis intentionally killed up to 17 million people (depending on who's counting) in just a handful of years. And that's the reason why the word "Holocaust" is so powerful, because it was that level of hatred that did this. 45,000 dying from neglect/corruption isn't even close.

BTW, that's a person dying every twelve minutes, not seconds. I thought that seemed a bit high, and sure enough, the article you linked to says minutes. Not that this isn't a startling number on its own.

Doctor Biobrain, you have bought the frame. I hope none of your relatives buy the farm as a result.

Well, I studied anthropology. I learned that Neanderthal did care for their sick and crippled, shown by bone evidence. We shouldn't demean them as comparison insults about conservatives ("even a cave man could ..." :-)

BTW, Bork was an odd "conservative" who thought it was OK for States to do about whatever they want (he was against the Griswold decision to keep Conn. from banning birth control.) That is an odd fluke in the right-wing perspective: defend "freedom", but think State governments have great powers and to ridicule rights as "not in the COTUS" (nevermind A-9.)

This is an idiotic distraction, and the more we get sidetracked over the proper use of a simple, straightforward word...

I agree. That's why Grayson shouldn't have used it. And no, holocaust is NOT a simple, straightforward word. It was the systematic destruction of millions of lives due to a crazy leader who instilled pure hatred and prejudice in his people. That should never be watered-down, even if we don't like what our opponents are doing.

Grayson wasn't trying to compare Republicans to Nazis, he was just trying to get attention. And while I admire his intent as this is something that needs attention, I think he made a mistake with this one. And now his opponents will latch onto that one word and use it to smear us all as jerks. As much as this is a distraction, it's one that Grayson created. After all, we don't approve when Republicans use this sort of rhetoric either. Now is not the time for hypocrisy.

I saw the point made in another post. Using "holocaust" to describe anything but the atrocities committed WWII Europe is taboo. If you remind people that "ground zero" is Hiroshima, not New York, love it or leave it.

I sent Grayson some cash, too. And as long as Pro-Forced-Pregnancy right wingers can call abortion a "holocaust," Rep. Grayson gets a pass for using the term to describe a situation that really, actually kills real, actual people (with, you know, working brains and bodies, thoughts and memories, lives and friends) as opposed to abstract potentialities that depend on a real person's body to develop, and have no moral claim on that person unless she so wishes.

You DON'T lie, Congressman Grayson, you DON'T lie!
I hope I get to vote Grayson someday.

Don't say 'nuclear holocaust' unless you mean it.

Doctor Biobrain, you have bought the frame. I hope none of your relatives buy the farm as a result.

Why's that, Ron? Is it because I completely approved of what Grayson said, but think his use of one offensive word was a mistake? Sorry for being consistent. I don't approve when Republicans make Nazi comparisons to us and don't approve when we do it either. But perhaps we must become what we despise if we hope to defeat it.

I hope Geico doesn't sell health care insurance.

As long as Republicans can keep the focus on "die quickly" they keep the focus off of the real message Grayson gave: Republican health care = Don't Get Sick.

Doctor, your posts have been focused entirely on the use of the word holocaust. If that doesn't help the corporate media's campaign to nip Grayson's truth telling in the bud without offending progressives I don't know what does.

Doctor, your posts have been focused entirely on the use of the word holocaust.

That's entirely correct, with the exception of my satrical comment suggesting that Neanderthals were made extinct by Cro-Magnon recission policies, as well as my comment that I completely approved of what Grayon said and wished more Congressmen did the same; with the exception of that one word. But besides those two comments, yes, I was adding my two cents in response to other people who suggested that making Nazi comparisons in this debate is perfectly acceptable.

And for that, it's suggested that my comments are going to bring about another holocaust, while you imply that my family might die because of what I wrote. Hyperbole much?

For as much as I consider myself a very important man, I suspect you're overstating my influence over the corporate media. Now, if I had written this stuff on my blog, I could understand why you'd think the media might be influenced by it; but I seriously doubt we'll be hearing anything from my comments on Hardball this evening.

https://www.graysonforcongress.com/contribute.asp
We need to send him a "Ron Paul" like bombing!
I added my $15. Come on CarpetBagger Alum!

Grayson is speaking the damn truth, and that's never something Democrats should do.

Sadly, "holocaust" is reserved for the jews, in the popular mind, despite it's origins long before The Holocaust, and despite the natural linguistic tendency to take a specific term and make it a general one.

So Grayson should not have used the word "holocaust." Instead, he should have referred to "The Republican's Final Solution to the Health Care Crisis."

Using "holocaust" to describe anything but the atrocities committed WWII Europe is taboo.

Look the word up in a dictionary:

Main Entry: holocaust !hO-lu-+kost
Pronunciation: \ ˈh�-lə-ˌkȯst, ˈhä- also -ˌkäst or ˈhȯ-lə-kȯst \
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin holocaustum, from Greek holokauston, from neuter of holokaustos burnt whole, from hol- + kaustos burnt, from kaiein to burn - More at - caustic
Date: 13th century
Results

1. a sacrifice consumed by fire

2. a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life especially through fire - a nuclear holocaust

3 a. often capitalized-the mass slaughter of European civilians and especially Jews by the Nazis during World War II - usually used with theb. b. a mass slaughter of people especially genocide

It's a perfectly good word, and its meaning isn't confined to the Shoah

"Sadly, "holocaust" is reserved for the jews, in the popular mind..."

Yes, how unfortunate that those Jews went and stole that great word for their own purposes, because I'm sure Grayson really was referring to Republicans wanting to burn sacrifices in fire when he used it.

Oh, wait. No he didn't. He meant it in the Nazi sense. He was specifically evoking the Jewish usage of the term, in order to put Republicans in the same light as Hitler...just like Republicans do when they compare Obama with Hitler, and we denounce them for it.

And just so it's clear, even Wikipedia suggests that the Holocaust can refer to all the people the Nazis exterminated, and not just the Jews. And that's generally how I see it too. And as I've said before, I fail to see how Republican policies are comparable to the Holocaust, and can't believe anyone's actually suggesting that Grayson used the term in the non-Nazi sense. As I said before, we need more Congressmen like Grayson, but fewer references to the Holocaust.

Quien es mas monotono? Ronaldo Byers o Doctor Bio?

Sadly, "holocaust" is reserved for the jews, in the popular mind, despite it's origins long before The Holocaust, and despite the natural linguistic tendency to take a specific term and make it a general one.

Actually, there's another other group that frequently uses the word "holocaust" -- pro-lifers. They're constantly comparing abortion providers to the Nazis, talking about how abortion is genocide, the whole bit. You can find many Congresscritters using "holocaust" to refer to abortion. In fact, I think Michele Bachmann did it just a day or two ago on the floor of Congress.

That's why Grayson used the word -- to point out that "pro-life" people are more interested in embryos than they are in real, live people. He's taking a common pro-life comparison and turning it around on them.

Thank you, Mnemosyne, I was hoping someone would pick up on my suggestion several posts back. But please, stop calling them "Pro-Lifers" -- they are not remotely interested in real people living real lives. Rather, I suggest you call them "Pro-Forced-Pregnancy," which more accurately reflects their goals.

Oh, wait. No he didn't. He meant it in the Nazi sense.

Actually, he didn't. He meant it in the pro-lifer sense. Though since they're using it to claim that legal abortion is worse than the Holocaust, you could argue that Grayson is referring to the Holocaust by proxy.

He's basically saying, "Why are you people going around worrying about the deaths of embryos and calling it a 'holocaust' when 45,000 born people die every year from a lack of healthcare?"

AuroraD, I usually prefer to call them forced birthers myself, but I wanted to make sure it was clear which group we were talking about so I used their more common name.

He's basically saying, "Why are you people going around worrying about the deaths of embryos and calling it a 'holocaust' when 45,000 born people die every year from a lack of healthcare?"

Where'd you get THAT from? Here's his quote:
“I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven't voted sooner to end this holocaust in America.”

I see absolutely nothing here that suggests he in any way was referring to pro-lifers or meant this as satire against them. He specifically was referring to lack of healthcare as a holocaust. And if it's wrong when the pro-lifers do it, I fail to see how it's ok when we do it. And again, I think that's too bad, as I totally support everything else he said and this is now a big distraction.

I think using the term holocaust is an unhelpful distraction.

And I'm sending Grayson money for showing a spine, and being 98% right.

(Which, I think, puts me pretty much in Dr Biobrain's camp on this)

I think using the term holocaust is an unhelpful distraction.

And I'm sending Grayson money for showing a spine, and being 98% right.

(Which, I think, puts me pretty much in Dr Biobrain's camp on this)

I see absolutely nothing here that suggests he in any way was referring to pro-lifers or meant this as satire against them.

Except for, you know, the past 20 years of pro-lifers screaming about the "holocaust" of abortion. But I think Grayson is getting a two-fer since he's both playing off the pro-lifer's notion of a "holocaust" and off the idea that Obama is just like Hitler that the right wing has been pushing all summer.

He specifically was referring to lack of healthcare as a holocaust. And if it's wrong when the pro-lifers do it, I fail to see how it's ok when we do it.

So when right-wingers scream about Obama being just like Hitler, we're not allowed to say, "You know what the real holocaust going on right now is? It's the 45,000 people who die every year because they don't have health insurance." Which is pretty much what Grayson did.

Again, Grayson didn't accidentally or casually choose the word. He's pointing out how casually right-wingers have been throwing it around in reference to universal healthcare. Are we not allowed to point that out?

I think Grayson was pitch-perfect, and I say this as someone whose two aunts and grandmother perished in the gas ovens of Auschwitz.

Dr Biobrain: I'm pretty sure that Aurora and Mnemosyne are right; the reference was to the usage by the anti-choicers, not a subliminal comparison of healthcare-deniers to Nazis. You must have missed his little "needle" about caring about people *once (or was it "after"?) they're born* but, to me, that was as clear a tip-off as any.

Anyway, he's getting a little green "thank you" note from me, too :)

Finally, a Democrat with some balls.

You must have missed his little "needle" about caring about people *once (or was it "after"?) they're born* but, to me, that was as clear a tip-off as any.

Basically, he picked up their dog whistle and blew it right in their ear.

Maybe I can scrounge up a few bucks to send him ...

"Basically, he picked up their dog whistle and blew it right in their ear."

Dog whistle. The Holocaust. Are you even listening to yourself? The Holocaust should be a "dog whistle" to everyone, as a way to remind them of the horrors humanity can intentionally inflict upon one another. It shouldn't be used as a cheapie Nazi reference to describe our opponents or even as the sly joke on pro-lifers you suggest it is. Honestly, I can't imagine how you think that's any better.

Perhaps it's time we all rewatch Schlinder's List, just to get a hint at the magnitude of what we're talking about. The seventeen million dead weren't the only victims. Seriously, if we don't want them making Nazi slurs on us, we aren't allowed to do it to them.

Doc Biobrain,

Give it a rest, will you? We get how you feel about the H-word.

Doc Biobrain, Give it a rest, will you? We get how you feel about the H-word.

Yes sir! I didn't realize I had over-extended my right to defend my position. From now on, I'll always let everyone else get the last word, while I STFU. After all, it's not every day we get to act like Republicans, so perhaps I shouldn't piss in everyone else's Cheerios by pointing this out.

Generally, whenever the conservatives have appropriated the Holocaust for their rhetorical purposes, such as pro-life arguments or whatever, the liberal response has, rightly, been that doing so is both crass opportunism and grossly disrespectful to the victims of what is the largest organized and institutionalized mass murder in history of which essentially nothing else is comparable.

But when a liberal makes the same comparison in a politically felicitous manner? It's perfectly appropriate and hurray!

It's unpleasant enough having to be appalled at the brazen hypocrisy of conservatives who are decrying Grayson's intemperate rhetoric. It just makes it worse when certain liberals bend over backwards to prove that they can be hypocrites, too.

I DEFINITELY think the use of the word "holocaust" was wrong.

Bullshit. Who the fuck are you, the language police? Check your dictionary. The word has more than one meaning. And he didn't say "the Holocaust," he said "a holocaust." Lower case.

What's next? I can't say "ground zero" because of 9/11? I can't say "fascist" because it might hurt some poor widdle Republican's feelings, and I'm supposed to STFU and be a nice little Democrat instead? Republicans are fascists, and people dying due to a lack of health care does amount to a holocaust.

Not "The Holocaust™©®", a holocaust.

Fuck Rachel Maddow, fuck Keith Olbermann, and fuck all you self-appointed guardians of the English language. Grayson's use of the word was perfectly legitimate, and I'll defend his right to say it again.

The only way to stop a bully (i.e. authoritarian Republican) is to stand up to him -- coldcock the fucker.

VaLiberal: "Fuck Rachel Maddow, fuck Keith Olbermann, and fuck all you self-appointed guardians of the English language. Grayson's use of the word was perfectly legitimate, and I'll defend his right to say it again."

And I'll defend your right to defend his right to say it, provided you also work on expanding your vocabulary, so that you don't cheapen the impact of a powerful word such as "fuck", by using it more than once per sentence.

P.S.: Semantics aside, both Maddow and Olbermann actually were fully supportive of both Congressman Grayson's statement and his contention. Please save your ire and venom for those who truly deserve it.

Oops! My apologies to VaLiberal for my own misstatement, when I should have properly cited Screamin' Demon. My bad ...

It shouldn't be used as a cheapie Nazi reference to describe our opponents or even as the sly joke on pro-lifers you suggest it is. Honestly, I can't imagine how you think that's any better.

So you think we should just ignore right-wingers when they say that universal healthcare will lead to mass euthanasia and death camps in imitation of the Nazis? Or are we supposed to pretend they said something rational and try to form arguments against it?

It's not like this stuff is underground. You had people standing up at town hall meetings and screaming it. You have people walking around with pictures of Obama with a Hitler moustache. And your problem is that Grayson used their rhetoric to point out that 45,000 Americans die every year because they don't have healthcare?

Maybe you should direct your complaint to the people who have actually been cheapening the Holocaust for 30 years instead of directing your ire at the people who are pushing back against it.

Some of you almost get it - "here's another clue for you all..."

Grayson hired Matt Stoller to advise him. They are both really savvy guys.

Mnemosyne is closest.

Notice that almost everything Grayson has said is either a direct quote or paraphrase of something a Republican has said.

Die quickly? = Drop dead

Holocaust? Direct quote. He even made a remark about living breathing human beings.

On the CNN bobblehead clip, he even calls Republicans "...nattering nabobs of negativism..." - a direct quote - and Spiro Agnew's most famous line!

It was all a huge joke on Republicans and a trap! They almost bit - and he was prepared to point out that an elected Rethug had used virtually the same language regarding every item they were wanting to formally rebuke him for using!

THAT is why they aren't pursuing this. They want it to just go away - ASAP.

I used to live in a white house -- you didn't think I meant The White House, did you? Silly...

Christians do not believe in Zeus, an antiquated Greek god -- but they do say that they believe in God.

I could keep going, but you get the idea.
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Republican Disasters: Finally, a Democrat with some balls.

GOP 2009: No Balls...but PLENTY OF NUTS !

For many years I wondered why health insurance companies balked at paying for early detection procedures like Pap smears and prostate cancer screening. It finally occurred to me that from a purely financial point of view diagnosing serious illness at an early stage makes no sense for insurers. If you become ill with cancer, their best case scenario would be for you to be diagnosed in its late stages on Tuesday and then pop off on Wednesday, thus sparing them the expense of paying for a possible cure.

Since the GOP is a wholly owned subsidiary of the health insurance industry, "Get sick? Die soon" sounds like a perfectly believable Republican policy.

I can't believe some of you twits are falling for this Rethug strategy and focusing on the use of a word which was used perfectly correctly.

Has the Neo-con convention that Israel is above criticism now filtered down to which words one is allowed to use?

I suppose we should strike the phrase promote the general welfare from the Constitution, because, you know, "everyone" knows "welfare" refers to lazy minorities sucking off the government teat.

Unfortunately, Mr. Grayson isn't helping his constituents by spending his time in front of the national press. In fact, he's managed to alienate a good number of the people in his district (Florida District 8) by failing to respond to questions, requests, telephone calls, emails, etc. He's too busy managing his national media campaign. Makes you wonder which job in the Obama administration he's seeking...

Luckily, for those of us in his district, we have several new contenders, including Patricia Sullivan (http://PatriciaSullivanForCongress.com).

You won't find Patricia stumping for national press coverage because she's systematically talking to the people of District 8. She's preparing to be our REPRESENTATIVE, not a national press figure.

It's nice to have a CHOICE so that we can CHANGE the situation in our district!

[... - www.washingtonmonthly.com is another great source on this topic,[... -