Why, Specifically, Alan Grayson Is The First Candidate Blue America Is Endorsing For 2016

The CRomnibus was pretty horrible because of all the garbage transactional conservatives-- Republicans and a few legislators from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party-- attached to it. All the House Members we respect voted against it, including, of course, Alan Grayson. I don't think it was easy for Grayson to vote NO. He had 9 amendments in it that he'd been working to get passed for over a year. This was his only shot. Here's how he described the 9 bills-- that were turned into amendments-- after the CRomnibus passed; all 9 are middle class tax cuts:

• Do you have a mortgage that exceeds 80% of the value of your home? I got you a tax break on your mortgage insurance. That was my bill H.R. 3941.

• Do you live in a state that taxes sales more than income? I got you tax break on your state and local sales taxes. That was my bill H.R. 3942.

• Are you in college, or do you pay for a family member in college? I got you a tax break on tuition. That was my bill H.R. 3943.

• Do you want to make charitable contributions from your IRA? I got you a tax deduction for that. That was my bill H.R. 3944.

• Are you a business owner who employs our active-duty soldiers and sailors? I got you a tax credit for that. That’s my bill H.R. 3946.

• Are you a retailer who has made improvements in your stores? I got you accelerated depreciation for that. That was my bill H.R. 3948.

• Are you a restaurant owner, farmer or food manufacturer who contributes food to the hungry? I got you an extra charitable deduction for that. That was my bill H.R. 3949.

• Are you a homeowner who has made home improvements to cut your energy costs? I got you a tax credit for that. Those were my bills H.R. 3950 and H.R. 3951.

Those aren't the only bills Grayson, the most successful Democrat in working across the aisle to pass legislation for middle and working class families, has been working on. The next one likely to pass is meant to protect military vets from predatory banksters seeking to foreclose on their homes. Even Grayson's local paper, the Orlando Sentinel, a Republican-oriented outlet, has been impressed with his two bills, H.R. 5730 and H.R. 5731, variations on a proposal that protects returning veterans from having their homes foreclosed for a year after they leave the service. It actually already is a law but it expires next week and Grayson's legislation would make it permanent.

Prior to 2009, veterans had a three-month window after they left the military, during which banks could not foreclose on their homes. The idea was to give them time to find civilian jobs and get settled into civilian life. In 2009, during the great recession, that protection was extended to nine months. Last year, it was extended to 12 months, but that law included a sunset clause.

One of Graysons' resolutions proposes making nine months a permanent protection. The other proposes 12 months.

"We're offering these ... to make sure that service men and recent veterans don't lose their homes while they're looking for a job," Grayson said.

From what I can gather, Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn are all on board and backing from the Democratic caucus is unanimous. And Florida Republican Jeff Miller, the chair of the Veteran's Affairs Committee (and a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee), is enthusiastic about the bills as well. It's got to pass by March 31 and Miller is working with Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to make sure it does-- and with a big bipartisan majority.

Of course, Grayson would like to see a Democratic majority in the House-- a progressive Democratic majority-- so he can move to implement the vision of economic justice and fairness that helped first elect him in central Florida against an entrenched GOP incumbent. But he's not sitting around wringing his hands waiting for Ben Ray Luján to figure out where Steve Israel went wrong and what the DCCC has to do to win back the House. And that helps explain why Grayson is the first candidate for Congress Blue America has endorsed for the 2016 cycle. And we're looking for more candidates like him. Have any ideas you want to share with us? And if you'd like to make a contribution to Grayson's reelection campaign-- expect a transactional conservative Democrat to primary him and then a Koch-backed Republican to try as well-- you can do that at the link just above.