Reposted. This was first published as a Morning Feature at Daily Kos, a progressive, political blog on Wed., March 31, 2010. I am reposting because this diary contains information about IRS reporting requirements for non-profit hospitals of value to our coalition members. As many of you know, I am a died-in-the-wool leftie. My political opinions are my own and are not shared by the RACHC which is both non-partisan and unopinionated. All council members are welcome to post diaries on the RACHC blog, which exists to encourage public dialogue about health care.)
Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann and other luminaries are skewering Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) for crowing about his insertion of a new IRS rule into the Health Care Reform Bill after first voting against HCR. Because he has publicly mocked and blocked HCR (along with other Republicans), and because the importance of his new rule is only appreciated by hospital financing aficianados, his announcement had the loft in left blogistan of a lead comforter. 
I love Rachel Maddow. I wake up every weekday at 4:30 am to her podcasts. And I am no fan of Chuck Grassley. But I am ecstatic about the Grassley rule. You will be too, once you understand it. If McConnell’s minions were Little Red Riding Hood, the Grassley insertion would be the Big, Bad Wolf dressed like Granny without a death panel in site. (Where are those blasted panels when you need em?)
Grassley has quietly provided communities across the US with a powerful tool to build support for ongoing reform.
The backstory (and the back-backstory) after the jump!
This article is the opinion of the author, and does not represent the beliefs of the RACHC which is a non-opinionated community-based organization!
To the average American working outside of health administration, the anti-Medicare crusade waged during the presidential primary by the always entertaining but rarely sensible crop of wannabes made absolutely no sense. Why would any competent candidate want to campaign against a program beloved by one of America’s most reliable voting blocks?
Why not just amputate your own head?
Apparently, someone has rediscovered the time-worn political maxim (at least, until the day after the election) that you don’t win by loudly proclaiming your intent to divest voters’ of retirement security. The subject was dropped the instant we moved from the primary to the general election campaign.
But don’t worry. Be happy.
The Right Wing in America can be counted on to load their helicopters and assault rifles once again for Medi-Bear.
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