The past couple weeks we've all watched as House member Alan Grayson has gone to the floor and on varoius media outlets to pound the Republicans into the ground for their lack of support for health care reform. Citing a recent Harvard study (PDF) that shows 44,000 Americans die each year for lack of health insurance, he has made the point repeatedly that inaction, or no action at all on health care reform means our fellow Americans die to the tune of more than 100 a day.
There have been countless Diaries here about what he said, the Harvard study, why he said it, and maybe most important of all why it took an unknown, first term Congressmen from Florida to say what needs to be said. What should have been said a long time ago and what should also be said every single day we have this debate.
But I want to come at this from a different direction, cause Grayson gets what most Democrats don't get. Republicans are just like "playground" bullies, and they should be treated as such.
Growing up I was always the smallest kid in my class. And cause my father worked for the DoD we moved a lot. Not a good combination. I got picked on daily at school, which really wasn't a lot of fun. For a long time I never told anybody about it, until one day my father found out how bad it actually was.
He didn't call the school and bitch or confront the kids parents, he taught me how to defend myself and also a lesson that has served me well on the playground and in corporate America:
Bullies don't like to be stood up to! If you stand up to them they will back down.
It is clear Grayson, who grew up in a housing project in the Bronx, learned this lesson at a young age as well. Cause he is standing up to the Republicans, almost by himself, and they've backed down.
From the second Grayson walked onto the set of The Situation Room and in each of his Floor speechs he has said the GOP's health care plan is:
Don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly!
The Republican bullies in Congress, not used to somebody "getting in their faces" cryed foul. Demanded he apologize.
Most Democrats would have walked back their statement, toned it down, maybe even applogized. Not Grayson. He went to he floor and not only refused to apologize to the Republicans for hurting their feelings, but instead demanded they applogize to the thousands of Americans and their families that die each year because of a lack of health insurance.
He stood up to the Republican bullies and didn't back down. Didn't even blink. Instead of staying away from interviews he is on every program all across the dial saying the same thing over and over again, refusing to back down.
Heck in one interview Grayson was asked how the Republicans are treating him when they run into each other in the hallways of Congress and he said they are silent, then joking throws in he also is 6'7.
I've been waiting for some senior level elected Republican to attack him, but nothing. When I see a Republican interviewed and they mention his name or quote Grayson you can almost see the fear in their eyes.
It is so basic, bullies hate having somebody stand up to them and call their bluff. And make no mistake about it that is all about 99% of Republicans are, school yard bullies. They are so used to calling a Democrat a name and watching them run away scared that they can't literally compute how to handle him.
And what has it gotten Grayson, just standing up to the Republican bullies and speaking his mind, telling the truth he has raised huge sums of money, he is now a national figure, he is on every TV show there is, and eventually this is all going to benefit the people in his district.
But maybe most important of all he is getting a simple, yet powerful message out to the public. A lack of health insurance kills people!
This should be a wake up call, late as it might be, for all the other Democrats in the House and Senate. If one unknown, first term Congressmen can basically take on the Republican party by himself, as the majority you ought to be able to as well. And if they don't want to help out, well then I am sure Grayson will just keep doing it himself.
Update: Alan Grayson's Act Blue page. Sent him $50 bucks today and it felt really, really good. I also have to admit spending sometime on this House site I like that almost everything is in both English and Spanish.