Republicans mistake Presidential address for town hall meeting

President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress last night to discuss fact and fiction regarding health care reform. However, Republicans grimaced, booed, shouted out, waved their own bill in the air and held signs in protest. We are not Parliament, this was not a town hall, and it was disrespectful to the office of the President to say the least. It should be noted, that over the years the opposition has shown, well opposition, but not in this fashion.

President Obama laid out his plans for health care, debunked the lies that were going viral last month and explaining his expectations from members of both parties. None of this was clear to Rep. Joseph Wilson (R-SC), who in a weird turrets moment shouted out "YOU LIE!" He was booed by both Democrats and Republicans for his behavior, with one shouting "Throw him out!" . Internal House rules dictate that any outbursts or verbal assaults of contempt at another official is grounds for censure. Rep. Wilson also served in the National Guard until 2003, and that behavior would have led to a court martial.

"Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."



Note: Following the Presidential address Senator John McCain and Rep. Jeff Flake both issued statements suggesting Mr. Wilson apologize.