Alan Grayson: 'The Real Two-Party System In America Is The Meanies And The Weenies'

Former Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) attacked the super committee and characterized the two-party system as "meanies" and "weenies" in an interview with Newsweek published Monday.

"I'm not sure that they [the super committee] should do their job. I don't like their job. Their job is to cut Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid. I'm sorry, it's just a farce," he told Newsweek's Lloyd Grove. "The real two-party system in America is the Meanies and the Weenies. The Meanies want to take away your benefits and the Weenies want to compromise with them."

Grayson criticized the leadership of the Democratic party. "I'd love to see them solve some problems. Show me a problem that they've solved. But I'm not interested in demoralizing my own supporters," he said.

Grayson is heralded by some and reviled by others for his bombastic rhetoric. In a 2009 floor speech, he said, "If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly."

The super committee, formally known as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, failed to come up with at least $1.2 trillion in budget cuts before its Nov. 23 deadline. With the committee's failure, automatic cuts in defense, Medicare and discretionary spending are scheduled to take effect in 2013.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), another outspoken liberal, said recently the super committee failure was "good news" for Democrats since the party will have more leverage in 2013 because of the automatic defense cuts and the expiration of the Bush tax cuts. (Frank announced his retirement from Congress Monday.)

After being trounced in his 2010 re-election bid, Grayson announced last summer that he is running for his Orlando-area House seat in 2012. "And the only person who's better known than me is the president and Mickey Mouse. But I don't think Mickey's going to run," quipped Grayson to Newsweek.

Comments

[jhnnxn]

12:38 AM on 11/29/2011

You are a very bad man sir! Very bad!

[pciorlandosales]

07:41 PM on 11/28/2011

Hey everyone the "do nothing congress" actually did (something) this past week! They (in their infinite wisdom) declared that pizza is a vegetable! Yes folk's they can't agree on economic issues but they can tell you that pizza IS a vegetable and can be served to children as a VEGETABLE.

[rontheking]

06:33 PM on 11/29/2011

If they are paid enough by some industry...next they will assure us it is a fruit....

[pciorlandosales]

09:07 PM on 11/29/2011

If that ever happens it will be fruit calling something fruit lol

[RMorr2002]

05:51 PM on 11/28/2011

Even though Mickey isn't running, he will still probably get more votes than Grayson!

[rontheking]

06:36 PM on 11/29/2011

Grayson is fearless and tells the truth....

while you are hard to believe and would vote for a cartoon character--oh! that's right! You're a conservative...unable to distinguish what is true, and all of your candidates are cartoonish....

[sammi 56]

06:05 PM on 12/12/2011

No-- Grayson calls a spade a spade --

[Eugene Skidmore]

05:35 PM on 11/28/2011

you da man!!! grayson 2012

[rontheking]

06:37 PM on 11/29/2011

Easiest f and f ever!

[Martha Fair]

08:53 AM on 12/01/2011

Write on...he should run on the OWS platform as an indy.

[Floyd Miller]

04:37 PM on 11/28/2011

The GOPTP is mainly made up of the bullies who took the smart kids' lunch money in school and some psuedo-intellectuals who believe Ayn Rand's philosophies justify it. The GOP follows the words of the bandit Caldera in The Magnificent Seven, "If God didn't intend for them to be fleeced, then why did he make them sheep?"

[jkcow]

04:36 PM on 11/28/2011

How far do we want each American to be in debt. Currently is you divide the defict by the US Population each American currently owes over $47,000. This includes every child as they are born. Where do we stop borrowing and realize that our government already spent our Social security and Medicare funds we contributed to for all of our working lives.

All in congress over the past 40 years is to blame. Both Dem and Rep. We can't afford to let them continue putting each of us more in debt. We can't raise taxes enough to keep up with their spending. Even the rich don't have enough wealth to fix this problem.

It's time to start over with politicians that aren't going to vote along the party line. Vote in those who can think for themselves.

[Pijiu]

04:27 PM on 11/28/2011

Grayson is one tirade short of occupying a rubber room near KOlberman

[Martha Fair]

08:55 AM on 12/01/2011

He is a person who thinks for himself and sides with humanity instead of the "party" with their divisive corpocracy.

[Pijiu]

04:33 PM on 12/02/2011

corpocracy!
Drink!

[realpolitic]

04:21 PM on 11/28/2011

Grayson is unafraid. His voice is really missed. Republicans play hard ball and Grayson is one of the few Democrats ready to match their bombastic rhetoric with his own. The man takes no prisoners.

[rontheking]

06:39 PM on 11/29/2011

He shows what dems really could and should be...and they shrink by comparison....

[svasol]

04:15 PM on 11/28/2011

This guy must scare the corporate lobbyists to death. Watch a really ugly campaign with lots of 'soft' money thrown in from the plutocrats.

[AllenD]

04:12 PM on 11/28/2011

I hope he wins his seat back. With Anthony Weiner gone and Barney Frank leaving, we need a strong voice from the left in congress,

[Aintlate]

05:14 PM on 11/28/2011

I agree. The "Firebrands" are in short supply!

[RMorr2002]

05:53 PM on 11/28/2011

AH! Another one of those Hope & Change" true believers! You can "Hope" all you want! Grayson running is just insurance that the Republicans will hold that seat!

[sammi 56]

06:08 PM on 12/12/2011

Seems like your buddies the repubs are feeling the pressure. Hand tough Mr. Grayson!

[sfdcubfan]

03:55 PM on 11/28/2011

Mr. Grayson, I'm a huge fan of yours, but I think you need to bail on the Democratic party, and go help the OWS crowd get to Washington. Someone with money and influence who doesn't want the power needs to help these people put a platform together so a 3rd true independent party can emerge with actual leaders who will NOT kowtow to the establishment!

PLEASE HELP! Let someone else run for that congressional seat and go help the people who are in desperate need of pulling people together for a common cause.

Thank you

[Martha Fair]

08:56 AM on 12/01/2011

I agree.

[bholesurfers]

03:53 PM on 11/28/2011

I couldn't believe he was voted out in the first place. Hopefully Florida reelects him.

[sammi 56]

06:09 PM on 12/12/2011

Well -- It is Florida ya know.

[ColoradoCool]

03:38 PM on 11/28/2011

I miss this guy. I hope he wins back his seat.

[redrigs]

03:28 PM on 11/28/2011

Can't wait for Alan Grayson to get back in congress - we need his common sense voice!

[rextrek]

03:52 PM on 11/28/2011

ABSO-FRIGGIN-LUTELY!!!! I've donated to his re-election once..and def. will again....

www.congressmanwithguts.com I think thats it......

[redrigs]

04:58 PM on 11/28/2011

Thanks for the link - I just sent a contribution!

[rontheking]

06:45 PM on 11/29/2011

I have to. We need a lot more in congress like him....

[Erik Rieder]

03:14 PM on 11/28/2011

This guy should have been appointed the White house spokesman after the 2010 elections.

[norepublicanleftbehind]

03:36 PM on 11/28/2011

He's too honest.

[RichardinJax]

03:58 PM on 11/28/2011

That will never happen. Its a shame but true that political tenor has to be acceptable to the media or you are finished. If you are "too outspoken" or "to blunt" or you do "not mince words" your are labeled temperamental. Not good.

If you go back through Grayson's Greatest Hits it s a wonder the guy is not in the White House. He is truly connected with the bulk of America and has no fear for the 1%.

[dennidus1680]

04:36 PM on 11/28/2011

I THINK IT COULD VERY WELL HAPPEN. People are disgusted with both parties and congress as a whole. That means there's a very good chance for third party candidates, outspoken critics of congress, and someone with the guts to tell it like it is, to be elected in 2012. Grayson fits the bill.