A class act he is not, but South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson’s boorish behavior during President Obama’s speech on health reform more than earned him his 15 minutes of infamy.
It is understandable that he chose – or as some suggested, was told – to bellow “You lie!” when the President was explaining for the umpteenth time that undocumented immigrants would not be covered under health care legislation. After all, Wilson’s extreme anti-immigrant positions are well known.
His outburst, for which he has half-heartedly apologized, not only exposed Wilson for the uncouth nativist he is, but made clear that immigration is still very much one of the Republican Party’s war horses.
“Congressman Joe Wilson’s outburst is not only a massive breach of decorum,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, “but the latest example of how race-baiting and immigrant bashing have become standard fare for hard-right elements of the Republican Party.”
One has to wonder if Wilson and his ilk are intent on committing political suicide – and in the process taking down with them the entire GOP – or if their prejudices are so deep that they just cannot help themselves.
Ironically, after all is said and done, Joe (You lie!) Wilson’s outburst could go down in history as the death knell for the most reactionary and extremist wing of the Republican Party.
I don’t like right wingnuts, but I’m not a fan of decorum either. Why, why, why, do our elected officials have to be so stupid. I know its to get elected, but once in office?
So, when you are going to violate “rules” as totalitarian, conformity enforcing as they are, I just wish he had yelled at some point where he would have been right.
A much better place would have been right after Obamagod said he wouldn’t allow one dime of deficit. I said “Liar” to myself and a worthwhile debate could have been underscored.
But numbers are hard to deal with, race baiting so much easier.
Good discussion and links to the rules here, about 4/5 ths of the way down.
http://2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com/2009/09/respect-decorum-and-republicans.html
On balance, I think yelling out two words should be rare, and devastatingly accurate when done.
“when the President was explaining for the umpteenth time that undocumented immigrants would not be covered under health care legislation” – because President for umpteenth time was lying (and likely knows that himself). By the proven Constitutional cases we can’t have something provided by the Govt. to the population/citizens and exclude from it anyone else present on the USA territory, legal or illegal. Even GOP idea that exclusion be put into the text of the law is pointless and wouldn’t survive simple Constitutional challenge as Supreme Court have already decided on the issue. Public option = covered illegal immigrants.
#3–dismal==”YOU LIE!!!”
Try that in South Korea’s parliament, and see what happens.
Video – CNET TV bit.ly/B96Am
Actually the only solution that would save US taxpayers from paying for illegal alien care would be statement in the law to oblige USA Govt. to recoup every dollar spent on illegal alien health care from their own countries of origin (similarly as we now collect unpaid traffic and parking violation monies from foreign diplomats). But, no one is even thinking of such simple solution…
Funny how the Democrats are now concerned with proper behavior. They didn’t seem too concerned when they vocally booed Bush during his State of The Union Speech in 2005. The left wants to have it both ways. Sorry, not this time. Payback is a bitch, yeah? If only more Republicans had balls and stood up to this Chicago Thug and his band of criminal interlopers.
“By the proven Constitutional cases we can’t have something provided by the Govt. to the population/citizens and exclude from it anyone else present on the USA territory, legal or illegal.”
Then I’m sure you won’t mind providing links to the relevant Supreme Court case(s).
#7 The Warden – I’m still waiting for Bush the Liar to show me the WMDs, the U.S. military being greeted as liberators or how the Iraqi war paid for itself.
I believe there is a significant difference between one side of the chambers or the other booing and hissing en masse during a Presidential address and a single Rushpublican retard shouting out like he was at his favorite Klan rally.
But if the Rushpublican retards want to go with “because the Democrats did it first way back when,” then all bets are off when/if they get back in power.
Did Wilson LIE again when he claimed is outburst was spontaneous?
I mean, he had the transcript long before the speech.
Regarding booing, Republican did it to Bill Clinton first:
mediamatters.org/research/200502040014
Joe Who ?
He now has over a million dollars in campaign funds in just 48 hours. Sounds like the Honorable Representative of South Carolina, Joe Wilson, has some support.
Funny how the Democrats are now concerned with proper behavior. They didn’t seem too concerned when they vocally booed Bush during his State of The Union Speech in 2005. The left wants to have it both ways. Sorry, not this time. Payback is a bitch, yeah?
So the Republicans are paying the Democrats back for booing Bush. But the Democrats were paying the Republicans back for booing Clinton during at least 4 of his State of the Union addresses http://mediamatters.org/research/200502040014
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss…
I still think it was perhaps the only time truth “leaked out” in congress and Wilson should be applauded for this rare act of honesty in a house full of liars.
The reason why he yelled what he yelled out what “You lie” is because like all “good” [sic] bills debated or passed in congress, it is wrought with loopholes which effective makes any bill with a fancy title [which purports to claims it’s “stated purpose] meaningless. [if not after examination in many cases, to essentially do the opposite of it’s claimed title’s intent]
To wit: in a CNN article dated 8/27/09 CNN illustrates the exact reasoning behind Wilson’s outburst:
the article is here
—
debate all you want, but Wilson was correct in yelling out ‘You lie”
Like all lawyers (and politicians), obama feels completely (and technically) honest (and vindicated) in stating that the bill does not pay for illegals..
Just like he was adamant about stating “there are no death panels in the bill”
-of course he was right, but only because he already had them created in section 804 of the Stimulus bill.
[which was just one of many surprises he didn’t want anyone reading before the vote]
So to continue to even bother debating this without addressing “the disingenuous particulars” is a complete waste of time and shows that both parties are just putting on a show because they don’t give a rats ass about any of this OR what is best for the public at large.
As i’ve said in the past, the only debate [and rabblerousing] that should be going on in the public and in congress, is about The Economy and thereafter, the execution of the various individuals who took part in changing the banking laws that have allowed the wholesale rape and thievery of this countries assets and the people’s money for treason.
[let alone the global effects it has led to]
Period.
To debate about anything else only admits ignorance of the big picture and makes you a willing participant in the wholesale fraud that the
white house, congress and their bank-masters are engaged in.
-s
—
The only thing that will save this country is to abolish the left and right wing division of the people and to [re]form a single, Constitutional party.
[-and to ban all lawyers from ever holding any and all government position at country, state or federal positions as was originally intended]
# 4 bobbo ==”YOU LIE!!!”
# 15 soundwash ==”YOU LIE!!!”
The Republicans sink even lower, if that’s possible. They really are a pathetic bunch with no adults in charge.
“..However, in 2003, Wilson voted to provide federal funds for illegal immigrants’ healthcare.”
“Mr. Wilson has collected 57 percent of his 2010 campaign funds from health and medical Political Action Committees (PACs) and additional funds from individuals associated with the health industry.”
I’m waiting for Republicans to try and top each other in their race to the bottom of the sewer. After all, the base is made up of Jerry Springer fans.
A matter of time before a republican moons the president on the state of the union address. Another gift from the right wing nutts.
Joe Jerko is a card-carrying member of the Sons of Civil War Veterans, a racist follow-on to the KKK.
Is there any DOUBT he would never have been so disruptive to a white president?
Okay bobo you get the brownie points for being right first on this one.
But the media gave Harry Reid in 2002 a pass when Reid called President Bush a liar? (and refused to apologize)
Lets not forget Dick Cheney’s famous lack of decorum, where he told a senator in the senate chambers “F*ck You”.
He should have been escorted out by the sergeant at arms, but when has any republican respected law or decorum?
I wonder, either he will be predicting the future, or will be totally wrong.
I really don’t know.
further, [you know me..]
#10 Greg Allen
-makes an excellent point:
As some know, everything congress does is scripted to the letter.
Upon further acute examination of history, it is quite obvious that quite possibly the formation and [definitely] the destruction of this great country was for the large part, also scripted.
One could easily see how this supposed outburst of emotion was also scripted to keep the distraction of the health care debate going long enough to keep the timetable for the economic [and war] turmoil that is brewing from erupting prematurely.
[If the indicators are correct, we should see a nice downturn "hiccup" in the markets tomorrow, which in my opinion, will be used to further mask the announcement [and economic ramifications]
Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Russia a few days ago which of course, is huge news everywhere except Surprise! -in U.S. MSM. [it has produced all sorts of speculation ta boot]
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=f80&q=netanyahu%20visits%20russia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn
[Note to editor: please fix that URL, the HTML tag escapes me at the moment]
Considering that we are pretty much a hand puppet to Israel [especially in supplying them with conventional and nuclear weapons] -you would think this would garnish headline news here.
Remember, we gave Iran until October to come clean on their nuke facilities.
In the end, i guess its all one big distraction to usher in all the wonderful changes that we [did not] vote for.
[some say to circle the week of Oct 25th for the festivities, -but i digress]
-s
after thought of the after thought:
it would be a great ploy to expose the loophole argument publicly which would then allow the miscreants pushing the health bill to say:
"OK, no-problemO, we have this National RFID Card ready to go–problem solved."
-which no doubt, would serve as yet another great [distraction] debate.
all the while, the ultimate goal dissolving whats left of personal privacy and tracking every iota of your life will have been fully realized.
(save any comments about my vivid imagination, i'm sure that the phrase "Reality is stranger than fiction" will be realized sooner than one might expect regardless)
-s
[Fixed. – ed.]
There needs to be less yelling and booing and more shoe throwing I say.
All this hubbub over two words spoken at an inappropriate time. This is merely a distraction by the libs and the willing media to stave off any realistic review of the 1000+ page monstrosity that is the Obamacare bill. Much easier to get the public riled up over two spoken words from a Republican than 200,000 written words of legalese from a Democrat.
The media would much rather cover a tempest-in-a-teapot about decorum than the actual topic of legislation that could possibly cost $4.1 trillion.
Welcome to the pop-politics generation.
I wish that here in the USA our politicians would call each other out on lying while they are on the house or senate floor but I think that calling the president a liar for that particular statement isn’t really accurate. I’ve seen our politicians say much more blatant lies and say a lot of bullshit that I wish they would get called on.
So Wilson has apologized for the timing, but not the statement.