In a huddle with progressives at Netroots Nation, Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)–an outspoken Democrat from a conservative, upstate district–says Sen. Chuck Grassley’s comments about end-of-life care constitute “an act of treason.”
Grassley told a crowd of health care reform skeptics they were right to be concerned that, under Democratic health care legislation, the government would “pull the plug on grandma.” Dishonest? Yes. But treason?
Now, on the one hand, Massa is a former military officer, and so should know perfectly well what is treason and what isn’t. But he’s also a former Republican, and apparently hasn’t yet lost the “when in doubt, accuse of treason” reflex.
As a Democrat–and serving in a Republican-leaning district–Massa has eclectic views. He broke with the GOP over the Iraq war and plans to vote for single payer health care. But he opposes the health care plans the administration supports on cost grounds, and supported closing the southern border after the swine flu outbreak was traced to Mexico.