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October 22, 2009 4:49 PM

GOP Goes After Alan Grayson's "Names of the Dead" Web Site

Posted by Stephanie Condon
(grayson.house.gov)
Florida Democrat Rep. Alan Grayson has amended a Web site he created this week, which he says is intended to draw attention to people who die without health coverage but that Republicans complained drew too much attention to himself.

Earlier this week, Grayson created the Web site NamesOfTheDead.com, to emphasize the point that according to a Harvard study, more than 44,000 Americans die every year because they lack health insurance. The site prompts visitors to submit the names and stories of loved ones who died without insurance.

Grayson cited the same study last month, when he apologized to the dead, not Republicans, for saying in a speech that "Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick."

Republicans complained that the "Names of the Dead" site violated House rules and possibly campaign finance laws because it had a link to Grayson's campaign Web site, the Associated Press reports. Grayson has now removed the link.

The Web site has had other problems, Talking Points Memo reports: Some of the "names of the dead" submitted and displayed on the site were clearly fake, such as "Wile E. Coyote," 55, of Sedona, Ariz.

Alan Grayson: People Like a Democrat with Guts
Grayson Defends "Die Quickly" Remarks
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Add a Comment See all 14 Comments
by Charles_Fl October 24, 2009 9:45 AM EDT
And another thing I would like to add. It is just disgusting to see insurance companies vilified on a daily basis. Millions of people have been saved by these mean ole evil insurance companies. They have provided employment for millions of Americans. They have donated to charities, invested in small business, and elevated the health and welfare of millions of Americans. You know who the biggest denier of health care in the United States is? THE US GOVERNMENT! That's who. Go look up '2008 National Health Insurer Report Card' Medicare denies 6.85% of their claims compared to mean ole evil Humana that denies 2.9%. Our courts are backlogged with people having to SUE the US Government to get their SSI/SS disability. These people paid into the system their entire lives and when they were sick and dying and needed it most they had to take the US Government to court to get it. My neighbor is dying of Liver Cancer and he is having to sue SS to get his disability. It is all so much for him he has given up and decided to just die instead, rather than face a court battle he cannot afford with the US Government. Again, don't take my word... INVESTIGATE it for yourselves! Go look at how people who have had to sue the government to get their disability, look into how many veterans who have been denied health care, look how medicaid won't pay for expensive drugs or treatments that could potentially save people's lives. WAKE UP, GET INFORMED!
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by Charles_Fl October 24, 2009 9:21 AM EDT
"that's the people of THIS nation, pay nearly TWICE what any other nation on this PLANET"

Prime example of exactly what I was saying. People need to investigate before they fire off at the mouth. #1 By no report on health care is the US paying 'twice' as much for health care than any other nation. The best is 50% more, but this is a simply creative accounting. The health industry in the US spends a good chunk of money on 'Accounts Receivables' collecting the debt owed to them. In socialized medicine countries this 'accounts receivables' is removed from the costs of health care and moved into the 'tax collection' column thereby completely removing it from the cost of health care. It's not saving any money. It's moving accounting figures around to different departments. There is not a single report out there that says this bill will reduce the costs of health care. None - Zip - Nada. Where on Earth does anyone get the idea that adding 40 million people to the system will bring the costs down? What crackerjack box economics program did you learn this from? Health services are a limited commodity. By increasing the load on the doctors, nurses and hospitals the price goes UP... not down. This is exactly what has happen in Massachusetts where prices have increased 42% and the backlog on doctors has expanded exponentially. Why take my word... GO LOOK IT UP.
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by watervliet October 23, 2009 8:53 AM EDT
GOOD FOR GRAYSON. HE REPRESENT ALL AMERICANS (RED,WHITE AND BLUE).
Reply to this comment
by KeepAmericaFree October 23, 2009 11:15 PM EDT
I'm sure you mean those who are just plain crazy and are in desperate need for dental work.

GOP doesn't have to marginalize him. He is doing a great job himself!

He was the main character for the movie dumb and dumber!!
by stuart-johns2 October 23, 2009 6:20 AM EDT
The GOP is trying to "marginalize" Grayson. They have him on their "enemies list".
Reply to this comment
by Charles_Fl October 23, 2009 4:07 AM EDT
Does anyone even investigate this nonsense before they post? You cannot even see the 'names of the dead' unless you submit a 'story'. It's like a self fulfilling prophecy. And a giant scam to say the least. Reminds me of those just fill out the survey for your new plasma Tv sites. People should be outraged that a sitting congressmen would be involved with such a cheap scam. Unless anyone here can show how there is any fact checking involved in this system to insure any reliability in the data. What is more important this just proves how gullible people really are. They will gladly swallow any spoon fed garbage coming out of Washington. Including but not limited to 'free health care'. You want to see what universal health care looks in the United States? Look no further than Massachusetts. Since 2006 the cost of their "health care" has increased by 42%. Quit being lemmings for cheap tricks and start investigating what is really happening.
Reply to this comment
by skyk-2009 October 23, 2009 12:31 PM EDT
Charles_Fl, WE, that's the people of THIS nation, pay nearly TWICE what any other nation on this PLANET and the Republican's HAVE NO SOLUTION but stall and delay what we ALL know we must do. WE can not continue to pay to make Insurance Company's rich. These people who are dying are REALLY dead and they wouldn't be IF they could get care aside from the ER! THAT is the most expensive way to deliver care. Now IF you have no solution why not just sit down while those who DO have a solution discuss it?
by FedUpPatriot October 23, 2009 4:01 AM EDT
Ha! Good catch, I was wondering if this was more than just another media ploy to get more attention. Despicable, abusing the memory of those dead loved ones for his agenda.

Have you seen his latest scheme? My liberal disappointment of a son proudly sent me an e-mail for http://www.congressmanwithballs.com How classy! I couldn't believe it, but it looks real. Who are they trying to appeal to with this nonsense?
Reply to this comment
by prosanity October 23, 2009 1:09 AM EDT
And when everyone is running around untreated with communicable diseases I hope these assclowns have the bucks to run to gated communities! How can the human brain be so useless? What a bunch of Republican morons. They are so offensive - and the 1st to scream "how mean, how awful" when anyone tells the truth. However, kiling people in wars, the death penalty, and subscribing to the philosophy that the disadvantaged must have done something to deserve their lot. I can only hope there's a special place in hell for all of them.
Reply to this comment
by prosanity October 23, 2009 1:03 AM EDT
There are some truly pathetic comments here. Makes me wonder how low the national IQ has dropped in the past 8 years. The screaming harpies who yelling "death panels", are offended by reality. Teeballman prefers to cast blame on the victims - another unattractive neo con tactic. He lives in la la land where anyone can get care, and only people who don't care of themselves get sick and die. What an ignorant, mean spirited, assclown. There are so many of them, it's kind of scary.
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by stuart-johns2 October 22, 2009 10:23 PM EDT
Whether it's good or not I have no comment. However is'nt this a right that the republicans would be the first to crow over, i.e. free speech?

They are so absurd. Today they both accuse Obama of creating an enemies list wherein he refuses to talk to certain groups, violating his claim for transparency and then they attack Grayson, another democrat, for exercising his free speech right in being transparent with the facts of healthcare in America.

I cannot believe for the life of me that they cannot see this. Of course they see their hypocrsy. They don't care! As long as they can create diversion, distortion and distraction. That's the new republican extremist party mandate.

Like Cheney said, "Win at all costs".
Reply to this comment
by stn_sage October 22, 2009 7:37 PM EDT
The 'Names of the Dead' site is a good idea!

We...the public...could go to the site and see the faces and read the stories of those people who have...in essence...been murdered by the health industry and insurance industry and GOP and Democrat politicians who think health care is a 'frivolous' issue that the public doesn't have a right to...or they have an obligation to 'fix' or make perform efficiently!
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by gramto8 October 22, 2009 5:56 PM EDT
HIPPA doesn't prevent family from releasing the names and reasons for persons' deaths. HIPPA is to prevent medical facilities from releasing that information without patient consent.
Reply to this comment
by SusanStoHelit October 22, 2009 5:36 PM EDT
They should be ashamed of that list, instead of looking for any excuse to nitpick whether or not it should be posted. These are the people dying for for-profit health care.
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