Michael Grimm Criticizes 'Extreme Right Of Tea Party'

Hotline On Call:

On Monday, one House Republican who could have a tough reelection in 2012 took his frustration out on the more conservative arm of his party, slamming the "extreme wing" of the GOP for opposing the latest short-term continuing resolution. But he was afforded no sympathy from the House Democrats' campaign chief.

Read the whole story: Hotline On Call

Comments

[NewYorker2088]

04:26 PM on 03/15/2011

The problem with a government shutdown is that the legislators you all seem to think will "learn a lesson" are not the ones who will be out of work. Congresspeople and their top aides still go to work during a government shutdown - oh, and they get paid, too. Otherwise how would they ever get the government up and running again?

What a government shutdown really does is put the 800,000 low-level, or "non-essential", government employees - you know, the ones with the mortgages and kids and doctors bills who are living on low government wages battling to make ends meet - it puts them out of work indefinitely. They're the ones who are barred from going to work and miss paychecks. And we're not only talking about workers in Washington, DC - we're talking about federal employees across the country. Government shutdowns don't hurt the politicians, they hurt everybody else.

Perhaps people should really understand what a government shutdown means before they jump to rash conclusions.

[ZeraLee]

03:39 AM on 03/15/2011

I am not that impressed with Steve Israel. The Democrats should be trying to cultivate anything resembling a moderate instead of attacking anyone who strays from the extreme right - if for no other reason than a show of willingness to talk. Given the givens, that will likely be important in the next election.

[ajbiggs]

02:27 PM on 03/15/2011

In other words, Dems should suck up because one facety/hypocritical GOPer decides he wants to play nice now? No, he is not a moderate, please don't be fooled!

[ZeraLee]

08:38 PM on 03/15/2011

Please set aside your anger and reread what I said. Of course Grimm is not a moderate, they have been actively purging moderates from the GOP for years - which is why Democrats should not be attacking republicans who publicly acknowledge that there even *is* an extreme right to the GOP.

The general public is tired of the ineffectiveness of relentless partisanship, and it will have consequences in the next election. The Democrats need to avoid making pointless partisan attacks that invite accusations that they are the ones creating division.

Democrats may never have the tight control of republicans - a bit of anarchy is a natural part of diversity. What the Democrats need is better discipline and image management.

No, the Democrats should not "suck up" to Grimm. Nor should they push him back into the fold.

http://zerablog.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/steve-israel-new-dccc-chairman-set-to-go-on-offense-for-house-democrats/

[Steve Rockett]

01:39 AM on 03/15/2011

God I love watching the regressives pull themselves apart from the inside. What great theater. They are one note cowards.

[salhar]

09:06 PM on 03/14/2011

We need more people like Michael Grimm in office.

[Steve Rockett]

01:40 AM on 03/15/2011

We need more people homeless like Grimm.

[ajbiggs]

02:28 PM on 03/15/2011

& jobless!

[James Artre]

08:29 PM on 03/14/2011

I can't say I really see a problem with the government shutting down. Perhaps it will cause legislators to go and spend some time among the people they're supposed to represent. Considering the majority of them seem to be out of touch with what's important nowadays anyway.

[TommyObama]

01:03 AM on 03/15/2011

I have to agree. Perhaps the Tea Partiers and other angrily ignorant Americans who think our government must be shrunk down to "a manageable size" should discover what it's like to live a few days without it. But God help us if we suffer an earthquake or other disaster while the government is closed...I haven't seen too many banks and car and electronics companies sending their choppers and ships to rescue the victims in Japan today. Has anyone?

When private enterprise can do the ugly jobs we saddle government with, and do them well and under budget, I'll listen to the Free Enterprise crowd a little more closely. But I don't see them lining up to do the work; we have government, and government programs, for a reason.