Note to Democrats, this is how it's done.
Classic.
Here are some highlights.
Anthony Weiner to Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey
How can it possibly be you can be a member of the United States House of Representatives and not understand how Medicare works?
Oh, and there's more!
By the way, I hope your insurance plan, the Ryan plan, covers the twisted arms and limbs you get tying yourselves in knots explaining this.
~snip~
It is a radical departure from where we are today. Mr. Gingrich was right! Even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while.
~snip~
. . there is a saying here in Washington that a gaffe is when the Republicans actually say what they think.
And finally, the coup de grâce . . .
. . . if you believe fundamentally in Medicare, at this point you've got two choices, tear up your Republican party membership or give up the control of Congress.
Hat tip to CrooksandLairs.com
Rep. Anthony Weiner: "I move to strike the last word Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, you may recall I was standing here approximately two hours ago waiting to speak with several other members on the efforts of my Republican friends to eliminate Medicare as we know it and for reasons that are known only to the Chair, I was denied the ability to do that. Well, I’m back. And just to review the bidding, here’s where it was before that order was made. We had the Chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, a good man, a guy I like, stand down in the well and say, ‘Oh, no’ (and this by the way is someone who is elected by the Republican members to represent them in races all around the country) saying that the Ryan plan wasn’t a plan it was and I’m quoting here, “a construct to develop a plan” and he said the proposal is not a voucher program and then he said it was a one size fits all, that Medicare was draining our economy is what he said.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, that might be the rationale for our Republican friends wanting to eliminate Medicare, but none of those things are true. It is not a ‘construct to develop a plan’ it is the proposal of the Republican party of the United States of America to eliminate Medicare as a guaranteed entitlement. If you don’t believe me, go get the book that they wrote, go get the budget that they wrote, go get the bill that they wrote, and if you believe it is not about your program, listen to their own members talk about it. The Medicare program today is not, as I say to my friends, "one size fits all". My good friend from Georgia, Mr. (Republican Rep. Phil) Gingrey, was on the floor before talking about how it's "one size fits all." How can it possibly be you can be a member of the United States House of Representatives and not understand how Medicare works? Each individual senior gets to go to the doctor of their choosing, gets to go to the clinic of their choosing, gets to decide for themselves where they go, and then the doctor and the patient make decisions. The only question is are we going to say to citizens who are 65 and older "Here is a coupon, go buy private insurance at 25 and 30% overhead", rather than the Medicare program which the actuaries say costs 1.05% in overhead.
We've also heard them (Republicans) say, "You're demagoguing! We don't really want to get rid of it!" But you do.
Now, there is a saying here in Washington that a gaffe is when the Republicans actually say what they think. So there have been plenty of opportunities to see this gaffe in full play. Now they have been tying themselves into intellectual knots trying to get out from under the basic fact. By the way, I hope your insurance plan, the Ryan plan, covers the twisted arms and limbs you get tying yourselves in knots explaining this. It is a radical departure from where we are today. Mr. Gingrich was right! Even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while. He was right, it's a radical . . . OWN IT! Show a little, a little gumption, show that you are prepared to own your own proposals! But now that you want to do it and the American people are seeing the difference between Democrats and Republicans, now you're trying to squirrel your way out of it, no disrespect to squirrels. You say we don't have a plan? Not only did we pass a health care plan a year ago that extended 10 years the life expectancy of Medicare, but I'll go one better, I'll give you a plan. How about Medicare not starting at 65, what about 55? Or 45? Or 35?
What is it that Health Insurance Companies do in this country?
Now I know my Republican friends are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Republican party, but that should, should, of the Insurance industry, but that should not mean that our seniors lose their Medicare because of it. So my friend, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Gingrey, were trying desperately to try to figure out how to get out from under your own beliefs.
We believe in Medicare. We created it.
We believe in Social Security. We created it.
We believe in the Health Care act. We created it.
As a matter of fact, every improvement in health care in this country, Democrats proposed, Republicans opposed, and now they have a chance to get rid of it, and they're doing it.
But at least, if you're gonna do it, at least, if you're going to try to do it, don't try to silence people who point it out. And I think the lesson here is that it might be later, if you had me come back at Midnight I would have said it, if I came back at 2am I would have said it, because the American people are going to see what's going on.
You have a proposal to eliminate Medicare. A proposal to privatize a portion of Social Security by investing it in the stock market. A proposal to roll back the expansion of prescription drug coverage to seniors. You have a proposal to take away the benefits of of those 25 and younger to get health insurance. That is you proposal. Own it. Live with it. Embrace it. Because we're not going to let you get out from under it, and you may delay me, you may gavel me, you might tell me you gotta come back at 2 o'clock in the morning, it's not gonna change the fundamentals of this debate, that if you believe fundamentally in Medicare, at this point you've got two choices, tear up your Republican party membership or give up the control of Congress, and frankly some of you are going to have to do both."
Dear Democratic Leaders. THIS. IS. HOW. YOU. FIGHT. BACK.
No pulling punches.
And though I am notorious for my affinity to loud, angry rants, I must say I like the tempered sardonic tone Rep. Weiner takes here. Calling these Republicans cowards for hiding from their true intentions is totally appropriate. Calling Republicans a "wholly owned subsidiary of the Insurance Industry" is totally appropriate, and this isn't the first time Rep. Weiner has done so.
And I believe the public has figured the GOP out, finally. The one thing they are for is tax cuts for the rich and doing the bidding of their corporate masters. They are against everything else. The more we hammer that home the better.
And make sure to remind them, in the words of Anthony Weiner. "Every Republican I have ever met is a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry"
Because it is the truth.
But this other point made by Anthony Weiner is something I would like to highlight for every Democrat and working class American so that we can stamp it into our collective national memory until the end of time.
Democrats believe in Medicare. We created it.
Democrats believe in Social Security. We created it.
Democrats believe in the Health Care act. We created it.
As a matter of fact, every improvement in health care in this country, Democrats proposed, Republicans opposed, and now Republicans have a chance to get rid of it, and they're doing it.
And Republicans will continue to try to destroy programs that benefit the middle class more than they are profitable to the rich every time they get power because serving the rich is what Republicans exist for. Look at Wisconsin, it's what they have planned for everyone. Look at Wall Street, that is what they have planned for themselves and their rich friends, and you aren't invited.
But you can sure as hell fight back.
You can follow me on Twitter @JesseLaGreca
Peace and love to one and all