Grayson galls GOP and delights Dems

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL 8) (from Wikipedia)

Rookie Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL8) has become the darling of the Democrats in the last few weeks and the target of outraged Republicans.

His popularity among Dems was evident as he received several standing ovations from the horde of Florida Dems gathering in Orlando this weekend for the 2009 Florida Democratic Party State Conference. In contrast to the heckling of the conference’s preceding speaker, Sen. Bill Nelson, Grayson got welcomed with a resounding “Gray-son! Gray-son!” chant as well as repeated shout-outs of support and gratitude from the crowd.

Grayson recapped his memorable recent comments, starting with the “don’t get sick/die quickly” synopsis of the Republican health plan given on the floor of the House of Representatives, including his follow-up remarks in the CNN Situation Room referring to the Republicans as “foot dragging, knuckle dragging Neanderthals,” and alluding to his non-apology to Republicans on the House floor the next day when he “apologized to the dead.”

Grayson had already established himself with progressive insiders for his hard-hitting questions on financial bigwigs and bureaucrats as a member of Rep. Barney Frank’s House Financial Services Committee, going after the Fed’s Vice Chair Kohn, and Fed Chair Ben Bernanke, big bank execs, Treasury Secretary Geitner, the Fed’s Inspector General (nearly 2 million views on YouTube) who didn’t (still doesn’t?) know where $1 trillion went. His aggressive conduct is nothing new; it’s simply being taken to a new level recently in the popular media.

On Saturday, Grayson suggested renaming the Democratic Party as the “conscience” party, inviting attendees who had a conscience to stand up. He then suggested renaming the Republican Party as the “selfish” party. With biblical allusion, Grayson recalled the strong Democratic concern for those most vulnerable as the party that believes a civilized society is one “that shelters the homeless, feeds the hungry, and heals the sick” [his emphasis].

Republican leaders have denounced Grayson’s remarks as partisan, divisive and ugly, demanding an apology. Grayson has repeatedly insisted there is nothing for which he needs to apologize. Given the conduct of House (and Senate) Republicans during the health care furor which included repeating or restating every wacky talking point surfaced by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, whether outlandish or outright lie, Congressman Grayson has hardly come close to the conduct of his Republican colleagues.

As far as being truthful, Grayson reminded his audience of a recently published Harvard University study that indicated over 40,000 deaths in the USA annually can be attributed to a lack of health care coverage. The study is a fact, conducted by a leading research institution, and the publication where it appeared is a peer-reviewed professional journal, not Newsmax, Fox News or any other doubtful outlet for accuracy.

Indeed, if 40,000 people were dying in the USA from a common affliction, we would have mandatory seat belts in cars, inoculations for at-risk populations, health warnings on the side of cigarette packs, and the like. Grayson’s seizure of this study and portrayal of its importance in stark terms to awaken a sense of broad outrage and positive action is actually his sworn responsibility as a public servant.

Isn’t Grayson worried about his political future? He is a rookie Congressman after all, facing an energized Republican opposition in a district whose boundaries the Florida Republicans had drawn to remain theirs, and they really want it back.

Apparently, he is not too worried. With 13 months before Election Day, 2010, Florida Republicans have yet to field a candidate. In fact, they are down to only one possible challenger of any standing, former Florida House Speaker and State Senator Daniel Webster. Webster is a hard line conservative who is enticed but remains undecided about another run for office, having started in the Florida legislature in 1980 and ending with senatorial term limits in 2008. The contrast of Webster’s harsh conservatism with Grayson’s unabashedly progressive views would provide voters with a clear choice.

Grayson should feel pretty confident. He sure acts like it. His campaign coffers continue to hear the ring of dollars donated by cheering progressives throughout the country. No Republican in Florida’s Eighth is likely to put a dent in Grayson’s popularity. Expect to hear more, much more, from Alan Grayson as he tells it like it is.