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Senator Grassley Channels Wilson; Maher Asks: “What do Republicans Want a Bleeding Mexican to Do?”

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Earlier this week, Senator Grassley (R-IA) pulled a Wilson.

He claimed that the Baucus health insurance reform bill did not include sufficient provisions to keep undocumented immigrants from accessing care under the proposed health insurance reforms, as if we hadn’t had enough GOP immigration wedge politics in one month.

Watch it here:

Andrea Nill, at the Wonk Room, summarized that rant this way:

Grassley slammed Baucus’ proposed health care plan for not containing REAL ID requirements or provisions that would force the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Social Security Administration to share information to prevent undocumented immigrants with stolen SSNs from collecting benefits. He also feared that undocumented immigrants might be infiltrating Indian tribes and posing as Native Americans, who will be subject to less stringent verification requirement.

Tom Klouda and Thomas Barthold , Senate Finance Committee Professional Staff Members, rebutted Grassley’s arguments, citing expert opinion from the National Association of Medicaid Fraud  that proved that identity theft was an extremely minor concern of Medicaid fraud – thus debunking Grassley’s claims.
 
Is Senator Grassley motivated by the GOP’s political strategy of opposing all health care reform, no matter the cost  (or saved costs) to Americans? The Campaign for America’s Future reports Republican Senator Jim DeMint as saying:

If we are able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.

The same article argues that Grassley, who was elected in Iowa with bipartisan support, is fast losing his Democratic and Independent supporters  — votes that he needs to get reelected.

Using undocumented immigrants as a wedge to sink healthcare is a highly questionable tactic, both morally and politically

But let’s get to the real question.

As Bill Maher asks with piercing humor, “What do Republicans Want a Bleeding Mexican to Do?”:



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