Alan Grayson

They call me nuts, they call me stupid, they call me ugly. They might be right about ugly. All that I've done is to say what's on other peoples' mind.

Alan Mark Grayson (born March 13, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 8th congressional district from 2009 to 2011 and Florida's 9th congressional district from 2013 to 2017.

Quotes

2009

• You may recall that a few weeks ago, President Obama came to this chamber, and he addressed the chamber on health care before a joint session of the House and the Senate. During that session I was privileged to be here, and I saw my colleagues on the far side of the aisle, the Republicans, waving pieces of paper during his speech, and I was wondering what they were. I couldn’t imagine — it almost seemed like they wanted President Obama’s autograph. I just didn’t get it. I heard from one of my colleagues that this is what they called the Republican health care plan. I went over, after the speech was over, I picked up a copy that was lying down on the Republican side, and it turns out that the Republicans’ health care plan was a blank piece of paper. I inquired further, trying to find out exactly what the Republicans’ health care plan is. And it’s my duty and pride tonight to be able to announce exactly what the Republicans plan to do for health care in America.
• The Republicans’ health care plan for America: "Don’t get sick." That’s right — don’t get sick. If you have insurance, don’t get sick; if you don’t have insurance, don’t get sick; if you’re sick, don’t get sick — just don’t get sick! That’s what the Republicans have in mind for you, America. That’s the Republicans’ health care plan. But I think that the Republicans understand that that plan isn’t always going to work — it’s not a foolproof plan. So the Republicans have a backup plan, in case you do get sick. If you get sick in America, this is what the Republicans want you to do. If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: "Die quickly." That’s right. The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick."
• Now, the Democrats have a different plan. The Democrats say that: “If you have health insurance, we’re going to make it better. If you don’t have health insurance, we going to provide it to you. If you can’t afford health insurance, then we’ll help you afford health insurance.” So America gets to decide. Do you want the Democratic plan, or do you want the Republican plan? Remember, the Republican plan: "Don’t get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly."

• • Grayson on health care reform (2009).
• America understands that there is one party in this country that is favor of health care reform and one party that is against it, and they know why. They understand that if Barack Obama were somehow able to cure hunger in the world the Republicans would blame him for overpopulation. They understand that if Barack Obama could somehow bring about world peace they would blame him for destroying the defense industry. In fact, they understand that if Barack Obama has a BLT sandwich tommorrow for lunch, they will try to ban bacon. But that's not what America wants, America wants solutions to its problems and that begins with health care, and that's what I'm speaking for tonight.
  • Grayson on health care reform (2009).
• By the way, I have trouble listening to what [Cheney] says sometimes because of the blood that drips from his teeth while he’s talking, but my response is this: he’s just angry because the president doesn’t shoot old men in the face. But by the way, when he was done speaking, did he just then turn into a bat and fly away?
  • [Grayson on Dick Cheney].

Regarding himself

• They call me nuts, they call me stupid, they call me ugly. They might be right about ugly. ...All that I've done is to say what's on other peoples' mind.
  • "Grayson Has No Plans to Pull His Verbal Punches", Orlando Sentinet, October 30, 2009, [1].

Regarding the Republican Party

• "What the Republicans have been doing is an insult to America. ...These are foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging neanderthals." [Questioned, 'Why are you name-calling?'] "I didn't call names, what I said is true."
  • CNN, YouTube –September 30, 2009. CNN Political Ticker.

• "Republican Party, you're a lie factory, that's all you do.
  • The Ed Show, October 1, 2009, MSNBC, [2].

• Fox News and their Republican collaborators are the enemy of America, ...the enemy of anybody who wants anything good for this country.
  • Grayson: GOP, FOX News "Enemy Of America", October 21, 2009, RealClearPolitics.com.

Regarding Dick Cheney

• I have trouble listening to what he [that is, former Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney] says sometimes because of the blood that drips from his teeth while he's talking.

• He's just angry because the president [Obama] doesn't shoot old men in the face.

• When he was done speaking, did he just then turn into a bat and fly away?
  • Hardball with Chris Matthews, MSNBC, October 22, 2009, [3].

Regarding Rush Limbaugh

• Rush Limbaugh is a has-been hypocrite loser, who craves attention. His right-wing lunacy sounds like Mikhail Gorbachev, extolling the virtues of communism. Limbaugh actually was more lucid when he was a drug addict. If America ever did 1% of what he wanted us to do, then we'd all need pain killers.
  • HuffingtonPost.com –January 2009.

• I’m sorry... I’m sorry that Limbaugh is one sorry excuse for a human being.
  • AllHeadlineNews.com –March 4, 2009.

Regarding others

• What Joe Wilson did is like a belch.
  • "Alan Grayson: I'm no Joe Wilson" by Andy Barr, Politico.com, October 12, 2009.

• Neil [Cavuto] [a Fox News Senior Vice President (and anchor)], I'm not the one using profanity on the air. I'm not the one interrupting the guest to show incredible rudeness on the air. I'm simply the one trying to answer your questions and make America a better place.
  • March 31, 2009; reported in "Rep. Alan Grayson Hates Me, Not Fox" by Neil Cavuto, Fox News, October 28, 2009.

Quotes about Grayson

• Much has been said about the shocking 'militarization' of the police, and how this seemed to many like a provocation. Police in Ferguson were encased in armor that one veteran remarked was heavier than anything he wore in Iraq, and now the cry has gone up. Demilitarize the police! Take away their MRAPs, their forest camouflage, and all the paraphernalia of intimidation that accompanies them into battle. Representative Alan Grayson introduced legislation, shortly before Ferguson exploded, that would have ended the Pentagon program which funneled this gear into local police departments, but it was voted down. Several newer versions are in the works, and a good thing too, but this is attacking the symptoms rather than the disease. The disease is imperialism, otherwise known as U.S. foreign policy. The underlying condition is the American empire, an international regime of terror and exploitation which cannot be expected to treat its own citizens much better than it treats its overseas subjects. How on earth did we ever expect otherwise?
  • Justin Raimondo, as quoted in "Ferguson: Ten Days That Shook the Country", AntiWar (20 August 2014).