In February 2009, Grassley said he wouldn't vote for the stimulus package unless it contained mortgage relief for struggling homeowners even though he held a fundraiser with mortgage industry brass. He also voted against cramdown months after calling for mortgage relief in Sen. Dick Durbin's amendment that would have allowed single residence homeowners to reshuffle their mortgage if they were falling behind on payments. The law currently allows multiple residence homeowners to do this for their vacation homes and yachts.
Now, Grassley says the deal breaker for him in health reform is the individual mandate. If folks are penalized for not carrying insurance, he won't support health reform. But last summer he supported the individual mandate in at least 2 interviews.
From the Iowa Independent:
http://iowaindependent.com/20702/grassleys-opposition-to-insurance-mandates-comes-under-fire
Grassley’s opposition to individual insurance mandate comes under fire
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley would not support a health care reform bill that contains individual mandates, regardless of what other compromises are included. But critics contend that Grassley seemed to support the idea throughout the summer, and his newfound opposition is evidence that he is simply trying to obstruct health care reform.
Steve Benen from Washington Monthly hits the nail on the head:
“Why is ‘bipartisan’ health care reform impossible?” Benen asks. “Because leading GOP lawmakers like Chuck Grassley oppose the measures they support.”
Link: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_10/020301.php
*****************************
Iowa Independent piece on Grassley's fake support for mortgage relief from February 2009:
http://iowaindependent.com/11231/grassley-will-support-stimulus-if-mortgage-amendment-is-included
Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley said Wednesday that he will vote for President Barack Obama’s $900-billion economic stimulus bill if an amendment providing low-interest mortgages is added.
“We have an alternative of 4 percent mortgages for 30 years, fixed,” Grassley said, adding: “If this is adopted, I will vote for it, regardless of what else is in the bill.”
*****************************
Grassley fundraiser with the mortgage industry– Sam Stein at Huffington Post writes:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/22/grassley-hosting-fundrais_n_219119.html
Here's the roll call vote: Grassley voted against (cramdown) mortgage relief amendment: