Originally posted at: http://www.examiner.com/x-19821-Libertarian-Examiner
I received an email from a friend a few weeks ago. Because I am a Libertarian writer, both sides of the spectrum think I am a useful foil. That is true, to a point. This friend is active in politics. He probably contributes money, but he contributes more of his time. He supports certain candidates. He attacks others. He engages in rumormongering and he attacks politicians who are business-owners. But this friend contacted me because something personal had been written about him that might infringe on his ability to make a living, and he was offended. When I asked why, the only rationale I could get out of my friend was that he saw what was done to him was different because “his viewpoint was morally superior”. He was concerned with constitutional rights, whereas his opponents apparently were concerned with nothing important.
Such is the case with our President Obama. Remember, this is the person who got up before a joint session of Congress and accused others of spreading “a lie, plain and simple.” This is a man who leads a party that denigrates others with the most vicious and slanderous namecalling imaginable. That is their whole arsenal of political infighting. If this man cannot take being called a liar, if this man is so immutable to criticism he doesn’t belong up on that podium. That outburst was puny compared to the treatment George W received from the Democrat Party en masse after his re-election. Such was their sour demeanour, such was their victim mentality, that they felt justified. Well, it came back to bite you, didn’t it? Sorry BHO.
This is a man who tried to rush through a massive change in Health Care legislation – that we now know he couldn’t have supported, because all the things he says he believes in aren’t in the bill! – that won’t take effect until 2013. If this is such an urgently needed program, why wait for years to put it into effect? And if the public is going to benefit from this, why not let them experience those benefits before the next Presidential election?
If we do not believe that the President is stupid, then what do we believe? The only reasonable alternative seems to be that he wanted to get this massive government takeover of medical care passed into law before the public understood what was in it. Moreover, he wanted to get re-elected in 2012 before the public experienced what its actual consequences would be.
Consider the stimulus legislation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will be September 2010 before even three-quarters of the money will be spent. Some economists expect that it will not all be spent by the end of 2010. What was the rush to pass it, then? It was not to get that money out into the economy as fast as possible. It was to get that money– and the power that goes with it– into the hands of the government.
The worst thing that could happen, from the standpoint of those seeking more government power over the economy, would be for the economy to begin recovering on its own while months were being spent debating the need for a “stimulus” bill.
Now, do I think that illegal immigrants will receive government health insurance in the legislation? No, of course not. The President is NOT stupid. 80% of Americans oppose health coverage for illegals. Now, I happen to think that doesn’t make much sense, really. They already get care. Everyone does. If you’re going to pass universal insurance coverage, then cover “everyone”. Just make some program you can sign up for when you walk into the emergency room. Easy enough. Problem solved.
But this getting all wee-weed up because one legislator wants to play to his constituency back home, get over it! Shouting liar is something probably a majority of Americans wanted to shout at him last night. An address before a joint session may not be the proper forum to shout out, but neither should it be a place to spread your own falsehoods.
Obama did not seem to be upset himself, it does seem to have ruffled a lot of others however.
He simply responded that it was not true and went on with his speech.
Blah Blah blah !!!!
Obama Sucks!!!!
Sounds more like you are a Librarian writer of fiction. Why are you friends with people that “engage in rumor mongering and who attack politicians who are business-owners”? Either you are desperate for friends or you make shit up about your friends.
#4
Political discourse is the most protected form of speech, and I respect people with the courage to engage in it, rather than people who think public discussion is rude. I believe I judge the action correctly. I do not judge the person. I’ve met a trial lawyer, next to me on a plane. This is a man I would feel a need to wash if I had met him professionally. But we had a conversation. Someone with enough bumper stickers on their FRONT BUMPER to tell me they had fallen off the left side of the planet helped my car out of a ditch.
There is enough complication in the world without making enemies of everyone you disagree with politically.
Especially when there are people like you in the world Baxter.
Yeah, Joe Wilson’s “supporters” were happy with his performance last night, they got what they PAID for!
According to the Center for Responsive Politics OpenSecrets.org database, Joe Wilson is a MAJOR recipient of contributions from the health care industry.
$86,150 from Pharmaceutical companies.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
$73,050 from Insurance companies.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
$68,000 from hospital and nursing homes.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
The writer of this post provided his ‘tell’ that he is merely a neocon dressed in any political clothing he chooses to call himself.
The use of the term “Democrat Party” is an easy ‘tell’ because it states a disrespect for correct Party names and neocons continue to do this all the time.
So if folks like me use ‘Repugnant Party’ what is so wrong with that.
H.R. 3200, Section 246 is a bill from the House and it states what President Obama stated very clearly in his speech; undocumented aliens will not be able to participate in healthcare reforms other than what they have received even when Reagan granted his giant amnesty in 1986.
What a complete disgrace neocons are and have when they believe talk show hosts like Sean Hannity who directly and completely misquoted a statment that is easily viewed on videotape.
If you neocons are going to continue to spew your venom, you may want to learn that stupidity on your part only demonstrates that you are unwilling to accept real truths even when they are played back to you.
But I know I am writing a comment on a blog that is behind the Orange Curtain so I know what to expect from some of you who write for Orange Juice Blog.
Terry, please attempt to be less ignorant than you seem to be with your posts.
Terry, Obama was giving to a speech to Congress AND the American people. It was not an opened back and forth discussion as you’ve suggested by saying “I respect people with the courage to engage in it, rather than people who think public discussion is rude.”
I don’t have a problem with Wilson or anyone disagreeing with the President but there is a right time and place for everything. Heckling the President during his speech was hardly “engaging in a public discussion”. Is Wilson a member of the Unite States Congress or just some punk on the street? Is there a difference anymore?
#7
I can hardly call them the Democratic Party, when they are NOT Democratic, can I? Let’s not leave out radicals, socialists, Truther Nutters and Corporate Zombies.
And for a lesson on Progressives of BOTH stripes:
http://orangejuiceblog.com/2009/09/progressivism-is-totalitarianism/
#8
That quote was regarding people I have met. Not related to Wilson. You are right there was no discussion and the man was not enlightened in my eyes. My point was the reaction of people who hold themselves above criticism while bathing in it themselves.
and the LIAR is…. Joe Wilson!
On Wednesday night, Rep. Joe Wilson , shouted “You lie!” at President Obama when he said that the healthcare bill would not cover illegal immigrants. “The supporters of the government takeover of healthcare and liberals who want to give healthcare to illegals are using my opposition as an excuse to distract from the critical questions being raised about this poorly conceived plan,” Wilson said the next day in a campaign fundraising video.
However, in 2003, Wilson voted to provide federal funds for illegal immigrants’ healthcare. The vote came on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which contained Sec. 1011 authorizing $250,000 annually between 2003 and 2008 for government reimbursements to hospitals who provide treatment for uninsured illegal immigrants. The program has been extended through 2009 and there is currently a bipartisan bill in Congress to make it permanent.
Read more: http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1219-Joe-Wils…
Mr. Lying Hypocrit, Joe Wilson, is also in a dead heat against the Dem Challenger for next year’s race. WTG, JOE!
It was most fun watching Nancy Pelosi’s face!