PROGRAM SUCCESS – OCTOBER 2009 PAGE 9
“ Die Quickly !”
Rep . Alan Grayson ( D-Fla .) took to the House floor recently to give his now famous Republican Health Care Plan : Don ’ t get sick , and if you do get sick , die quickly .
After saying he was inspired to read the Republican Health Care Plan by the paper-waving GOP lawmakers at President Obama ’ s address to congress , Grayson summed up his findings with a few simple pieces of posterboard . “ The Republican health care plan : don ’ t get sick ,” he said . But , he added ,” The Republicans have a back up plan in case you do get sick ... This is what the Republicans want you to do . If you get sick America , the Republican health care plan is this : Die quickly !”
House Republicans called on Grayson to apologize ; he did not . They quickly jumped on the remark , declaring deep offense . “ That is about the most meanspirited partisan statement that I ’ ve ever heard made on this floor , and I , for one , don ’ t appreciate it ,” said Rep . Jimmy Duncan ( R-Tenn .). “ It ’ s fully
Congressman Alan Grayson Die Quickly Orlando , Florida October 2009
appropriate that the gentleman return to the floor and apologize ,” said Rep . Marsha Blackburn , another Tennessee Republican .
data further reinforcing why real healthcare reform must be enacted . Already , healthcare coverage for the average American family costs $ 13,375 a year , and health insurance premiums increased 138 percent over the last 10 years . At that rate , many families will suffer financial hardships .
Yet , largely because of the diversionary issues used to cloud the debate , the public doesn ’ t focus on the fact that we all pay a price when healthcare costs skyrocket . The businesses that pay the healthcare coverage for 160 million Americans must either deduct more money from employee wages or raise the price of their products or services , or in some cases , do both .
Healthcare in America is a train racing toward derailment .
But none was forthcoming f r o m Grayson taking once again the House floor : “ Last night , I gave a speech and I ’ m not going to recount everything I said but after that speech , several republicans asked me to apologize . I would like to apologize .
I would like to apologize and here ’ s why . According to this study , health insurance and mortality in adults which was published two weeks , 44,000 Americans die every year because they have no health insurance . 44,789 Americans die every year according to the Harvard study , and you can see it by going to our website at grayson . house . gov .
That is 10 times more than the number of Americans who have died in Iraq and who died in
See GRAYSON page 10
When lawmakers consider the cost of a plan , they need to also consider the pain and higher cost caused by their inaction . They need to hear the voices of the 46 million people who are uninsured . They need to hear from the people with soaring medical bills . And they need to remember that if the town hall meetings had been populated with people without insurance , they would wave signs , saying , “ Help Me .”
Dr . Henrie M . Treadwell is director of Community Voices , a nonprofit organization at Morehouse School of Medicine working to improve health services and health-care access for all Americans . Media seeking interviews with Dr . Treadwell please contact Alicia Ingram , 404-493-1724 to Schedule .