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Joe Wilson: AP Photo/Harry Hamburg
Much has been made of Representative Joe Wilson’s outburst during President Obama’s address to Congress. It has been called an embarrassment or a black eye to the GOP (as if the GOP is still capable of being embarrassed after 8 years of Bush). It has been used to ridicule the state of South Carolina, already the brunt of plenty of jokes thanks to Mark Sanford. It has been called inappropriate behavior that shows a lack of class, as if being classy is suddenly something we expect from politicians. For the few people who watch MSNBC, they heard the political experts call it racist. On MSNBC, though, every attack on Obama is racist.
As usual, people are focusing on the wrong thing. In the same way that the left has called quoting Van Jones “smear tactics,” people are quick to point out how inappropriate it was for Joe Wilson to call Obama a liar during his address, but they don’t really talk about whether Wilson was right. To me, the president lying during the address is just as inappropriate as a congressman calling him a liar.
People were shocked because Wilson’s outburst was a page out of the liberal playbook, where members of Code Pink, MoveOn.org and ACORN regularly disrupt speeches by Republicans. Liberals are supposed to have the angry anti-establishment niche, and with Republicans, who in recent years have been completely spineless when it comes to confronting opponents, now becoming angry and anti-establishment, people don’t know what to think. Simply put, Wilson was only acting like a liberal, which is the greatest condemnation I can give the man.
Though his outburst was completely inappropriate, I find no fault in Wilson’s message. In fact, the outburst may have helped Republicans, with its controversy causing people to examine Obama’s speech more closely. Sometimes it takes a little bombast to get people’s attention, in the same way that Sarah Palin’s inappropriate “death panels” comment led to a heated debate over end of life issues. In Obama’s speech, he had just finished calling conservatives liars over the death panel issue and then proceeded to tell the people that Obamacare will not benefit illegal immigrants, something that simply is not true. Or in other words, as Wilson was able to figure out, it was a lie.
Obama, of course, has developed a reputation for lying to the people, whether it’s his pledge to use public financing for his campaign, his promise to post all bills on the White House’s website and give the people at least five days to view and comment on them, or his promise to broadcast all healthcare negotiations on CSPAN rather than conducting them behind closed doors. Since healthcare has been his major issue, it’s not surprising that Obama has lied a great deal about that. Obama lied when he said that, even with a public option, anyone happy with their doctor and insurance can keep it. Obama lied when he said that requiring insurance companies to cover, at no extra cost, preventive care for everyone would save money. The myth of preventive care as cheaper for society is simple enough for anyone with a grasp of economics or common sense to debunk. Just ask the Congressional Budget Office.
And, of course, there is the lie to which Wilson objected. The Center for Immigration Studies reported that Obamacare could benefit 6.6 million illegal immigrants, costing taxpayers an estimated $31 billion. The Congressional Research Service stated that Obamacare “does not contain any restrictions on noncitizens – whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently – participating in the exchange.” The CRS also noted that there is no requirement for people to present proof of citizenship for coverage. In July, Republican Representative Nathan Deal proposed an amendment that would require identity verification for coverage, but the amendment was defeated by the House.
President Obama’s stated purpose for the speech was to correct any “misinformation” out there about Obamacare, to set the record straight and refute the lies. He then went on to spread his own unique brand of misinformation and lies. It’s understandable why Joe Wilson was upset, though he should have saved his response for a press conference after the speech. What it all comes down to is this. What Joe Wilson did was a major breach of etiquette. What Obama is doing, though, is much worse.
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Comments
Being appropriate is what's causing the problem in the first place.
The appropriate time for Wilson to make that comment would be in the Oval Office in front of Obama face-to-face, where it has no chance of being heard or considered by the media or the American public.
The system wants you to be appropriate. Don't be! Speak your mind, speak it loudly, and speak it NOW!
And, unlike Wilson (it's pretty sad that Sarah Palin has bigger balls than he does), don't back down when you do!
Stupid article.
Anyways, Wilson opponent has raised more money then him thanks to his "You Lie" comment. The Republican party is the party of "hell no" and pettiness.
It is racist because Wilson is against immigrants and it's obvious.
Factcheck.org debunked the immigration myth, as did politifact.com; ergo Joe Wilson was the liar.
seem like wilson and you are the liars. all you write are claims claims claims. check your sources. and stop being racist. US health care system sucks for so many misfortunate people. and it's so incredibly selfish and inhumane that those few who are benefiting from it, won't support the change, that can save many lives. and then they invent lies about Obama to trun people against him!
Until this episode, most of us had never heard of Mr. Wilson. Having watched his press interview shortly after the GOP insisted on his apology, it was clear he was only doing what he had been directed to do. An apology without sincerity is a lie. He stated that the outburst was spontaneous implying that he was emotionally overwhelmed by the "lies" Obama was saying about illegal immigrants not being covered under the proposed health bill. That apparently was also incorrect, but some would debate that interpretation. I just don't see how he could get that upset. Lying is what gets polititions elected in the first place.
Wall Street Journal unlike FactCheck and Snopes pointed out that OBAMA's keeping illegal immigrants from getting government health care is completely wrong so Wilson is correct. FactCheck & SNOPES are political tools and who's checking them?
Yeah, sticking with reality on this one: A dozen+ lies in this post, and still the Warpublicans have NO answer for health care reform, just paranoid fears induced by America's gretest enemies, the propagandists in Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and their ilk who have caused the divide in our nation (along with Bush's extreme damage to the nation, the source that created our current situations.)
I'll stick with a Pulitzer prize winning site in Politifact to prove Wilson a liar, as well as my own Mensa level IQ that is capable of understanding facts from the crap like this above.
Apparently you elitist snobs and your Mensa IQs somehow exempt you from literacy.
Allow me to quote from HR3000, the first iteration of the bill:
SEC. 211. ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICES.
(a) In General- All individuals while within the United States are eligible to receive health care and supplemental services under this Act.
It doesn't get any plainer than that.
HR3200 may have removed that section, but in its place, has put an exemption for illegal aliens from the tax that Obama will enforce on people who don't have enough coverage under his socialist healthcare plan.
Now who's lying?
Recently posted to Obama "I'm not your ATM." I agree 100%. For decades the working class people in American have not dedicated themselves to politics. We work, we pay taxes and occassionally have it brought to our attention what our taxes are going for. Switch over to the non-working class - Dedication to electing people who can continue to enable non-working people to continue in their quest to live off my money. Anyone who voted for Obama surely must have known his matra in life lies with people he considers poor or disadvantaged, that is unless changing that comes out of his own pocket. It seems that "you are your brother's keeper" was literal "you, not me." His Aunt as an example and the really undesireable conditions his Grandmother lived in before her death, and of course there is his brother in Kenya. Workers in America do not want to support people who are fully capable of working, nor illegals who have taken American jobs, social services, etc. We're done!
Just go and see:
opencongress dot com, read the bill and get a clue...
If you can read, see section 246
Jeremy Lukens - go to school you idiot! It is not worth wasting time reacting to you crap.
Who are you? Didn't you hear the apology. Didn't you hear Wilson and McCain agree that the statement about illegal status was in fact the TRUTH. How do outrageous remarks like this or Palin's "death" panels help the American public understand what is in this bill? Those remarks are scare tactics to further a particular person or group's agenda. They damage our country. They appeal to those who do not care to read and investigate and form their own opinions. Your own credibility is severely damaged. Why would I believe anything else you say when I know you are lying here?
You Lie!
Look as leader of the Democratic Party, Obama damn well knew that everytime the Republicans tried to add an amendment to the health care bill that would exclude illegal aliens from taxpayer benefits, the Democrats vetoed the idea.
CONCLUSION: WILSON WAS TELLING THE TRUTH, OBAMA WAS LYING. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
Todays Democratic Party is the Party of destruction of the working class, because of their support of wage depressing illegal aliens, violent gays, like the ones in California who destroyed personal property and defaced churches all because the voters wouldn't approve of gay marriage. Nancy Pelosi told Americans that disagreement and standing up for your rights as an American is a good thing, WHEN BUSH WAS PRESIDENT, but now, since a democrat is President, she calls people who stand up and disagree Nazis. These liberals are hypocrites to the core. They never practice what they preach.
In late July, the House Ways and Means Committee defeated the Heller amendment which would have excluded illegal aliens from Obama’s massive healthcare bill. The committee voted 26-18 to defeat the measure. All 26 Democrats voted on a party-line basis to reject the Amendment. Don't believe for one second that Obama didn't know about this.
Once again, it appears that the Dems care more about illegal aliens than American citizens. Big Nanny Democrats want to ration health care for everyone in America — except those who break our immigration laws.
Welcome to the open-borders ObamaCare nightmare.
Thank you Mr. Wilson for speaking up and speaking out for America.
Ann says:
"It is racist because Wilson is against immigrants and it's obvious."
You are very ignorant. Wilson is opposed to illegal aliens, not immigrants. Illegal alien is not a race, nor are all illegal aliens of the same race. How about shoving your Race Card where the sun doesn't shine, you racemonger.
Katie says:
"Factcheck.org debunked the immigration myth, as did politifact.com; ergo Joe Wilson was the liar."
You are wrong. There was nothing in the proposed health care bill that would have prevented illegal aliens from applying for and receiving health care benefits.
About time someone in congress grew some testicles. This current era of PC doublespeak needs to go and folks like Joe are just what we need to get the facts out.
Congress used to be more open and deliberative. Members used to go out and kill each other in duels. We need to bring back that American tradition.
We have besides Joe an entire congress of panty waisted wimps.
Most of them do not work for you or me and they need to go.
Ann, for whatever reason, isn't interested if people who enter the U.S. are legal or not. That is irrelevant to her type. She actually thinks that among the nations of the world, America should be the exception and somehow JUST KEEP ITS BORDERS OPEN. We are talking insanity here. There's no other way to put it.
Just how do you think an illegal immigrant will go about getting american healthcare? Does anyone have this answer, and know exactly how the application process will work?
Please, someone fill me in. I'm not hearing facts here - but would like to.
Todd P said "Just how do you think an illegal immigrant will go about getting american healthcare?"
The Congressional Research Service - part of the Library of Congress - now confirms that illegal aliens will be able to access healthcare benefits under the House healthcare reform bill (HR 3200). This contradicts claims made by Barack Obama, several members of Congress, Chuck Todd, FactCheck, and several other sources and shows yet again the basic untrustworthiness of those sources.
enough facts, Todd P?
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