Alan Grayson Reads Number Of Dead In Republican Districts (VIDEO)

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) took to the floor Wednesday night to read the names of those who had died from lack of health insurance in Republican districts.

Grayson also read stories from his website Namesofthedead.com, which collects health care tragedies from around the country.

"Is it really asking too much of us that we keep people alive?" he asked. Later he added,
"We can save these people, or we can let them die."

Part I:

Part II:

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) called for the clerk to take down Grayson's words -- leading to an adjournment. But when the House reconvened, Grayson continued naming Republican representatives and the dead in their districts.

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Comments

[contrary2]

hmmmm the illegals just walk into an ER and get health care ....so how can it be that anyone's dying for lack of healthcare? Perhaps the uninsured need to follow the illegals? Orrrrr maybe this is just political drama?

[WTT]

Could you possibly tell me which ERs treat cancer?

[WTT]

When I asked about treating cancer in ERs, I meant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

[J4Obama08]

sorry - meant Medicaid, not Medicare for those who can't afford it!

[J4Obama08]

For even one American to die because they can't afford health care is a national disgrace! I don't want to hear anyone tell me that there is Medicare for those who can't afford insurance because there are millions of people who fall in the cracks - they make too much to qualify for Medicare and not enough to pay for health care.
This has to be fixed and we need a government plan in order to fix it properly.
Already people are getting their new health insurance bills for the coming year with a 20% increase - that is just criminal and should not be allowed! If the insurance companies insist on this crap we should just put them out of business - period! They provide nothing useful anyway!
They are only a middle man between doctors and patients - who needs them?

[J4Obama08]

This is one issue that should not be a Republican or Democrat issue. People's lives are at stake.
I understand that the other side feels that private industry is in danger if we do this. However, I ask them to look at how the private industry has (under)performed in the military and in prisons. We were much bettered served, for much less tax payer dollars when the government was totally in charge of prisons both domestically and in military prisons overseas. I wish our government would spend more time thinking about keeping our jobs in the U.S. instead of privatizing everything. That would serve our country better. These Congressmen and Senators have become globalists because our Corporations are moving the jobs overseas, moving their headquarters to fake overseas addresses so they don't have to pay taxes here at home.
What we really need is for all of us to be better citizens and care more about our country and our people.
We should buy American even if we have to pay more for it.

[ComeOnAlready]

I applaud him for having the courage to stand up and do something, anything to influence health care reform in the right direction -- for Americans, not corporations.

[newtonusr]

Absolutely astounding.

[CanUFeel2012]

TOTAL COST OF WARS SINCE 2001. . . . . .$ 264, 820, - - -, - - - .... .. . .......AND GOING, BUT AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICANS, ............ . . NO. . . . ............

[jackiero]

Hmmm, maybe it would be more effective to single out those insurance-lacking citizen's employers. It's not the government's job to ensure that people are covered by health insurance, but it is currently the burden of the employer.

[Stephanie Caulley]

You are assuming that the person *has* employment, or that he employer can afford coverage for their employees, or themselves for that matter.

[UrbanInterloper]

Actually, the provision of health insurance is currently no one's "burden." Not the employer's, and not the government's except in very specific circumstances (senior citizens, veterans, disabled). Therein lies the problem.

[tomterif]

Actually, UrbanInterloper, there is in fact no such entity, "pers se", as "the Government", that bear's ANY burdens, in American [or any other] society.

I'm not claiming you're trying to deceive anyone, by making that statement, because "we all know what you mean", but I think it can't be emphasized too much, to at least many in our present societ,[ who seem "in effect", or possibly even actually !, oblivious of the fact]that when one references "the Government", as bearing the cost of particular services and entitlement, that "the Government" chooses to legislate into existence, the REAL burden bearer, in actuality, is TAX PAYING CITIZENS !

One thing many [fiscally responsible Democrats, as well as thoughtful, moderate, and responsible Independents and conservative Republicans] are particularly concerned with, in regards to our present Obama / Pelosi / Reid regime in Washington, is that they seem bllithely enthusiastic about "growing government", and expanding federal entitlements, by leaps and bounds, and are attempting to do so based on "total best case scenario" financial projections, that they claim create deficit-neutral situations, where the likelihood of such situations ever actually coming to pass might AT BEST be considered to be majorly PREPOSTEROUS !

What this all adds up to is exponentially crushing tax burdens, and ongoing financial disaster, in the lives of our present younger generations, and their children and grandchildren.

[Adversary]

...And don't forget CONGRESS.

[gmgl]

Actually it IS the job of the government in just about every other developed country, and they do it for about half the price and have higher quality health care statistically (check out our infant mortality rates compared to countries with single payer health care for instance).

It continues to amaze me that the same people for whom no tax dollar spent on war expense is ever a bad idea, or by the way our giving health care to the people in those countries on our tax dollars, are the same people for whom the insurance companies making us spend twice as much to give us a lousy expensive product that won't cover us when we get an expensive illness is a good idea.

[apx]

I think most of the rational audience could agree there are two types of individuals in the quest for reforming how healthcare works in America: those proposing ideas (both the good and bad ones), and those making useless noise.

Those making the noise are distractions from the ultimate goal, causing unnecessary side-debates an unneeded "drama". Grayson easily falls into the latter category, as one of the people causing the noise that does nothing to help move this issue forward. Therefore, given that he spent a good amount of time on the floor whining and making useless noise, he is just as "guilty" as the people he believes are "responsible" for the deaths of people who were unable to secure health insurance.

Way to go Grayson. How many people in your district, btw?

[Kaviraj]

You now have the audacity to complain about someone who does not whine but tells it as it is. where were you the last ten moths with plain's deathpanels and other repube whining and useless noise? Found your voice a bit late have you not? You should carefully wipe your mouth, because there is still some bullsh*t around the lips.

[ljc]

Your last sentence made me lol...Did you get that in an e-mail with a bunch of others? I have used it a few times myself.

[lja925]

You obviously didn't get his point that ALL the repugnicans are voting against HCR and if they do, these are the number of people who will die in their district. I thought it was very compelling when you hear those numbers.
Think how tragic would it be if all those people died at the hand of a crazy gunman or an airplane crash or died because a defective product? Something would be done immediately. But since they die alone or with a few friends and family by their sides all throughout the year, we just say, uh, sorry about your luck.

[ComeOnAlready]

Grayson's remarks don't amount to useless noise because he was speaking the truth. Death panels and government take over -- yes that's useless noise and side drama, because they're not based on the truth. The difference is so big it's almost painful.

[Waterphoneman]

If we could stop our on going waring attitude and not police the entire world perhaps we would have
so much money that covering everyone with a health plan would not be a problem. Don't we ever learn?

[ContraEgoiste]

It is quite amazing isn't it? The same people that were ecstatic about war and destruction and didn't mind the 3 Trillion $ cost of it, which by the way we put on the Chinese credit card and haven't even started paying the interest, are so disgusted to spend it here on US citizens

[gmgl]

No we don't learn, hundreds of billions of dollars on two wars a year is just fine. Or a trillion to bailout the banks. Tax dollars for healthcare in the countries we invade on tax dollars is just fine two.

Less than 10 billion a year to cover our own butts when we get ill and thown off our junk insurance and face taking our families into bankrupcies with us now that is something we can't possibly waste tax dollars on.

It might actually benefit normal American citizens that's why.

[RedWhiteandBlueState]

I like his chutzpah but am having a little difficulty with his approach. Afraid if it becomes too cartoonish it'll only reach the choir.

[Progressive in FLA]

Hey, if it works for Beck and Limburger......

[Waterphoneman]

Clone this politician. Finally, someone with cajones who says it like it is.

[wassilij]

AWESOME!!!GO GET EM GRAYSON!!

[DACme]

I wish my Congressman (Cleaver -D, MO) had half the guts of Grayson.

[UST-Michael]

Medicare is more likely to deny a procedure than a private health insurance company. We need to vote him out. Instead of doing something, he is just grandstanding. Anyone with health insurance is going to get taxed on this, yes. Lets impose taxes to pay for this and at the same time declare that this will lower costs. That makes perfect sense.

[Hehlol]

Statistics on Medicare being more likely to deny a procedure than private health insurance company? If you can't understand how it would save money in the long run, that's just pathetic. As it stands everyone is already paying for everyone else, shouldn't we just give everyone coverage?

[Clearing-Brush]

Can you get through your head that this isn't about you if you have coverage. This is about 30 million Americans that don't have access to healthcare and by default get denied every procedure, and the 17 thousand that die each year as a result. It's about, that according to the WHO we are ranked 37th in the world regarding health of the population, and that we spend 15% of GDP on healthcare and don't cover all citizens where other countries cover all citizens and spend less than 10% of GDP.

[contrary2]

Take out all the overweight, smokers, drinkers, druggies and we'd be the healthiest. Actually we are one of the most overweight countries (74% of the population being overweight) but in the top 15 for healthy.

[Papa Don]

This is patently not true.

[rmonroe]

It has to be true, Fox News says so.

[emncaity]

Well-funded public health care in every other advanced democracy in the world is more likely to give treatment than deny it. But why worry about the truth? You people just spread lies, and more people die. Doesn't matter that it's not true; only matters what side you're on. Disgusting.

[ContraEgoiste]

"...Medicare is more likely to deny a procedure than a private health insurance company...."

huh??

Medicare has been around for a while now, so let's have the numbers where this has ever been so.

Now, would you like to try that with the already known practice of Ins. Cos??

heh