Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and I have something in common. We’ve both been sounding off about the significance of the S&P report, but there is one critical difference. How is it that I correctly pegged Republican intransigence, while Grassley did not. Does Grassley need stronger glasses? Maybe, but the difference is a lot more basic than that. At least I READ the damn report!
After one of the three credit ratings agencies, S&P, downgraded the United States’ creditworthiness from AAA to AA+ in large part because of extreme GOP intransigence on raising revenue, Republicans were quick to try to deflect blame onto the Democrats. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney singled out the White House, saying “Standard & Poor’s rating downgrade is a deeply troubling indicator of our country’s decline under President Obama.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) piled on the following day, calling S&P’s move a “wake-up call for Congress and the President to take meaningful action to reduce deficit spending and the resulting debt.”
ThinkProgress spoke with Grassley at the Iowa State Fair on Thursday to get his further thoughts on S&P’s criticism of Republican stubbornness. However, before we were able to ask the Iowa senator about S&P’s recommendations regarding our nation’s fiscal dilemma, Grassley made a startling revelation: he has not even read the report…
…The report is five pages long. It was released a full week ago. And despite Grassley’s assertion that he was “out here [in Iowa] so I don’t have a copy of the report,” it’s available free on the Internet for anyone to read, Iowans included… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Think Progress>
Here’s the video:
Color Chuck “snake in the” Grassley busted!
7 Responses to “Does Grassley Need Stronger Glasses?”
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There was a time not long ago when this man was considered moderate and reasonable. I’ve heard that people with senility often get mean .
There is a lot to comment on here– however , I think I will pick up on Grassleys condemnation , even tho he has not read it- easily available as it is on the internet—
I do believe more and more- the ignorance of most , many ? of these Pols concerning the internet- how to access , use , – is one of the glaring weakness , and serves to keep them more ignorant than they already were
Phyllis, I agree. However, if he wanted to read it, Aides who accompany him evcerywhere could have put it in his hands in minutes.
Leslie, I think that it’s more that he sees which way the wind is blowing in the Republican Party and is positioning himself to retain power.
BTW , do you’all be aware — the straw vote is a fundraiser for the GOP— $30 per vote ( I believe that number is correct)
Yes, $30 is correct. However, the actual voter does not pay the $30, it is paid for by the various candidates. As I understand this curious process, the campaigns spend millions and a lot of time to claim “victory”, based on about 4,000 votes (roughly Bachman’s total).
On this I agree with Romney — much ado about nothing.
You’re both right. For the Republican Party of Iowa it is a “gimmick” (their word) to raise money. For the candidates why pay the voting fees to buy people’s votes for them, it is a an expense.
In recent history only one straw poll winner has gone on to win the presidency: Crawford Caligula.