Hallelujah. Somebody Finally Got Emotional

[Rick Oltman]

The highlight of President Obama’s address to the joint session of congress on Wednesday night was Congressman Joe Wilson R-SC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Wilson_(U.S._politician) yelling out, “You lie!” after the president said, “The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9lk6UXPqbw

Wilson violated protocol, embarrassed himself and “Republicans froze” according to an Associated Press report.

Now, I would really would prefer it if all of our elected officials, as well as their Czars and other appointees, behaved with dignity at all times and followed protocol.

That said I have to admit that I smiled at the outburst.

In Wilson’s statement afterwards he admitted that he let his emotions get the best of him.

Well, hallelujah. Somebody finally got emotional over a lie told by the president to a national audience, a lie about illegal aliens.

It is true that The House version of the health care bill explicitly prohibits spending any federal money to help illegal immigrants get healthcare coverage. But the current proposal, HR3200, has no provision for checking the immigration status of applicants.

In fact, an amendment offered by the Republicans that had verification requirements to prevent illegal aliens from getting Medicaid benefits was defeated in committee 29-28. All 29 no votes were Democrats. http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090730/hr3200_deal_1.pdf

That gaping loophole will be exploited by illegal aliens and anybody who knows anything about illegal immigration knows it. The “illegal alien grapevine” will be informing everyone, in this country and the whole world, that they too can get medical care and that nobody will be checking.

In fact I would predict that as budgets, bureaucracies and bureaucrats grow, they will be soliciting illegal aliens. Not officially of course, but they will be doing it nonetheless. That is the nature of government bureaucracies.

I sent Congressman Wilson an email http://www.house.gov/formwilson/IMA/issue.htm saying that while he probably regretted what he said that I was thrilled that a member of congress finally got emotional over the immigration issue.

The whole immigration issue will be brought up sometime in the next few months. It has to be. Promises were made to the illegal-alien-industrial-complex. When that time arrives we need to, respectfully but forcefully, engage in the debate with energy equal to what we have seen at Tea Parties and Town Hall meetings. American’s voices are heard.

So, let’s get our concerns out there when the time comes. And, there are times when a little emotion is good, regardless of protocol.

It’s only about the future of our country, after all.



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[Calamagrostis]

Some good points about the reform here, but I think you are wrong to assume that Wilson regrets what he did, his fellow Republicans forced him to apologize. And by violating a rule about how law makers should conduct themselves he has moved himself from the back bench to the front page. At any speech by any politician you could call out "you lie" at least a dozen times, but that is the wrong way to make your voice heard, especially at a Presidential address to Congress.

As far as support for universal health care I think that for decades Californians have had their sense of community undermined by rapid population growth, and that has made many people less supportive of government and social services. It is difficult to support our neigbors if we feel alienated by the vast numbers, and by so many new people arriving while many of our friends and family flee to other states.

As far as immigration reform is concerned I bet Obama is going to try to avoid it as long as possible. Despite calls for more enforcement or an amnesty, maintaining the status quo is the path of least resistance. In the mean time we should support Obama's efforts to increase funding for contraception, sex education and family planning both here in the U.S. and internationally.