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CALL OUT: Rep. Joe Wilson ($$ Update)

$1,000,000+ and still going for Rob Miller!

Shame on you, Rep. Joe Wilson.  You had the audacity to scream at the President during his Congressional address, “You Lie!”

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In an example of disgraceful, boorish, and shameful behavior, you have shown yourself to be part of the problem rather than working towards a solution for all Americans.

You called President Obama a liar in response to this statement:

There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants.  This, too, is false – the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.

President Obama’s statement is not wrong, and therefore, he is no liar.  According to FactCheck.org:

One Republican congressman issued a press release claiming that “5,600,000 Illegal Aliens May Be Covered Under Obamacare,” and we’ve been peppered with queries about similar claims. They’re not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage:

H.R. 3200: Sec 246 – NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS

   Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.

Also, under current law, those in the country illegally don’t qualify for federal health programs.  Of interest: About half of illegal immigrants have health insurance now, according to the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center, which says those who lack insurance do so principally because their employers don’t offer it.

President Obama warned during his speech:

If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out.

I am CALLING YOU OUT.  You are wrong.

You have released a statement saying that you are sorry:

This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.

You also called the White House after Obama’s speech and apologized to chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

It’s not good enough.  You owe President Obama, as well as the American people, a PUBLIC apology.  And not an apology cloaked in some sort of “policy disagreement”.  The facts are VERY CLEAR.  Nothing in the bill that was proposed suggests that illegal immigrants will have health care coverage, and IN FACT, it says just the opposite — which is WHAT YOU WANT.  But you are too wrapped up in your partisan cloak to become an informed representative of the people.

You are an irresponsible politician, and you deserve to be called out and censured.

Wilson, a reader notes, violated the House Republicans’ stated rules of decorum, which say, “The precedents of the House allow a wide latitude in criticism of the President, other executive officials, and the government itself. However, it is not permissible to use language that is personally offensive to the President, such as referring to him as a ‘hypocrite’ or a ‘liar.'”

You have started a movement against your kind of vitriolic bile.  Rob Miller, your Democratic opponent, left the Marine Corps in 2008 to help bring change to South Carolina.  He raised more than $1,000,000 following your disrespectful outburst.  I look forward to Miller’s vigorous campaign against your “brand of politics”.

Shame on you, Rep. Wilson.  SHAME.


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 55 Comments

55 comments

  4. fogiv

    …in the Encyclopedia Idiotica:

    All eyes were on Barack Obama entering Wednesday night’s address to Congress, but a little-known South Carolina Republican may have done more than the president’s combative speech to unify besieged Democrats around health care reform.

    [snip]

    Wilson’s boorishness – for which he quickly apologized – enraged audience members on both sides of the aisle.

    [snip]

    The president’s combativeness, coupled with Wilson’s behavior, clearly energized Democrats – to the point where few were in a mood to criticize Obama’s lack of specifics or the fact that he offered no ironclad commitment to inserting a robust public option in the final legislation.

    Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), one of the upper-chamber Democrats most skeptical of the White House reform efforts, was impressed by Obama’s speech.

    “I think it was a bit of a game changer,” he said.

    “The speech galvanized support along the Democratic caucus across the political spectrum, from the progressive caucus to the Blue Dogs, and everybody left determined to get something done this year,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told POLITICO Wednesday night.

    Joe Wilson may have just pushed Ben Nelson on board.

    http://www.politico.com/news/s…

  5. HappyinVT

    Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) just tweeted that Rep. Joe Wilson’s (R-SC) apology for heckling the president Wednesday isn’t enough — the congressman should be reprimanded.

    “Rep. Wilson apologized immediately afterward but I don’t think that’s adequate,” he wrote. “There ought to be a reprimand or censure of Rep. Joe Wilson to discourage that kind of conduct in the future.”

    TPM

  6. HappyinVT

    “At times I found his {Obama’s} tone to be overly combative and believe he behaved in a manner beneath the dignity of the office. I fear his speech tonight has made it more difficult – not less – to find common ground.”

     the state

    Like Graham was ever interested in finding common ground.

  8. Cheryl Kopec

    Woo-hoo! Apart from sending Joe Wilson a powerful message, I think it ought make every single Blue Dog think twice, because this will happen to them if they screw us. I’ve sent them messages threatening it — now they can see it happening to one of the “other guys.”

    Just curious — does anyone think this outpouring of support (Thom Hartmann just announced it on air) will spark a counter-contribution drive to Wilson?

    ~~Cheryl

  9. HappyinVT

    An incensed White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel went up to GOP Reps. Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Paul Ryan (Wis.) to complain about the outburst. “No president has ever had that happen,” Emanuel said. “My advice is he apologize immediately. You know my number.”

    washington post

    I’d like to think Wilson, prior to making that call, looked like I did when my mom called for me after I’d done something wrong.

  10. HappyinVT

    dingbat former Gov. Palin weighed in via Facebook:

    “In his speech the President directly responded to concerns I’ve raised about unelected bureaucrats being given power to make decisions affecting life or death health care matters,” Palin wrote. “He called these concerns “bogus,” “irresponsible,” and “a lie” — so much for civility.”

    TPM

    How does it feel to be called a liar, Sarah?  Probably not the same being being called a terrorist.

  11. HappyinVT

    transcript

    Joining us is Congressman Barney Frank, a Democrat of Massachusetts, he is Chair of the House Financial Services Committee.  Mr. Chairman, thanks for making time to come on the show.

    REP. BARNEY FRANK, (D) MASSACHUSETTS:  Thank you and it’s a pleasure to be with you.

    MADDOW:  It’s nice to meet you in person.

    FRANK:  Thank you.

    MADDOW:  Let me ask you about something that happened tonight that was unexpected and that I didn’t expect to have to ask anybody about.

    A Republican Member of Congress named Joe Wilson of South Carolina screamed, “You lie” at the president tonight, interrupting his speech.  Is this an “ignore the tantrum” moment or is that a big deal?

    FRANK:  I don’t think it’s a big deal.  Look, I think free speech-you know, heckling is a tradition, obviously, in the British parliament.  They even have mikes that come down to hear the heckles.

    I think what we should take it as-it is unusual-it’s a sign of how effective the president was.  These guys just couldn’t handle it.  I looked at John Boehner and he looked about as glum and as dour as-as possibly he could be.

    So what Joe Wilson did was just scream out in frustration because the president was nailing it.  So we’ve got to be very clear, Wilson lied when he said the president lied.  And he talked about illegal immigrants.  It’s clearly excluded from the bill.

    So I would say what Wilson did was a mark of their frustration.  And Barack Obama is a big boy. I think, I must say, to any Republicans particularly like Joe Wilson who want to get into a debate with Barack Obama is tugging on Superman’s cape and pulling the Lone Ranger’s mask.  But if that’s what he wants to do, free country.

     

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