Was it a town hall meeting or was it presidential address to a joint session of Congress?
I thought it was the later, but Representative Joe Wilson, a Republican form South Carolina, shouted at the president from his fifth-row seat: “You lie!”
So what did Rep. Wilson think President Obama was lying about? That the proposed government health care plan would include coverage for illegal immigrants.
It of course would not, but a good many Republicans have been saying that it would because they know how much their constituents hate illegal immigrants. Except of course their constituents that employ illegal immigrants because they are willing to work for far less than the prevailing wage that people who are in this country legally expect to be paid.
Representative Joe Wilson later apologized for his outburst.
I think this incident only illustrates why we wont be getting health care reform anytime soon from our elected leaders in Washington. It doesn’t matter what the facts are. If the Republicans believe or feel that health care reform would provide coverage to illegal immigrants or that it would create special death panels that would dictate who gets health care and who doesn’t, there is nothing that can be said that will make them believe or feel otherwise. That fact that Wilson would shout that the President of the United States was lying while he was speaking to a joint session of Congress says quite a lot.
Facts don’t trump feelings or beliefs.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
These people live in their own little Christian-ruled, racist bizaro world.
The guy’s outburst was weird, but good for him for venting. I’m for reform, but there are just too many unanswered questions for me so far.
The redcoats have alot to lose if reform happens.
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/09/10/obama-speech-disrupter-a-health-industry-darling/
If “Will this reform extend health care to illegal aliens” is an unanswered question, it’s for the same reason that “Will pushing the elevator call button multiple times consecutively cause the elevator to speed up” is an unanswered question.
There’s more than just the illegal aliens question- there are a lot of nuances that no one has an answer to yet:
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_00b4d002-6bb8-5644-b162-6ac52e98b4b9.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158825.php
Many aspects have no publicly available details, and the administration has said they are relying on Obama’s charisma to sell the largely undefined-to-the-public plan.
I’m all for reform- I just want to know what’s actually being proposed beyond general ideas.
@Lee B.: Who said that the administration was relying on Obama’s charisma to sell anything?
“Knowing his popularity is his ace in the hole, he took his agenda on health care reform directly to the people. His aim, which he achieved, seemed to be getting personal and intimate with his audience.”
-http://www.thegrio.com/2009/07/obama-breaks-out-the-charm-to-sell-healthcare.php
This same message keeps coming out in piece after piece.
“Obama’s rhetoric is where he shines: outspoken, charismatic and confident, his speech glows with believability, trust and rapport — an attribute of little real value, but one that is keeping the masses cool headed while being deceived and lied to about the true achievements of the new ‘great leader.’”
Mind you- I don’t totally buy into this anti-Obama backlash. Nor do I buy into rubber stamping any proposed reform just because it’s being called reform. But even the democratic congressmen are asking the President to please provide more specifics on what he is trying to sell. I’m right there… I want to see changes, but need facts, baby.
@Lee B: Someone in his administration said all that? You said that the administration said they were relying on Obama’s charisma to sell the health care plan.
My bad- his fellow democrats in congress are saying that, loudly. Certainly not his many czars and patronage appointees.
@Lee B: Who in congress said that they are relying on Obama’s charisma to sell the public plan to the American people?
Not trying to quibble- it’s reported time and time again, a la:
“It’s easy to get swept up by Obama’s charisma without necessarily knowing what he’s saying. He just makes everything sound good. The hoops and hollers from the democrat side that trickled their way over the aisle into the republicans followed nearly every statement he made. The fervor was contagious and you just wanted to say yeah, I’m with you! But with a copy of his speech in hand to read, I had an anchor.
Reading the script jarred my journalistic senses awake. After all, it is our job to question power, whether it comes from Obama or Bush. Without an honest stab at skepticism, the press has failed.
So what is Obama really saying? What are the details of this plan? How will it be paid for? How will it affect my family, my friends, myself when we walk into the ER or the doctor’s office? ”
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/09/obamas-healthcare-address-to-congress/
Sums it up well- just profound “whatever you say ’cause everything you say is great” culture in the Democratic mainstream. That scares me as much as NO reform. But again, I personally DO want reform- the right way- not the way the banks and auto industry were handles.
Respectfully-
LB
@Lee B: Lee, I’m not disputing the fact that Obama is charismatic. What I was questioning was your statement that someone in the Obama administration said they are relying on Obama’s charisma to sell the health care plan.
You then said it was Democrats in congress that said it, not anyone in his administration. When I asked you who in congress said that, you respond with an editorial written by someone I’m not familiar with from a website I’ve never heard of.