Key House Progressive: It’s Time To Ditch Chuck Grassley From Health Care Negotiations

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Yesterday, I noted that Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)–the powerful ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and chief Republican negotiator in the bipartisan Gang of Six–said he’d vote against his own health care compromise if it didn’t win more than a handful of GOP votes.

That seems to have gotten the attention of some progressives, one of whom took to the cable channels this morning to suggest that the White House ditch Grassley.

“I don’t know what’s the point of negotiating with Chuck Grassley, frankly, if he says himself he can’t deliver any Republicans,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) on MSNBC this morning.

Grassley’s been putting on quite a public show of late, falsely affirming the concerns of some health care reform skeptics that House Democrats will create death panels, and then blaming the controversy on liberals.

For his part, Weiner has become a leading public spokesman for robust health care reform, criticizing the administration for its willingness to compromise, and insisting that health care reform will die in the House without a public option.

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