Sept 13, 2009
OBAMA SPEECH TO CONGRESS UPSETTING
President Obama’s rapport with Republicans in Congress wafted away shortly after he gave the traditional opening address to a joint session of Congress.
Mr. Obama asserted his health-care reform proposals would not provide benefits to illegal immigrants.
Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, shouted: “You lie!”
There were startled reactions to that insult from both sides of the aisle.
President Obama continued by declaring no federal money in his plan would be used to fund abortion. Several Republicans laughed.
Texas Rep. Louis Gohmert printed: “WHAT PLAN” on a sheet of paper and waved it at the President.
Republicans booed when Obama declared: “They would leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own.”
They booed again when Obama said his health proposals had been subjected to “a blizzard of charges and counter-charges.”
OBAMA GOAL
Obama declared,
“The plan I’m announcing tonight would meet three, basic goals:
- Provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance,
- Provide insurance to those who don’t,
- Slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.
“It’s a plan that asks every one to take responsibility for meeting this challenge – not just government and insurance companies – but employers and individuals.
“First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance -- through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Veterans’ Administration – nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have.”
“If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.”
PERSONAL NOTE
Young visitors to the Lindseywilliams.org website might be interested in knowing the import of “calling out” someone.
It was a practice during the Civil War along the northern Tennessee state line.
Men there who spoke northern sentiments often would be visited at night by a gang of masked, armed men allied with the South.
The north-leaning man of the house was “called” outside to be shot. Should he fail to comply, he and his family would be killed by setting the house afire and shooting any family member fleeing.
Personal note: my Great-great-grandfather Jerry Williams leaned a bit toward northern sentiments during the (Civil) War Between The States. He was called out once.
As he stood, awaiting a fatal bullet, he gave the Freemason secret sign of mortal distress.
Many men “of good reputation and brotherly love” were Freemasons in those days. Those in the execution squad refused to aim their guns.
Consequently, G-g-grandfather Williams was told to get back inside and keep his mouth shut about the war. (That I am here to tell this tale is a demonstration of his subsequent perspicacity.)
APOLOGY
Rep. Wilson quickly recognized the enormity of his insult of President Obama and hustled out of the chamber when President Obama concluded.
Wilson later called the White House and reached Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to apologize:
“This evening, I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill.
“While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”
IT’S TRUE
During President Obama’s speech, he vehemently denied that he plans panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. “Such a charge would be laughable if it wasn’t so cynical.”
“Read the bill!” someone shouted.
Obama said there were some who accuse him of a government take-over of health care.
“It’s true!” some one in the chamber hollered.
At one point, Obama urged opponents: “Come to me with a serious set of proposals”
About 20 Republican members raised copies of the GOP health reform plan which is side-tracked in committee.
They waved the copies again when Obama criticized people “who think it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it!”
Toward the end of his speech, Obama declared:
“When we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter, We don’t merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves.”
OBAMA’S MAJOR PROGRAM
It is apparent that health care will be a major program of President Obama.
As was his privilege, the President filled the main, balcony box for First Lady Obama with people afflicted with serious health problems.
They included a woman with sarcoidosis, a colon cancer patient, a recurrent cancer survivor, a double amputee, two women with breast tumors, a woman with eye problems, a man with high cholesterol, two brain tumor survivors, the son of a brain cancer victim, and the fathers of children who have seizures and hemophilia.
FOREIGN PATTERNS
It is apparent that Mr. Obama will push hard for low cost – if not free – health care for Americans in the pattern of Canada, some South American nations and most European nations.
For the United States of America – having an open border with Mexico through which illegal aliens pour for free, U.S. health care – the future of free health care becomes bankruptcy.
Don’t scoff. Germany, Russia, France and China have gone down that road with disaster for people with property and savings – and hardship for everyone.
Today we have a global economy kept afloat mostly by China.
The United States of America is stitched together with tons of borrowed money. Obligations of low-cost or free, health care -- in the event of a huge epidemic -- could collapse the nation.
Don’t scoff. National bankruptcy is not only possible – but is probable with less-than-cost health care.
By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist
