SPEAKING OF ‘DYING QUICKLY’…. Just two weeks ago, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) generated widespread Republican outrage with a speech on the House floor about health care reform. “It’s a very simple plan,” Grayson said about the GOP agenda. “Don’t get sick. That’s what the Republicans have in mind. And if you get sick America, the Republican health care plan is this: die quickly.”
GOP lawmakers were incensed. Rep. Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.) called Grayson’s comments “about the most mean-spirited partisan statement that I’ve ever heard made on this floor.” Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) immediately began work on a resolution condemning Grayson for his remarks.
Maybe Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) missed the story?
Speaking on the House floor last night, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) became the latest Republican lawmaker to play the “death card,” suggesting that reform advocates would allow seniors to “die off more quickly”:
“I was talking to a senior that I consider a very wise individual, and this weekend she said, ‘You know what concerns me about the 500 billion in cuts to Medicare? Maybe not, but I can’t help but think they know that as seniors we’ve been through World War II, we’ve seen the evils that lurk in this world, we have gained great wisdom from our years, and they’re willing to let us die off more quickly so that we’re not around to try to get our wisdom across to the young people of what is at risk by this government takeover.’”
Now, Gohmert has already proven himself to be … how do I put this … a rather dim lawmaker. About a week ago, during a speech that was supposed to be about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Gohmert seriously argued that expanding hate crimes protections would lead to a legalization of necrophilia, pedophilia, and bestiality. He then compared those who disagree with him to Nazis.
But this speech about Democrats wanting to kill off senior citizens is just blisteringly dumb, especially after Republicans just threw a fit about Grayson.
For what it’s worth, a spokesperson for the NRCC argued today that Gohmert’s remarks weren’t that bad, because he was simply “relaying a concern of his constituent to his colleagues.”
For goodness sakes. Do you suppose Gohmert was relaying the comments because he disagreed with them? Is he prepared to denounce the absurd concerns of his constituent?
