Since yesterday was the end of a quarter, I've been receiving several DCCC mailings a day, talking about how terrible it is that the Republicans are blocking health care reform. And now we're also supposed to cheer for Alan Grayson because he pointed out with strong language that the Republicans are blocking health care reform and people are dying as a result.
The problem is that the DCCC, and Rep. Grayson, are not telling the truth. Grayson's done a service in pointing out that every day we delay, hundreds more die from lack of coverage, but just like the DCCC, he's choosing the wrong target. Republicans are not blocking health care reform. They'd like to, but they are utterly powerless.
Democrats are blocking health care reform. Grayson either needs to face up to that fact, or else admit that he's just playing a partisan game.
Grayson should be naming and shaming Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, and Blanche Lincoln, who voted against both versions of the public option. He should be naming and shaming Jim Cooper and his allies in the House. The day he does that, he gets a contribution from me. Not before.
He should publicly demand that the Senate Democratic Caucus forbid its members from filbustering against health care reform. The penalty for violations should be loss of rank: you don't get to be a committee chair for the Democrats if you're essentially working for the Republicans.