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ArcaMax Publishing > Politics > From the Left > Clarence Page

Talk out Health Care, Don't Shout It Out

I have nothing against passion in politics. But when defenders of Rep. Joe Wilson's interruption of President Obama's health care speech claim "free speech" and "double standards," they only reveal their own misguided manners and political tone-deafness.

Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, made history by shouting, "You lie!" during Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress. That's OK with a sadly sizeable number of onlookers. They even offer arguments that sound remarkably alike, as if they were coached by the same talk radio hosts and cable TV news shows.

"Why is it regrettable to express a sentiment, thought, idea, feeling, etc.?" said one fairly typical example in response to a blog posting. "I thought free speech was as American as apple pie and baseball."

"The Democrats booed during George Bush's State of the Union speech in 2005 and no media commented," said another blog reader. "You can't have it both ways!"

True. In fact, Republicans jeered President Bill Clinton so sharply during one of his addresses that he departed from his text to respond like a stand-up comedian facing hecklers on open-mike night. Good theater, one might argue, if it is kept within limits.

The famously formal British Parliament raises raucous audience reactions to an art form, a virtual symphony of tut-tut booing and hear-hear cheering during their regular Prime Minister's Questions.

But, we Yanks can be a more feisty bunch. Open the door to outbursts of individual approval, disapproval and advice like Wilson's rude shout of "You lie!" during Obama's speech and we'll have a hard time getting that beast back into the barn. This is our Congress, after all, not a caged wrestling match. I don't care how many people have a hard time telling the difference.

Calling the president a liar to his face during a formal address to Congress crosses lines I don't think most Americans want to cross. For a member to interrupt the nation's commander-in-chief during an address to Congress disrespects the office itself and the nation for which it stands. It's also bad manners. We Americans believe in free speech, but not when that speech interrupts the free speech of others.

Perhaps some folks are confused by an overexposure to noisy TV and radio talk shows. I confess to participating in some of them, after warning my own son, "Do not try this at home."

Wilson apologized after prodding from Republican leaders, he says. Some Democrats called for his censure, too, but I think he's already getting enough punishment back home. Rob Miller, a Marine captain and Iraq war veteran who is Wilson's Democratic opponent for reelection, was reported to have raised a half-million dollars in the first 24 hours after Wilson's outburst. He should send Wilson a thank you card.

And what about the issue Wilson raised? Did Obama lie when he said Democratic health-care legislation would not extend coverage to illegal immigrants? By the letter of the proposed law as written, Obama is right. The House bill specifically bans illegal immigrants from receiving federal subsidies to purchase insurance. Still, conservative critics argue that there are not enough safeguards to prevent some illegal immigrants from slipping through.

A Congressional Research Service report, for example, found that some illegal immigrants would not be prohibited from purchasing insurance on their own through the health insurance exchanges that would be established by the bill. However, some conservative commentators have confused the public by ignoring that the bill would require immigrants to use their own money to purchase insurance, just as they can now.

Bottom line, the report says, health reform "leaves in place the status quo" and "certainly does not provide any new benefits particularly for illegal immigrants."

Let's ask ourselves: Do we want to discourage illegal workers from buying their own medical insurance? Or would we prefer to add their numbers to those for whom taxpayers already are providing health care through hospital emergency rooms?

That's a subject worth debating, and the debate goes on. House Democrats oppose making the rules so strict that people who should be eligible are denied coverage. Opponents are concerned that some undocumented immigrants might slip through a loophole such as being the parents of children who are citizens because they were born here.

Either way, these are technical details. They need to be talked out, not shouted out.

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E-mail Clarence Page at cpage(at)tribune.com, or write to him c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207.

(c) 2008 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

This news arrived on: 09/13/2009

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