Joe "the Screamer" Wilson really stepped in it. He needs to do some sort of pennance for what he did to the president. And, quite honestly, the Shimkus guy should get the same treatment.
Censure isn't the right call here. It simply becomes the Red Badge of Courage for more of the people to act like idiots. "Hey, Wilson was the first to get the censure, what do I have to do to be next line line"? We are dealing with a pre-teenager mentality here.
I know, we've got teens. We've lived through it. Here are a couple alternate of suggestions.
Take his time away. Since every thing in Congress runs on a seniority system, why not penalize him 2 years plus one day of seniority. Since Wilson is a 4th term congressperson, that puts him in line behind all other 2nd, 3rd, and 4th term congresspeople for committee assignments and pecking order. It doesn't penalize his constituients by making him resign. We avoid the media circus that would ensue when Mark Sanford attempts to appoint an Argentine Reporter in his place.
How about "Slave Time"? No, this isn't a racial thing. It is a concept of disipline we used in our household when the kids were younger. Since we are dealing pre-teen behavior, let use solutions proper for the age frame.
Slave Time means that if Kid A (Joe) does something nasty to Kid B (Barack) then Joe has to do everything that Barack wants to do for a fixed time frame. When you have an older brother giving a beat down to a little sister, it is entertaining to see the older brother play nicely with his sister and her dolls for 20 minutes or so.
It would be neat to see Joe Wilson as the point person for healthcare for a while. He has to suck it up and play nice, or his time gets extended. I'd love to see him on Fox or MSNBC touting the president's ideas for at least a month or so. Who knows, he might convince a few of his collegues to go along with Barack. They can sit down for a few beers afterward.
I can see Shimkus playing dolls with the first children for about an hour.
Mumbled apologies or standing up in front of everybody for questionable dress downs, doesn't really do much for moving forward. It just gets people madder and more resentful.
As a Republican and US. Army retired Veteran I was personally offended by your lack of respect to the President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief with you yelling to him in the halls of Congress and the house of our founding fathers “you lieâ€. I was most appalled to find that you served as Colonel in the military. Your actions are tantamount to a Commanding Captain yelling in a battalion formation “you Lie†to his Colonel when he is addressing the command.
Dear Sir you have brought shame to all veterans in your lack of respect to the Commander-in-Chief. While President Obama accepted your apology, you owe me and millions of service members an apology for your behavior unbecoming of an Officer. Your explanation that your response was an emotional response to the President’s comments can only be accepted by a first year cadet. You are either void of common sense or failed to read the speech beforehand and as a well trained Officer, I seriously doubt that you failed to read the speech before hand.
Dear Congressman, I look forward to your public apology to service members for your public disrespect to the Office of the President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief.
Another option could be the next time Mr. Wilson speaks at the House have all of the Democrats yell all together -- You Lie! What fun that would be and it would probably make a news cycle.
Wilson’s outburst did in fact break the rules of the House. For that he has apologized, two times.
Let’s collectively step toward consistency? Wilson had an outburst, but he was telling the truth. I propose we call for Obama’s censure for making numerous lies (falsehoods, fabrications, mistruths by any other name, LIES) on the floor of a joint meeting of Congress televised nationally to the public – you know those “People†he swore to serve. Many neutral research groups (something I nor you can claim) have shown, beyond a doubt, many of Obama’s “facts†and statements were incorrect. They were lies. He should apologize to the American people and we should all demand it. We should expect more from all politicians. So should you.
Joe, if you are so bold as to demand that Rep. Wilson loose time (seniority) then lets again be consistent. You wrote, “…why not penalize him 2 years plus one day of seniority.†Obama, being the President, doesn’t work on seniority as he is already “most seniorâ€. Let’s just penalize him as nearly as we can in like kind. He should loose 2 years plus one day of his term.
First, I’ll wait for his apology.
You admit he broke the house rules, we are in agreement.
Looks like just saying he sorry is ok by you?
In my religion you need to forgive, that is why I started the article with the idea of pennance. You gotta do shomething to show you are really sorry. I am not asking for an Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, and a First Down on the 1 yard line, but I think there needs to be something solid.
Doing the Mumbles the Clown act doesn't do squat.
I am not all wee-weed up about anything.
What is the penalty for breaking the rules?
My point is, if you are going to punish somebody, get some good out of it.
If you want to make a moral equivalant arguement between the president and Wilson the screamer, I don't think you'll get much traction with me.
Certainly not after the way the GOP and it's minions have behaved this summer.
Pinocchio would be running around with a medium sized Christmas tree one his face if he were a typical GOP Congressperson.
No, this is the rule of the left – ask others to stand to a level of behavior that they are not willing to enforce upon themselves.
No, I don’t expect to get any traction with you on that front – it requires intellectually honesty. You continue to dodge the big point – Obama’s lies. Instead you want to expand the scenario to others in the GOP. This is an issue about two individuals, “Wilson-the-screamer†(as you put it) and the “Obama-the-Liar†as many others have proven. Again, Obama should be sanctioned for repeatedly lying to the public and to a joint session of Congress.
(Steve Martin: "I'm sorry I killed that person!")
A way to rebuke a legislator without punishing his constituents (too much) is what's needed. A censure is meaningless - merely a demerit in his file. Reducing seniority status is key because that is why these pro politicians run, to increase their power by seniority, they rarely care about Americans' betterment.
The controversial congressman has been a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans. Max Blumenthal, author of the just-published Republican Gomorrah, asks: Did he remain so even after it became a hate group?
Wilson doesn't look to be in his 70's.