You Lie!

Can't we all just get along? The flap over South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's speech on health care reform will not go away. Self righteous Dems are outraged by this unprecedented breach of decorum, (conveniently forgetting at least one incident in 2005 where George W was roundly jeered during one of his speeches.)

I am in the camp of those who APPROVE of audience reactions. I have long been a fan of those rowdy legislators in UK and Canada who loudly hiss and groan when the speechifying gets too bloviacious. Isn't disapproval every bit as legitimate as applause? If not, please tell me why not?

Let me be clear, I do NOT condone heckling, hectoring or attempts to drown out a speaker. I love the civil way they do it it UK. The representative from Northern Sussex asks whether the Prime Minister is planning to do anything about overcrowding in the schools of his district. The PM answers with some insipid declaration about no child will be left behind. At this point, the loyal opposition jeers for the requisite one-Mississippi, two Mississippi seconds, the gavel bangs and they shut-up to let the rep from the North continue his inquiry. "So the PM admits that he will continue his policy of abusing schoolchildren..." Laughter and groaning erupts in the hall for two seconds silenced by the gavel.

Now this is civilized debate, not the stilted and stuffy "decorum" practiced in the US House and Senate. Note that the British opposition would never say "You Lie!" More likely they would say, "It is well known that the president has a gift for not telling the Truth." You have to admit, the third person feels less offensive. And there is a sense of politics as a sort of professional sport.

In 2008 during a press conference in Iraq, an Arab journalist called President Bush a liar and threw both of his shoes at the surprised W (who deftly ducked the missiles). The shoe-throwing incident was considered humorous by the Bush-haters (ie, Democrats).

I'm pretty sure that the thinkers who wrote the US Bill of Rights would agree with me that the right to heckle, harass, throw objects at, or shout-down any speaker should NOT be guaranteed when the speaker legitimately has the floor. A little spirited booing and guffawing are definitely allowed.

This morning, the newspaper says that Senior Black Democratic leaders in congress are going to demand a public apology by Wilson. The implication is, of course, Wilson shouted because Obama is black. The other day, there was an article in the NYT discussing continued the racial divide in America. Co-author Barbara Erenreich writes "WHAT do you get when you combine the worst economic downturn since the Depression with the first black president? A surge of white racial resentment, loosely disguised as a populist revolt..." Now this is potent stuff because it makes a lot of sense - especially to those who see racism in every conflict of interest. If you don't agree with Obama it must be because he is black, right?

It is too easy to accuse others of latent racism, but it really doesn't stick. The real and pernicious problem going on here is extreme partisan idealism on both sides. Today we regard those who believe in different policy as blood enemies, not political opponents.

Republicans say that their suggestions and amendments to the health care reform have not been given consideration by the Democratic majority leaders. They are opposed to government run health care. The President was indeed not telling the whole truth about the illegal immigrant healthcare coverage, because the bill under consideration does not require any checks on the legal status of applicants.

A reasonable person might wish that the President be more specific about what health care reform means, and why the Republicans and Libertarians should not fear it. I myself LOL'd when the President said that the measures he was speaking about would not affect the deficit. His credibility with me sank a few fathoms on that one.

Anyhow, the thing is most of us think that it would be great if poor people could get health care insurance. Most of us do not think it should take over 1,000 pages to describe the legal changes that are needed to accomplish that end. If these guys can't do it in 5 double spaced pages, they should resign. It isn't rocket science.

Finally, the shoe-thrower in Iraq was released from prison today. He has an invitation from Hugo Chavez to come and live in Venezuela. I have a feeling we are going to see more of this guy. Twenty bucks for the person who can post a Utube video of al-Zaidi getting a pie in the face. That's the American way.