Congratulations to Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina.
Last night, in a tied game at the bottom of the ninth, with two out and two strikes and bases loaded, President Obama threw out 
his final pitch in the health care and management reform debate and just as he made the pitch, like an umpire with a keen eye, Congressman Wilson cried…… “yer out!”
He didn’t actually say “yer out” but he mine as well have. What the South Carolina Republican actually yelled out was “you lie“!
At a decibel level intended for everyone, including the President, to hear, Joe Wilson called the President out just as the President reprimanded all those who oppose his reform scheme for distorting the facts. Quite hypocritically, after making the point, not only did the President distort the truth himself, he did exactly what the Congressman so bluntly claimed……the President lied.
When President Obama said “there are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This to is false”, the Republican side of the House chamber broke into a moan of nay saying rumbles. As those rumbles died down the President continued, “The reforms I am proposing would not include coverage for those that are here illegally”. At that, Congressman Wilson loudly yelled “you lie!” . To which the President and the Vice President and House Speaker behind him all whipped their heads in the direction which the remark came from. The President stared in the Congressman’s direction for a moment, as another round of grumbles erupted from those gathered in the chamber. The only reaction to the remark offered by the President was an impishly, snarky smile and a muttering of “it’s not true” before he proceeded with his 48 minute lecture.
Was Congressman Wilson right?
Well if one were to base that on the President’s support for H.R. 3200, the bill he has been pushing for passage, one would have to agree with Congressman Wilson.
According to analyses by the Congressional Budget Offices “H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitizens – whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently – participating in the Exchange.”
Unless President Obama is willing to state that either he did not read H.R. 3200 and was unaware of this fact or that he is proposing a totally new bill which specifically places restrictions on illegal immigrants availability to American health insurance, than he did in fact “lie”.
Congressman Wilson may not have set an example of decorum but he did make a point that was deserving of being made, especially during a point in the speech where the President was reprimanding those who distort the facts on health care and management reform. The President himself was clearly distorting the facts. His own facts. Not only was the President lying, he was being a hypocrite at the same time..
Thank you Congressman Wilson. You had the balls that few in Congress have these days.
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Comments: 15
Wilson was wrong, as evidenced by his subsequent apology. If he had not made that apology I would have been willing to bet a motion to censure him would have been filed in the House today and I suspect it would have been quickly passed by a simple voice vote of the yeas and nays and there would have been very few if any nays. Even very partisan Republican members of Congress have stated the Wilson stepped over the line.
What would you do Anthony... just let them die because they are here illegally? Your measure of humanity is not very high is it?
As usual another Wilson critic talking about what the healthcare plan specifies legally.
When are all of you Wilson critics going to get it in your heads that this isn't about what is IN the law ? It's about what is NOT IN the law.
Illegal aliens don't give a hoot about the law (HR3200 or any other). Everything they do in life is illegal (driving without license, immigrating here EWI, getting jobs here, using citizens' Social Security #s and other fake ID, etc.). They aren't called "ILLEGAL" aliens for nothing.
I wish everyone criticizing Wilson would research this issue a little before talking about it. If all these Wilson critics would have read my article...
"House Committee Is OK With Government Health Care for Illegal Aliens.
August 25, 2009 09:15 PM EDT,
...then they wouldn't be blundering into the common mistake of talking about what the law includes.
The "amendments" offered in committee were attempts to tack on a national photo-id requirement and to put the verification of citizenship under the jurisdiction of separate states. H.R. 3200 sanely keeps the verification under the federal jurisdiction of the Secretary, and prevents the right-wing attempt to attach another back-door, liberty-stealing rider.
On one level, I think Wilson is wrong about the policy. On another deeper level, I think he is wrong about something that is far more important than the policy, namely, civility. Lots of Presidents have been wrong in public, and they have not deserved to be called liars on national TV. Lots of presidents have been right in public, in front of people who have believed them wrong. Those presidents also have not needed to be called liars.
Wilson has demonstrated that he no longer belongs in Congress in my view. I have no power over that, as I do not vote in South Carolina. I was born there, and am well aware of the lovely scenery, but frankly I think the state has been backward ever since it started the Civil War.
and that was even paid for through programs we pay for that are supposed to be for other causes......
you did notice that the number of uninsured that Barrack stated last night was minus the illegal immigrants.....
Where's the lie?
The lie is that legal provisions will protect the American people from illegal aliens
accessing the government health program. They will not. Illegal aliens don't give a hoot about the law (HR3200 or any other). Everything they do in life is illegal (driving without license, immigrating here EWI, getting jobs here, using citizens' Social Security #s and other fake ID, etc.). They aren't called "ILLEGAL" aliens for nothing.
I wish everyone criticizing Wilson would research this issue a little before talking about it. If all these Wilson critics would have read my article...
"House Committee Is OK With Government Health Care for Illegal Aliens.
August 25, 2009 09:15 PM EDT,
...then they wouldn't be blundering into the common mistake of talking about what the law includes.
And thank you, Anthony. for an article well done, and much needed.