As all my phone sex callers know, civility will get you far here at Cheap Phone Sex. The political arena has become shrill culminating in the rude outburst of Representative Joe Wilson during yesterday’s joint session of Congress. While the President of the United States was going over his proposal for health insurance coverage the South Carolina representative yelled out, “You lie.” Wilson was referring to the President’s comment that undocumented workers will not be covered.
For those of you who have never debated, never spent time learning parliamentary procedure or clerked for the Congress, under the rules which were established in 1901 on the floor of the House or Senate a member of Congress can not call the President liar nor can a member of Congress imply that the President is being misleading in matters of policy. These are the rules that every member of Congress abides by and are reaffirmed at the beginning of each new session.
In less than 24 hours Joe Wilson’s opponent, Rob Miller, has raised more than $350,000. I was about to write a check to the heckler’s opponent myself. That feeling lasted for about a minute. Why? Almost immediately after the President’s speech, Wilson did the right thing. He apologized. So I for one am done with the matter.
Almost.
Unless Joe Wilson knows something more than what is written, the 1,018-page bill, states plainly that undocumented workers will not be covered. Take a look at Section 246 of the bill which is oddly untitled No Federal Payment for Undocumented Aliens. Page 143, line 5 reads, “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”