Health care advocates pressure Iowa Sen. Grassley

[Kadie]

Health care advocates pressure Iowa Sen. Grassley
By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer Mike Glover, Associated Press Writer – 22 mins ago

DES MOINES, Iowa – A new television ad campaign seeks to ratchet up pressure on Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley among his constituents to accept sweeping reforms to the nation's health care system, but even his political opponents concede there's little that can be done to scare the veteran Republican lawmaker.

Grassley, who is among three Democrats and three Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee negotiating a health care system overhaul, has been in office since 1956 and seems set to cruise to a sixth term next year.

Democracy for America, a group founded by former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, began running ads in Iowa on Monday that target Grassley, specifically. The ads, which are set to run through next week, argue that "when 76 percent of Americans want something done in Washington, Senators like Chuck Grassley in Iowa better listen if they want to get re-elected in 2010."

Group spokeswoman Mary Rickles said the 76 percent figure is based on a poll conducted in June by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal.

The state chapter of the AARP, Iowa's largest seniors organization with about 400,000 members, is also lobbying Grassley to accept sweeping health care reform. But its director, Bruce Koeppl, concedes there's little that can be done to pressure the 75-year-old senator.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_grassley_health_care


Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, answers a question from Sheryl Prather during a town meeting on health care reform Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009 in Adel, Iowa.
(AP Photo/Steve Pope)

[TomCADem]

1. k&r - Great That We Aren't Giving The GOP A Free Pass

I know some folks don't even bother to attend their townhalls, and write them off, but then they get a free pass while Democrats get attacked by Republicans showing up at their events. Glad that Grassley is not getting a free pass from pro-reform activists.