Who Owes Who An Apology?

As you’ve no doubt heard, Rep. Joe Wilson shouted, “you lie” during Obama’s health care speech to a joint session of Congress. He immediately apologized and Obama accepted the apology. End of story, right? No way, the Democrats were determined to cynically milk these two words for their political advantage. First, for the first time in House history, the Democrats wasted legislative time and taxpayer money admonishing Wilson, a totally futile gesture that carries no real punishment.

But wait, there’s more. The Democrats weren’t satisfied with just an admonishment, no, somewhere along the line 2 + 2 suddenly equaled 652 and “you lie” magically became a racist slur, an opportunity for the Democrats to exercise one of their favorite pastimes, playing the race card, and this time they disgustingly dealt it from the absolute bottom of the deck.

Keep in mind the two words Wilson actually said, “you lie”, and then check out this despicable gem from Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Georgia).

Joe Wilson shouts “you lie” at Obama during a speech and that inevitably leads to white folks in white KKK hoods riding through the countryside intimidating black people, that’s the logical conclusion, REALLY?

And, not to be outdone, Jimmy Carter, the most ant-Semitic U.S. President in modern history, trots out from under his rock to lay down the royal flush of race cards.

So, in the space of a week, because Democrats can’t control themselves when it comes to playing the race card in furtherance of their political goals, we’ve gone from Joe Wilson shouting “you lie” at Obama, apologizing and having his apology accepted, all the way to most white people in America are racists and don’t like Obama just because he’s black. Anyone who criticizes Obama is motivated by racism because, you know, it’s absurd to think that someone might actually disagree with Obama’s policies! Yes, there is racism in this country and it exists in all directions, not only white on black. Blowing Joe Wilson’s two word outburst this far out of proportion is absolutely ridiculous, enough is enough already! Even Obama himself thinks this latest Democrat race card game has gone well beyond far enough.

Obama team keeps distance from Carter’s charges of racism

On Wednesday, the White House distanced itself from Carter’s remarks. “The president does not believe that the criticism comes based on the color of his skin,” Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said during a briefing for reporters.

Michael Steele hit the nail on the head.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who is African American, said in a prepared statement: “Characterizing Americans’ disapproval of President Obama’s policies as being based on race is an outrage and a troubling sign about the lengths Democrats will go to disparage all who disagree with them.”

See also:
Rep. Joe Wilson admonished by House for ‘You Lie!’ cry during President Obama speech
House votes to admonish Rep. Wilson for outburst
Joe Wilson is ‘admonished,’ and everyone reaches for a dictionary
Joe Wilson Admonished, Accused of Racism on Same Day
Dem rep: Wilson outburst ‘instigated more racist sentiment’
‘Racist’ a term that must be applied cautiously
Hank Johnson should apologize — or, at least, retract
Video: Jimmy Carter calls opposition to Obama ‘racist’
Carter Says Congressman’s Comments Fuled By Racism
Carter’s Racism Charge Sparks War of Words
Jimmy Carter racism charge triggers next US race debate
Obama, Wilson, Carter and Racism in America
Obama and WH Team Turn Deaf Ear to Carter’s Racism Allegations, Deny ‘National Conversation’ on Race ‘Going on Right Now’
White House Deflects Charges of Racism Leveled at Opponents
Jimmy Carter racism charge: Obama doesn’t agree says Gibbs
Obama: Not racism
Steele blasts Carter for comment
Steele: Carter’s race-baiting ‘colors, if you will, this debate’
It’s not racism, it’s being an American
Republicans say Carter playing ‘race card’

Remember what started all this, Joe Wilson blurting out “you lie” in response to Obama’s assertion that the “health care reform” bill wouldn’t cover illegal immigrants. Although Wilson’s outburst was extremely rude and inappropriate, considering the setting, he was correct, Obama wasn’t telling the truth. H.R. 3200 says that illegal immigrants aren’t covered, but there’s no enforcement mechanism to keep them from receiving the insurance and all the enforcement mechanism amendments the Republicans proposed were voted down by the Democrats. Theoretically, illegal immigrants can’t legally receive government health insurance under H.R. 3200, but if there’s no way to enforce it by verifying citizenship, what’s to stop them? It’s like don’t ask don’t tell, wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, guarding the hen house blindfolded.

Nothing in health care bill will prevent illegal aliens from seeking coverage

Section 246, convincingly titled “NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS”, within H.R. 3200 says: “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.” Couldn’t be clearer right? Wrong!

The Annenberg Public Policy Center dances around to say Obama was correct in his speech when he insisted illegal aliens wouldn’t receive coverage. Factcheck.org even refers to the argument: “conservative critics object to a lack of specific enforcement measures in the bill” and then says “Republicans have a point here.” Still, factcheck.org ultimately affirms “the president is correct.”

However, it turns out that Joe Wilson was right when he blurted out “you lie!” to the president. Republicans certainly have a point – there is no provisioning within the bill that asks would-be members of the public option if they are citizens of the United States. There can be all sorts of sections stating that illegal aliens won’t be covered but if there’s no enforcement the text is no more than words on a page.

The issue was particularly sensitive to Wilson because in July an amendment was proposed that would have required applicants for subsidized insurance to proof their citizenship. The Democrat majority voted down the amendment and voted instead to appoint a federal official to make up rules that will prevent illegal immigrants from joining the “public option.”

That’s the extent of enforcement – a vague promise to appoint a government bureaucrat charged with keeping undocumented citizens from enrolling in government-run health care and the text of section 246.

The Congressional Research Service, a division of the Library of Congress charged with thinking proposed policy through before it is enacted, said in mid-July, before the recess and the August town hall outbursts that:

“Under H.R. 3200, a ‘Health Insurance Exchange’ would begin operation in 2013 and would offer private plans alongside a public option…H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitizens – whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently – participating in the Exchange.”

The loophole is glaring – so much so that Senate committees are now hard at work trying to “correct” the problem – or perhaps their motivation is to save face for the president. Either way, no details have been provided on just how this will be accomplished.

Oh, and after Wilson’s outburst, look what happened, the Democrats suddenly scrambled to include enforcement provisions in the Senate Finance Committee bill that was released today.

Senate committee tackles illegal-immigrant healthcare concerns

Key members of the Senate Finance Committee moved Friday to quell the latest furor over President Obama’s healthcare overhaul, discussing added identification and enforcement requirements intended to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving federal benefits.

Committee members ended their closed-door deliberations without reaching agreement on a response, but they are scheduled to work into the weekend.

The concern is whether the proposals being worked out by congressional Democrats with Obama’s support would make benefits available directly or indirectly to people who are in the United States illegally.

The controversy centers primarily on plans to provide government funds to help low-income workers get affordable insurance coverage.

Though drafters of the evolving healthcare bills have been considering the issue for months, it was catapulted into the national spotlight Wednesday night during Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress.

When the president said that his blueprint would not aid illegal immigrants, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted, “You lie!” Wilson has since apologized for his breach of congressional courtesy, but the episode touched off a vociferous debate over the issue.

Democrats note that both the House and Senate versions of the bill already contain language that specifically bars illegal immigrants from receiving federal help to purchase healthcare coverage.

Republicans counter that a written ban means little without tough enforcement provisions, which they say Democrats have refused to include. At their meeting Friday, members of the Senate Finance Committee discussed adding enforcement safeguards to their bill, which will be presented as soon as Tuesday.

See also:
“You lie!”: 100% correct statement, 100% wrong time.
Senate Revisits Illegal Immigrant Health Care Question
Sorting out the health care issue of immigrants
Health care reform and Senator Joe Wilson’s contribution
The White House Tacks Right On Illegal Immigrants In Health Care Reform

As it turns out, Joe Wilson yelling “you lie” had absolutely nothing to do with racism and had everything to do with calling Obama out on his false assertion that the proposed health care legislation would exclude illegal aliens from coverage. Granted it was the wrong way to go about it but, guess what, after Wilson’s outburst, the issue got enormous attention and the Democrats were forced to include identification and enforcement mechanisms to insure illegal aliens wouldn’t be able to obtain coverage, a major victory for taxpayers along the road to one of the biggest government boondoggles of all time, otherwise known as the Democrat plan for health reform.

/so, who owes who an apology?