Taxpayers Spend $73,000 on Alan Grayson DVDs
by PubliusFrom the Orlando Sentinel:
If U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson were a rock star, his latest PR blitz — a DVD sent to tens of thousands of Central Florida residents — would be called Grayson’s Greatest Hits.
The 90-minute disc features video highlights from his first term in office, including one of him grilling Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and another in which the Orlando Democrat preaches on the need to teach schoolchildren about the U.S. Constitution.
The DVD comes wrapped inside a mailer covered with promotional slogans: “Congressman Alan Grayson, Hard at Work for You,” “He works hard. He pays attention. He gets things done,” and “Video DVD Inside: Watch Congressman Grayson in Action!”
In many ways, it’s the perfect campaign video — with one key difference.
Thanks to perks given to all members of Congress, it’s not Grayson’s campaign but taxpayers who footed the nearly $73,000 bill to produce and mail the DVD to 100,000 homes in Grayson’s district of Lake, Marion, Orange and Osceola counties.
It’s a stunt that drew howls from Republicans, who complained that Grayson was abusing the congressional privilege of franking that allows lawmakers to send taxpayer-paid newsletters and other mail to residents.
“This is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars, and it goes to show that Alan Grayson is completely out of touch with Central Florida,” said state Rep. Kurt Kelly of Ocala, one of seven Republicans looking to unseat Grayson this fall.
“This is just ridiculous behavior. What congressman would do this in the face of a huge budget deficit?” he asked.
Continue reading here. Color us unsurprised.
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109 Comments
Grayson is INSANE!
The face of the enemy.
Central FL. – cleanse the house of this jerk.
Grayson is more conservative and patriotic than most Republicans! He needs to switch parties.
$73,000 for the "highlights"???? How much is the much larger DVD showing the "lowlights" and embarrassments?
Who would want to watch this DVD? I wouldn't even want to watch it if it was of a Congressman I supported…
Can you supply some examples? I'm open to the argument you've made, but you've got to back it up with something…
What is more insane is the people who voted him into office.
This guy is a waste of flesh and blood, like the rest of the Fed Administration right now. ,We, the tax payers, who WORKED for that Tax Money, that the Fed Govt. spends on Socialist causes, are disgusted.
You're history Grayson, and the Dems, Obama, Czars and Intl Alliances that all believe in Dictatorships have to be eliminated too. No, we will not allow your further push to Communism. Get out of our White House, and take the toxic Unions with you.
Grayson is a kosher POS.
Gentle Readers,
Dear Publius,
Read the Sentinel Article twice, and it's not quite clear: Grayson apparently abused the franking privilege ( free mail for Congressmen – but not supposed to be used for political campaigns, just official business ), but did taxpayers pay to produce the DVD as well?
Sincerely,
John Lepant Brighton CO
This guys' head is almost as big as Obama's. He really does love himself. Can't wait til he loses (and a poll today says he's down several points)
Grayson is the most Bomb bastic idiot I have seen in Washington. How could anyone vote for this mean spirited Liberal? I know the left likes to use him as a bomb thrower whether or not he has any real facts before he hurls his hate towards anyone who might disagree with him or his band of Socialists/Marxist. Speaking of hurl this guy is one sickening jerk, but then he is a Liberal.
We're not going to waste our time with your bait-playing games. Go away. We hate feeding Trolls. It's buying in to the "distration" game of the Socialist Democrats. Bye!
I don't know.
Bwarney Fwank is pwetty bwombastic……….
Could you care to elaberate how Grayson is conservative or patriotic at all. After what I have seen with him, he is the perfect fit of an ignorant uber leftist democrat.
But regardless of side, this idiot needs to be out of office.
Eat a lime, troll. You suffer from scurvy of the mind.
Grayson is a great example of what you get when you get anywhere near Democrats. The re-distribution of our Tax Dollars to Socialist Marxists like this.
eh, I'll give them a chance to correct their mistake before criticizing them. They might not have known he was this wacky when they voted for him the first time. The Republican they kicked out was a boob so they might have thought he'd be better. If they re-elect him then I'll think they are insane.
When he first came in, it seemed he was going to be a fiscal hound…he went after overspending like a hawk…and then he turned out to be another mind-numbed progressive hack.
Not to change the subject from Alan Grayson, but there is another Congressperson from Florida who is just as idiotic and wrong headed. The knappy headed Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
What would Grayson know about the constitution that he and his party routinely dismiss?
Grayson is a lunatic on display
Egggggggactly, shamballa,
Their candidate, their taxes, their problem. When they get sick of it, perhaps they will do something about it. Or not. Who cares? I don't…do you? People looney enough to send this joke to DC deserve exacely what they got.
Grow some ballz and ditch him or don't. Either way won't bother me one bit. The more he talks, the more America listens, and resolves to
1) NEVER ELECT ANYONE LIKE HIM
2) GET RID OF ANYONE ALREADY THERE, LIKE HIM
WIN….WIN.
Step away from the keyboard, put that 'thing' back in your pants, and zip up. you sticky fingered troll…..
Here's what you need to know about his highness Alan Grayson:
MyCongressmanIsNuts
I only have one question for the Floridian Jewish Democrat community. Can you not do better that Grayson & Wasserman-Schultz? Is that the best you've got?
What exactly is your definition of a conservative?
This is just more proof that the chuckle heads in dc need to receive pink slips!
Over and over! On and on! One after the other! Let's get some change we can believe in! Vote in November!
And Grayson says, "Let them eat cake!"
All,
We really need to clean out congress and establish term limits. We need honest, true conservative people in our government at all levels…socialism does NOT work. Just look at all the socialist states out there!!!!!!
I believe the legislative branch has been neutered by the executive branch….time to get it back.
You guys are becoming incredibly naive. Don't get your hopes up people. Just look at Nevada. Everyone talked about Reid like he was a gonner. It only took one add painting Angle as extreme and idiotic Nevadans went running back to Reid. Every other state will follow suit. Repubs are barely ahead BEFORE the Dems begin their fiery onslaught of character assasination and fearmongering. They, in collusion with the media, will reverse these poll numbers easily before election day.
Agree with you on that one except, i don't think Schultz has stepped into the certifiably insane category….yet.
BTW, like the spelling change in your description.
Overwhelm The System
Wayne Allyn Root
Barrack Obama is no fool. He is not incompetent. To the contrary, he is brilliant. He knows exactly what he's doing. He is purposely overwhelming the U.S. economy to create systemic failure, economic crisis and social chaos — thereby destroying capitalism and our country from within.
Barack Obama is my college classmate (Columbia University , class of '83). Obama is following the plan of Cloward and Piven, two professors at Columbia University. They outlined a plan to socialize America by overwhelming the system with government spending and entitlement demands. Add up the clues below. Taken individually they're alarming. Taken as a whole, it is a brilliant, Machiavellian game plan to turn the United States into a socialist/Marxist state with a permanent majority that desperately needs government for survival … and can be counted on to always vote for bigger government. Why not? They have no responsibility to pay for it.
What a bloated and smug liar in the most extreme.
Is that with or without dill? just asking….
I dont know if Grayson is even able to read. You can tell that by the way he gives speaches and lectures.
Like his speach over the healthcare bill, he just decribed the democrat party perfectly. Its not the republicans that want you to DIE QUICKLY, but the democrats. Afterall, we have a czar put into office who wants to use the failed centralized healthcare system Britin was using.
– Universal Health Care. The health care bill has very little to do with health care. It has everything to do with unionizing millions of hospital and health care workers, as well as adding 15,000 to 20,000 new IRS agents (who will join government employee unions). Obama doesn't care that giving free health care to 30 million Americans will add trillions to the national debt. What he does care about is that it cements the dependence of those 30 million voters to Democrats and big government. Who but a socialist revolutionary would pass this reckless spending bill in the middle of a depression?
– Cap & Trade. Like health care legislation having nothing to do with health care, cap and trade has nothing to do with global warming. It has everything to do with redistribution of income, government control of the economy and a criminal payoff to Obama's biggest contributors. Those powerful and wealthy unions and contributors (like GE, which owns NBC, MSNBC and CNBC) can then be counted on to support everything Obama wants. They will kickback hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions to Obama and the Democratic Party to keep them in power. The bonus is that all the new taxes on Americans with bigger cars, bigger homes and businesses helps Obama "spread the wealth around."
– Make Puerto Rico a State. Why? Who's asking for a 51st state? Who's asking for millions of new welfare recipients and government entitlement addicts in the middle of a depression? Certainly not American taxpayers. But this has been Obama's plan all along. His goal is to add two new Democrat senators, five Democrat congressman and a million loyal Democratic voters who are dependent on big government.
– Legalize 12 Million Illegal Immigrants. Just giving these 12 million potential new citizens free health care alone could overwhelm the system and bankrupt America . But it adds 12 million reliable new Democrat voters who can be counted on to support big government. Add another few trillion dollars in welfare, aid to dependent children, food stamps, free medical, education, tax credits for the poor, and eventually Social Security.
– Stimulus & Bailouts. Where did all that money go? It went to Democrat contributors, organizations (ACORN), and unions — including billions of dollars to save or create jobs of government employees across the country. It went to save GM and Chrysler so that their employees could keep paying union dues. It went to AIG so that Goldman Sachs could be bailed out (after giving Obama almost $1 million in contributions). A staggering $125 billion went to teachers (thereby protecting their union dues). Al l those public employees will vote loyally Democrat to protect their bloated salaries and pensions that are bankrupting America . The country goes broke, future generations face a bleak future, but Obama, the Democrat Party, government, and the unions grow more powerful. The ends justify the means.
Every once of awhile, this imbecile escapes from his restraints and gets in front of a camera.
GO TEA PARTIES U.S.A. – NOVEMBER, VOTE THE DIRTY COMMIE RATS OUT
– Raise Taxes on small business owners, high-income earners, and job creators. Put the entire burden on only the top 20 percent of taxpayers, redistribute the income, punish success, and reward those who did nothing to deserve it (except vote for Obama). Reagan wanted to dramatically cut taxes in order to starve the government. Obama wants to dramatically raise taxes to starve his political opposition.
With the acts outlined above, Obama and his regime have created a vast and rapidly expanding constituency of voters dependent on big government; a vast privileged class of public employees who work for big government; and a government dedicated to destroying capitalism and installing themselves as socialist rulers by overwhelming the system.
Add it up and you've got the perfect Marxist scheme — all devised by my Columbia University college classmate Barack Obama using the Cloward and Piven Plan.
There are people that will simply read and delete this… maybe not read it at all.
There are others that are so wrapped up with Obama-mania that they will never accept any criticism of him.
There are those that say, 'I'm too old to worry about this crap… it's not going to affect me'!
Finally, there are professional blood-suckers that live off everyone else's sweat — they want more 'Free Stuff'. And we all know where they stand.
If you care about your future, or maybe your children or grandchildren's future, do something now.
Vote the bums out of office this November.
Boooo… Get off the stage! Your jokes are horrible!
One Flew of the Washington Cuckoo's Nest.
The question is will they stand with the rest of the country?
"Grayson is more conservative and patriotic than most Republicans! He needs to switch parties."
Grayson is more twisted and deranged than most democrats. He needs to switch meds.
" nearly $73,000 bill to produce and mail the DVD to 100,000 homes in Grayson's district of Lake, Marion, Orange and Osceola counties."
Sounds like it to me.
What a tool!
Why is it that taxpayers have to foot the bill for such waste? To pay for such garbage, funds should come from campaign donations or his party's war chest rather than my wallet. That is just a waste and misuse of taxpayers' hard earned cash that flows into our spendthrift government's coffers. No wonder we have such high debt.
It's time to remember that good, old Ben Franklin said watch out for the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves. This concept must be forced upon congress and their bottom feeding trolls.
You should stop smoking crack!
The total sum plus. ; 0 )
No no no. This little grayson political campaign stunt wasn't REALLY a political campaign stunt at all. It's really a "jobs program." Between video editors and DVD duplicators, this program created or saved 2 jobs. For about a week. At a cost of only $73,000. /s
Maj. Gen.Jerry R Curry (Ret.) Speaks Out On The Obama Eligibility Issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO8n4Pij158
I hear he smells really bad,
like old cheese & dirty feet
we know he's a nose picker
and may have a brain tumor.
C'mon people, see the silver lining already!
Where else can you get a comedy DVD mailed to you for less than 75 cents?
What's he doing in Florida,……?????
Come home Alan where you belong
You'd better believe that I'll be first in line when the polls open down here to cast my vote against this idiot. He's an embarassment to his district and to Congress.
BTW, we're starting to see lots of bumper stickers here that read, "My Congressman is nuts."
Against Big Business (which is indistinguishable from Big Government.)
Against the Fed Reserve (or at least against them acting unaccountably.)
Against Big Government foreign wars for no reason (other than Big Business and foreign entities)
He is most like the most conservative member in the GOP – Ron Paul!
For individual citizen and against the collective.
That's not exactly true. There are not people going back to Harry Reid in droves. The people of Nevada aren't that stupid.
Need to explain a little bit further than that.
Huh? I asked the guy to actually back up his opinion with some examples. What's the problem with that?
Grayson … a smug ass-wipe
Thanks for the response. Your second and third points are good ones, but I'm not so sure about the first. His voting record it pretty mixed on that one. At times he's opposed big business and at others voted right along with them.
He needs to be fitted for an orange jumpsuit!
People voted him in, so they'll have to live with him until they can vote him out. If they don't vote him out – they'll just have to suffer. He's so crazy, he needs to be put away. But the people that voted for this kook are even crazier than he is.
Question, you probably wouldn't know, but I just have this feeling that his grades were way below average. Do you have a feeling for how he did in school? He seems extraordinarily lazy and he's gone to great lengths to cover up is his college record. After hearing him talk extemporaneously, it's clear to me that he can't think on feet. He sounds like a blabbering idiot frankly.
He also needs to be fitted for straight-jacket and sent to the county mental ward.
While I share your skepticism, I do think that there is also a case to made for motivation. And largely the Dem base is de-motivated and the pro freedom / liberty base is highly motivated. That motivation can overcome a 5% difference easily. So Reid better be up by more than 5% or he's toast. Remember we never thought we get rid of a Daschle either.
Grayson is certifiably insane; as a matter of fact I read an article that said he was institutionalized for 4 days. It's not surprising, most democrats should be institutionalized. And what kind of bureaucrat clown makes a "greatest hits" of his delusional ramblings? A ,mentally defective leftwing bureaucrat.
Thats not what I asked, how is he or what has he done to make you think Grayson is a conservative?
i still challenge this man-boy to a fistfight.
Franking is well-established and a legitimate use of government. So long as the video was not used for campaign purposes, there is nothing illegal or wrong about this. While I don't believe that the mail system need be a government service, it is established as such in our Constitution. As such, notifications and updates to constituents via the mail is a legitimate service.
I'd actually prefer if all legislators would put together a review each year and mail it out.
Considering that Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster General under the Continental Congress, and that this practice was well established during his tenure, I'd wager to guess that your opinion on the matter would be at odds with his.
Gentle Readers,
Dear sisterugler1,
Thank you for the favor of your reply:
That is only 73cents per home ( 100,000 / $73,000 ), which might cover the mailing, but I don't think it would actually cover the DVD production costs.
If Grayson used tax dollars to actually produce the DVD, it may be a violation of laws or ethics rules.
Just guessing: from my experience this type of production should cost at least $10,000 to produce, and unit DVD costs should be on the order of 75 cents – $1.00 for facelabel, duplication and a basic sleeve.
http://www.discmakers.com has a public price list.
I think the mailing abuse is just the tip of the iceberg on this.
Sincerely,
J Lepant Brighton CO
Capt Numbskull makes a dinosaur look smart. Maybe we should rename him Alan the deep purple dinoturd.
Tater-Ive heard wayne Allyn Root speak before, with Bill Cunningham recently. The only thing Ive never heard from him is a solution. I KNOW THE PROBLEM. What I need is a group of like-minded Americans who want a solution.
To be fair, he didn't say Grayson was a "conservative", he said he was "more conservative…than most Republicans." There's a difference. There are a lot of elected Republicans out there who I wouldn't consider conservative at all.
He's not from my district (thank GOD!), but he is an absolute embarrassment to my state!! Luckily, I do have a worthy candidate for District 5, Jason Sager…
this is essentially using taxpayer money to campaign for yourself.
shameful.
The votes have been counted and it is official Alan Grayson is the new King Jackass!
Help us get rid of Grayson. Take a second and vote for Patricia Sullivan in this week's Ten Buck Fridays poll at RightKlik http://www.rightklik.net/2010/07/ten-buck-fridays... PLEEEASE help us fire Grayson.
But he is in favor of Big Government – he would use that to "stop" Big Business.
Agreeing with him is like agreeing with Michael Moore – we both see huge problems in what Washington does, but for opposite reasons. They are mad about Obamacare because it serves Big Pharma and all that and doesn't completely take control of all medicine for the Government, while we are mad about it because it takes WAY TOO MUCH CONTROL of medicine for the Government.
So, sorry, just because he disagrees with the corporatist progressives doesn't make him a conservative.
True. I'd get rid of Collins or Graham in a heartbeat. But Grayson… he's worse than the corporatists from a conservative perspective. To be clear, both are pretty bad – and I can say I appreciate that he is honest about what he's doing – but man, he is WAY out there
Oh, I see where your coming from. I didn't look at it that way because I could produce that real cheap. Already have but, I'm not in the business of doing that. I would guess he's got staffers doing it…cheap. But, if not, then your right. The number's don't add up. Follow the money.
Ya, that's where I don't see Grayson as very conservative – he doesn't fight against the main form of the "collective" – the Leviathan State.
this guy has the appeareance of a child predator.
Grayson is a frequent guest on "The Big, Dumb, Ed Show" on MESSNBC. It's hilaroius watching them try to out- dimwit each other.
That picture just made me vomit a little in my mouth! YUK!! He is a dirt bag!!
He should have to repay all of it, plus interest.
if he's for the individual and against the collective, then he would have opposed the health care bill.
Good comedy is hard to come buy – he's fishing for votes by handing it out for free <g>
Return To Sender!
Um, he voted FOR Obamacare, accusing the Republicans of wanting people to die.
I don't see how that's conservative. You are a moron.
Congress giving themselves perks like this is another argument for term limits.
Yet another little reason for taxpayers to unite….
You are vacuous dullard!
Dear sistyulgler1,
Right: Even if he had volunteers make the Dupe Master DVD, duplicating, printing face labels and sleeves for 100,000 would have to cost some money.
If he used taxdollars, or as you suggest, government paid staff, there could be some violations.
Sincerely,
John Lepant Brighton CO
If Grayson were a rock star, the group would have to be GWAR – google it.
ÍQue Pendejo!
God please forgive my uncharitable thoughts. I'm a fairly calm peaceful person, but this wretch really irks me. He is one of the congressmen I truly despise. Grayson you Flagrant LIAR!
one word: JERK!
I'm sure that must be against the law. To use taxpayer money to fund your re-election campaign.
This is getting ridiculous. They do whatever they want with our money and no one even tries to stop it.
Why aren't the Republicans standing up and protesting this?
Greyson is a hero. If any person below the top 2% eleite in this country vote for a singel Republican, they need to have their heads examined.
Greyson is not afraid to tell the truth. The Republican Senate has shut down our government and refuses to pass legislation that they co-sponsored just to prevent our president from doing what is right for the non-elite in this country. Republican senators and some consevative democtats are nothing less than whores for big business and seek to destroy our middle class. Witness the blocking of local bank funding for small businesses.
The employed and well heeled in this country would be singing another tune concerning health care if they were denied coverage. The motto is "I've got mine. Screw the otherss".
I've just donated $100 to the Grayson campaign. Do you really want to go back to the kind of Republican government that has brought our country to it's knees and killed the middle class?
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