Sorenson Criticizes Grassley
- Friday, July 31, 2009, 10:09
- Constitution Daily
- 1,304 views
- 27 comments
Yesterday, State Representative Kent Sorenson released an open letter to Senator Grassley questioning Grassley’s compromise on Obama’s health care legislation. This is a pretty bold move by a relative newcomer to the political scene – but is it the right move?
First, Grassley, as of late, has been a little wishy-washy on conservative policy. I don’t think there is any conservative in the country who feels they can count on Grassley to make the right vote on serious issues. Most often, Grassley does come around and vote right but there are those instances where conservatives are left fuming…SCHIP, monkey bubble, and the bailout. On the other hand, if it weren’t for Grassley strongly opposing amnesty for illegals, we may have 20 million illegal immigrants turned legal in 2006 or 2007.
There’s the rub for principled Republicans. In this game, there isn’t room for capitulation on the issues. Democrats will never offer an olive branch and will always gain ground for their socialist agenda. Republicans seem to negotiate away our policies even when we are in complete control. We have begun to believe the media and liberal elite mantra of the value of being bipartisan. Of course that doesn’t apply to them, just to Republicans. I’m not sure Grassley understands how we’re being played and apparently Sorenson is wondering the same thing.
In making his letter public, Sorenson takes a fairly big risk. Many Republicans, even though they agree with Sorenson, will find it disrespectful to make those criticisms public. We have no way of knowing if Sorenson tried to get a meeting with Grassley or sent a letter privately before issuing the open letter. If Sorenson did that and got nowhere, is he not just doing his job as an elected conservative? Or is he still over the line?
Obviously we must hold our elected officials’ feet to the fire. We’ve seen what happens when we don’t. Is there any way Grassley’s negotiation on this legislation can advance our agenda? Socialism is socialism no matter what the title of the bill or who the authors are.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. Is Sorenson over the line and could have handled this with more tact or is he doing his job well as an elected conservative?
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27 Comments on “Sorenson Criticizes Grassley”
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I don’t think Sorenson is over the line. I think it’s important to hold our elected officials feet to the fire when they vote in a way we feel represents us.
However, I agree with Grassley on this issue. There are 2 options here. (1) Stand by our principles and give a big “F” you while the Democrats write the health bill (that they don’t need Republican support to pass).
OR, we get ourselves a seat at the table. We work with them to write the bill. We probably will lose more battles than we win, but at least we have a voice.
Like I said (and as we all know), the Democrats already have the votes to pass this.
Grassley did the right thing.
That’s a terrible strategy in this case, Jeff. Democrats were nervous about having to shoulder the entire blame for this monstrosity. We’ve seen that support is/was starting to wane. We should’ve made them OWN it entirely. It actually might have failed had we done so. With every Republican that considers or votes for this, we give cover to the left.
There should not be one Republican vote for this gargantuan POS.
“Get ourselves a seat at the table.” Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, from every so called conservative when they rationalize their lack of spine and fortitude to stand up for principles and flat-out reject the drivel that is being presented before them.
Instead of having a seat at the table we should be flipping it over and walking out when these terrible options are presented.
Good job, Kent!
We have the best health care in the world, but the costs are out of control. The Dems are painting us as the “party of No”, and it sounds like that’s just fine with many of you.
It’s not with me. The health care system needs to be retooled. Not completely overhauled, but retooled. I believe, so far, Grassley is doing a good job stripping the crap away from this monstrosity.
> Oh yeah, from every so called conservative when they rationalize their lack of spine and fortitude to stand up for principles and flat-out reject the drivel that is being presented before them.
Oooh, ooh. That’s me with the no backbone! You’re right, “my way or the highway” usually works well when you have *NO* clout and nothing to offer.
They don’t need Republican votes. They can cram down whatever garbage they want to down our throats. So instead of making it suck *less*, you want our elected representatives to sit back and let it happen, just so they don’t get blamed for it.
That’s not representation at all. It’s called cutting off your nose to spite your face.
> Democrats were nervous about having to shoulder the entire blame for this monstrosity.
Then what do we elect our leaders for? So they can work together? Or so they can shift blame?
If the only options on the table are to either work together (and have most of our ideas rejected), OR, sit back and point fingers at how bad their ideas are….then I’ll pick working together every-time. I understand it would be more like working “for” them, not “with” them…but at least we are working towards a solution and we have a voice.
> Instead of having a seat at the table we should be flipping it over and walking out when these terrible options are presented.
Ya, good idea. That’s how we get things done. Git R done!!
“Then what do we elect our leaders for? So they can work together? Or so they can shift blame?
If the only options on the table are to either work together (and have most of our ideas rejected), OR, sit back and point fingers at how bad their ideas are….then I’ll pick working together every-time. I understand it would be more like working “for” them, not “with” them…but at least we are working towards a solution and we have a voice.”
- “Working together” is simply code for spending money.
Jeff – I’m sorry but I really have to disagree with you on this one. Socialized health care, whether it is bipartisan or just Democrat, is counter to what this country stands for. It will result in worse care, more expensive care, and in some instances no care. And once we get it, we won’t be able to get rid of it. Grassley or any other Republican trying to work with the Democrats on this will only help the socialist agenda. There is no good way to negotiate this. Look at every other government program – they never solve a problem, they create more. Why would you want our side to be a part of it? The only thing that can come from that is more distrust from the public for Republicans.
CD–I tend to agree with you that the market can do wonders. However, how can you say what you say to Jeff when Medicare and Medicaid have worked very well in providing a safety net for older and disabled Americans. I offer these programs up as government programs that have indeed solved serious societal problems. Would you ever propose getting rid of these programs?
Mod: Being of senior citizen age, I would say that “yes”, I want to get rid of these programs. While they may be great for me, the truth is that as usual, government either lied to the American people or made a huge error in estimating the cost of the programs.
They are headed toward bankruptcy the way it is and now we want to heap on more programs?
I can provide for my own medical coverage, thank you, if goverment would get out of the way and stop mandating additional coverage.
It is because of Big Government that we are in this fix and I have zero confidence they have the ability to improve it one bit.
That aside, exactly what do we expect Senator Grassley to do? He’s not Super Man. Frankly, I want it all gone but that is not realistic.
MIE – I can’t believe you are using Medicare and Medicaid as your examples….I don’t even know how to respond to that!
CD–your answer isn’t helpful. Tell me how I am wrong.
Mod: The Washington elites that wanted this socialistic crap implemented as usual, lied through their teeth when selling the American people on this idea of Medicare, Medicaid and all the rest of their socialistic programs.
They manufacture these numbers as to how much it’s going to cost and then lo, and behold, it’s many times the numbers they used to fool the American people.
I do not believe one word that comes out of these Marxists in DC.
Just today we get word that the “Cash for Clunkers” program that they said was funded through Nov. ran out of money in less than a week.
I don’t want these incompetents anywhere near implementing socialized medicine and the only ones that would are those who have a room temperature IQ.
Grassley is not our problem. Our problems are Boswell, Braley, Loebsack and Harkin.
They are the ones that need to be in our bullseye.
Deace–whoa a second. I am not aware of a single industrialized Western country that does not have a program like Medicaid or Medicare. The reason I bring this up is that certainly an argument can be made that there must be a safety net for those that can no longer participate fully in the economy. I agree these programs are not free market in nature but don’t you agree they have worked well for seniors and the very poor? In fact, it sounds like they have worked for you.
Mod: Do you not care how much your health care costs others?
This is where we run into trouble. Everyone votes in what they consider their own best interest instead of what is right.
I believe it is wrong to expect others to pay for my health care.
Wouldn’t you like for just once for some program to cost less than projected? How far do you want this to go?
Wasn’t it RR who said that when we start paying to be poor, we’ll have lots of poor people? Guess what, he was right.
Deace–so what do you propose as the “right” alternative.
MIE – Medicaid and Medicare are bankrupt. How is that a success story? Sure they’ve been useful for some of our most needy but they’ve been abused like almost no other program in the history of government. We have people using our tax dollars to pay for their medical care or cable tv, new cars, Nintendo Wii, or whatever else they are buying instead of investing in insurance. I still can’t believe you used those programs as your example…holy smokes.
CD–we use are tax dollars for lots of things. Even this post’s hero, Bill Salier takes from the government teat. Perhaps even you, CD, were the receipient of a student loan. I, like you, tend to believe in the power of the market but I do believe that some things are better left to the government. Relying on worn out nostroms like poor people using tax dollars for cable TV do not advance the argument. I would argue that these programs have improved the lives of millions who otherwise would have had to live out their lives in abject poverty.
Mod: I told you I won’t be happy until it’s all gone and the unemployment rate in DC is fifty percent.
Then people provide their own health care. If states want to implement something for the truly needy who truly cannot provide for themselves, then ok but the federal govt. has no business appropriating one cent for health care.
Eventually it will collapse. I would prefer that we are in control of phasing it out but I doubt that will happen.
What is happening now in DC is lunacy.
Mod: I thought we were closer on the issues than this. The welfare state is responsible for the slide in the culture. It is human nature to be lazy and when big government comes in and says they will provide, there are those who are very happy to let them.
Parents are willing to let big government provide meals for their children. We’ve even gone so far now as to see summer lunch programs and breakfast programs. Of course, this allows these families to pay for big screen TVs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco, etc.
Welfare should only be available to those in an extreme circumstance through no fault of their own.
Sorenson was on the money and even laid low on several other issues and comments that Grassley has made over the last couple years. He was well within his rights as a citizen and a voter. The fact that he’s an elected representative just gives him a louder voice that Grassley might hear in Washington.
I think the time for playing nice and worrying about whether we’re being tactful enough with guys on “our team”. We need people to speak up that are not consumed by the potential political fallout. The way we’ve been doing business these last several is not working.
Grassley will be using his August recess to go to counties holding forums. It is an opportunity to talk to him.
The more important event to attend is that of Boswell, Braley, Loebsack and Harkin–if you can find them.
Harkin only comes back to Iowa on a rare occasion and Boswell, Braley and Loebsack will be mighty scarce, too.
We’ll be able to tell who has the most courage to face constituents by their number of public forums in Aug.
We also do not have to worry about King and Latham.
Keep looking for Boswell, Loebsack, Braley and Harkin. Report if you find a sighting.
Kent did the right thing. Finally, someone demanding that our elected reps actually represent the voter instead of himself.
Rep. Sorenson’s piece was well stated. Ever since Grassley made the gaffe about “quit or fall on your sword and commit suicide,” I have had some serious concerns about him. I like him, I think he is an honorable man, I think he has served Iowa well, but maybe it’s about time for him to turn the reigns over to someone else. I am concerned about his age, especially if he runs again. I like term limits that prevent politicians from making a career out of being a senator or representative. Grassley will be 76 next month. I think it is time for some fresh new conservative blood in the party. That’s yet another reason I hope TEB doesn’t run for governor again in 2010. Republicans don’t need to beat each other up, we need to target our energies at liberals who would give away the farm without blinking an eye, and then tax you for having owned it in the first place. I think Rep. Sorenson said some things that needed to be said.
Polly: I agree with much of what you have said. I’ll even defend Grassley’s “gaffe” about falling on the sword or committing suicide” as I understand the context in which it was made.
The only problem with it was that he should have known there will be those who would sieze upon the opportunity to make a mountain out of a molehill.
Not only does he have the libs at his throat, he has conservatives. He has served honorably and this should be his last term. This is no time to be thinking about replacing him.
You are absolutely correct that we need to target libs who will destroy us.
Grassley is a kid compared to Sheets Byrd.
Sorenson had every right to say what he said but it would have been much better to have written Grassley a private letter. We don’t need to be doing these kinds of things in public. Let’s save it for the RATS.
Grassley is a public official that has made public comments and taken public actions. It is perfectly acceptable to address him in an open letter. Quite frankly, more Republicans need to hold Grassley’s feet to the fire. He won’t back off unless he feels the heat.
There should be no sacred cows and Kent Sorenson has as much right to make his views public on these harmful compromises as any of us.
With the discussion on Health Care Reform being so far away from the reforms we could probably agree on any compromise seems dangerous and the seriousness of the situation warrants some drastic actions in order to stop this madness before it does irreparable damage to our country, or liberty and our economy.
A family member the other day made a statement that he doesn’t have health insurance and it is his business as to why not and no one else’s. Bottom line today is Obama thinks it is the government’s business to mandate coverage for everyone regardless of circumstances and make it their business.