I started writing diaries about Congressman Grayson a a long while back on Kos. He was a breath of fresh air in the progressive 'Democratic side of the Democratic Party' (as Dr. Dean likes to call it).
And I know that there are many of your out there that feel the same way I do, that Alan Grayson has stood up at some very important times during these troubled times we are living in for issues that critical such as 'Real Health Care Reform, Fighting Against War Profiteering, Standing up against Wall Street and the Banks, as he has relentlessly pursued those who stole millions of dollars from the taxpayers, Calling out the Republicans on their blatant hypocrisy and outright lies concerning their continued obstruction of any and all legislation that President Obama has tried to pass this past year.
Here is a short excerpt from one of Congressman Grayson's op-eds:
STOP STEALING OUR MONEY
April 1, 2009
Orlando, FL
(Published in the Huffington Post, April 1, 2009)
I was elected last November because the people wanted change. And nowhere is change more desperately needed than on Wall Street, which is apparently the only place in the world where you can steal from the taxpayers and then bill them for services rendered. So far, taxpayers have spent over $500 billion in direct cash infusions into banks and financial institutions, with guarantees of trillions more. Yet, these companies are still paying their executives lavish sums for driving their companies (and the entire economy) into the ground.
I introduced a bill - the 'Pay for Performance Act' - to put an end to this theft. It's on the House floor today. It bans unreasonable and excessive pay to employees of financial institutions that are running on taxpayer money. The bill is based on two simple concepts. One, no one has the right to get rich off taxpayer money. And two, no one should get rich off abject failure. If the government owns a chunk of a bank, that bank must pay its employees reasonably, and all bonuses must be performance-based.
But first, let's be clear about what has happened. The government owns stakes in many companies through the TARP program, and Congress tried to put executive compensation restrictions on those companies. Big banks, though, were able to carve out an exception for any contract signed before February. AIG executives drove a truck through that exception and stuffed their pockets with our money. This bill closes that loophole.
For other additional op-ed pieces by Congressman Grayson to find out what he has been working so diligently towards for the American people on various issues go here:
http://grayson.house.gov/...