I didn’t even bother covering this in my critique yesterday because, to be perfectly honest, it isn’t really that big of a deal. Joe Wilson, representative of South Carolina, yelled out “You Lie!” when President Obama talked about illegal immigrants not being included. First of all, Mr. Wilson (anyone else think of Dennis the Menace?) is wrong on that point. Was the language of the bill VERY ambiguous at one point? Yes. Could one interpret that as a reason to be concerned about illegal immigrants getting tax payer money for health care? Of course. However, to my understanding (and if I triple check and I’m wrong I’ll of course post a retraction) that language was changed so that the illegal immigrants were not included. Was Joe Wilson aware fo that at the time that he decided to yell out? I’m assuming that he was not, since he probably knew that he would be held under a microscope for interupting in such a fashion. Now, of course, we analyze whether or not he should have yelled out in the first place. Would I have done it? Hmmm…probably not. Not at something like that. That was a professional address to Congress and to America, not a town hall meeting. Also, Joe Wilson is a MEMBER of Congress. If he considers himself an activist, he should reconsider his self analysis and perhaps realize that shouting at the President is not the way to accomplish anything. Especially not when this is the time for Republicans to gain the upper hand and squash universal health care. Bad political move.
However, as I stated above, I didn’t write about it because I really didn’t care. I didn’t even bother looking up what he had said (because you couldn’t tell when you were watching the address) and I didn’t bother looking up WHO said it. And I can guarantee there were a hell of a lot of Americans who felt the same as me: that this whole thing was completely blown out of proportion. Whats worse, is Wilson APOLOGIZED. Now, let me put myself in that situation:
My emotions get the best of me, and I yell out to the President of the United States that he is a liar. Afterwords, I double check the facts. After silently cursing at myself for being wrong, I make a public statement that I was wrong on this certain issue, however I am SURE to hammer the point home that this WAS an issue earlier on and the fact that it was EVEN CONSIDERED is disrespectful to good, tax paying Americans who shouldn’t have to pay for the illegal immigrant who won’t follow the rules OR the selfish business that hires the illegal immigrant KNOWINGLY and then neglects to contact the proper authorities. I go on and on and on about computerized citizenship programs and the inefficiencies of the designated taxpayer programs that have failed time and again…you all get the picture. What I DON’T do is let the Democrats USE this to hurt my political career like they have. And though I agree with Kevin that there’s nothing wrong with telling another Republican hes a moron, the quotes from the RIGHT side of the aisle were just as bad as THE LEFT:”Sen. John McCain, Obama’s recent opponent, chimed in on CNN to call it “totally disrespectful” and was one of several senior Republicans to urge Wilson to apologize.” AP news article.
Of course Arlen Spector suggested a law against such outbursts, but that’s par for the course when it comes to a lobotomized walking corpse with no spine who switches parties so that he can win reelection. But I digress.
Another thing that I found AWFULLY funny was how the Democrats and the media have went after Wilson for doing nothing more than what Democrats did to Bush. Here are but a few examples:
Bush being heckled at 2004 State of the Union address when he mentioned reforming Social Security.
Bush being Booed at 2005 State of the Union address when he talked of cutting spending.
Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.) called Bush a liar during Congressional hearings in 2007
In 2006 Harry Reid, while speaking to a group of high school students, said this: “The man’s father is a wonderful human being,” Reid, D-Nev., told students at Del Sol High School when asked about the president’s policies. “I think this guy is a loser.” Granted, it isn’t quite the same as yelling out during a speech, but is still inappropriate.
Both Vermont and New Mexico Democrats passed motions asking Congress to begin impeachment throughout Bush’s presidency. For what? WHY, the Iraq war, or course!
These are but a few examples that took me all of about 8 minutes to find. Yet ONE Republican speaks out and calls Obama a liar and suddenly every progressive blog online is SCREAMING at the top of its collective lung that this is proof that Republicans will lose the fight. If THIS is the reason that the health care battle loses, then quite frankly this nation has become too dumb to operate independently and should be retaken by the British.
This post cross posted at www.ktracy.com and linked at www.mattersofopinion.net
