I decided to add a new semi-regular feature here. Thats the intention anyway. If youve ever seen Keith Olbermanns "Worst Person In The World" then its kinda like that, but I swear I didnt steal the concept.
It kinda developed out of talking online with friends about the Tila Tequila situation and so I thought Id just add it to my blog. So even though I didnt intend for it to be so, I now unofficially rename my previous post to "It sucks to be: Tila Tequila" and I congratulate her on being the first inductee into this very prestigious club. Her award is in the mail.
So, without further ado, I give you the second inductee... Joe Wilson.
This country, our country, has rules. Some of them have been written down, just in case anyone would forget, and then there are some that are supposed to be common knowledge and theres no reason to have on paper. No reason, unless youre Joe Wilson.
During President Obamas recent address to Congress on health care reform, he had said "There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally," And it was at this point that Rep. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina, stood up and shouted "You lie!"
According to 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning website Politifact.com, Joe Wilson was just plain wrong with his statement. Read the full article here: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/sep/09/joe-wilson/joe-wilson-south-carolina-said-obama-lied-he-didnt/
We live in an amazing country, we have the most freedom in the entire world, and one of those freedoms is the right, sometimes obligation, to challenge those in power and call them out on things theyre doing wrong, even if that person is the President.
But, there is a time and a place for those criticisms, and so we must defer to those pesky rules. There are actually rules, and punishments, for those that shout out while their peers are speaking, but there isnt a rule for when someone shouts out while the President is speaking because you just dont do it.
It is an unwritten rule, perhaps even close to law, that the President, regardless of who it is, regardless of which party hes from, regardless of how much you disagree with him, regardless of how much you hate him, the office of the President of the United States - not necessarily the person - deserves your complete and total respect while hes at a function acting as the President. No exception.
And so when Rep Wilson unfortunately let his emotions get the best of him, he would soon hear about how wrong he was. Not from just people like me, or talk shows, or wed sites, or the ruling Democratic party, but from his fellow Republicans as well.
He messed up, and everyone took turns slapping him silly for it and to his credit he made a formal apology for it, which President Obama accepted saying "We all make mistakes."
Ah, but it doesnt end there.
Remember, the reason Rep Joe Wilson stood up and shouted "You lie!" at President Obama was because hes opposed to health care for illegal immigrants and thought Obama was covering up the fact that under the new health care plan those illegals would get free health care.
Apparently, like most politicians, Joe Wilson has a very bad memory, especially when it comes to his own actions. See, in 2003 Rep Joe Wilson actually voted FOR federal funds to be given to health care for illegal immigrants.
Personally, I agree with those funds being given to illegal immigrant health care, and theres currently a bipartisan bill in Congress to make it permanent, but unfortunately for Rep Wilson, he seemed to forget that he was in favor of the very thing he stood up and erroneously accused the President of lying about.
Umm... oops.
So, for my second induction, Rep Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina... it sucks to be you.
Til next time...
-- DBW --
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