Friday, September 11, 2009

Joe Wilson Was Right

Representative Joe Wilson might have caused an uprorr by shouting "You lie" at Barack Obama in the middle of Obama's 29th healthcare speech, but events are showing that Wilson was correct in his comments even thuogh his method and timing was not the best choice.

He apologized for shouting it at the speech itself, but speaking on Hannity he reiterated the point itself. (Video below)



Not only was he correct about there being a loophole in the bill the House passed to which illegal immigrants, those here against the law, could be covered by American taxpayers under Obamacare, but immediately after he brought it to such public attention, Democrats on the hill moved to close that loophole, which they said didn't exist.

In the Senate, Democrats in the so called "Gang of Six," began moving quickly to close the loophole Rep. Joe Wilson helped bring to light with his outburst during President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night.


To be clear, there were two amendments offered initially, which would have forced people to show proof of citizenship before receiving benefits, and both those amendments were originally rejected by Democrats.

Among three House committees to pass bills for health reform, only one expressly bans federal funding for proving health coverage to illegal immigrants.

"The Congressional Research Service has indicated that indeed the bills that are before Congress would include illegal aliens," Wilson said. "And I think this is wrong."

Indeed, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service study found that the House health care bill does not restrict illegal immigrants from receiving health care coverage.

House Republican Minority Leader John Boehner amplified the complaint that without proof of citizenship, illegal immigrants could be insured.

"There were two opportunities for House Democrats to make clear that illegal immigrants wouldn't be covered by putting in requirements to show citizenships," he said. "Both of those amendments were, in fact, rejected."

In the Senate, Democrats in the so called "Gang of Six," a group of bipartisan senators on the Senate Finance Committee which is the last panel yet to release its bill, began moving quickly to close the loophole that Wilson helped bring greater attention to.

"We absolutely assure that those who are here illegally would not get the benefit of any of these initiatives," Sen. Kent Conrad said.


So, either Obama was unaware of those loopholes to begin with, while claiming to know what was int he bills that had already passed the House, or he was lying specifically about illegal immigrants not being eligible.

Either way, he did, indeed, lie.

Republicans did wish Wilson to apologize for his outburst, while at the same time, were probably very happy the public who listened to the speech, were made aware of that loophole the Democrats deliberately left in the original bills.

H/T Hot Air, it looks like Wilson still receives complete support as well from the GOP and it's members. (Video of Lindsey Graham vowing support at Hot Air)

Heh, Graham isn't the only conservative supporting Wilson either.

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