First lets talk about the responsibility of elected officials; being an elected official make you a role model by default. Your represent your constituents and should be a role model for the children of the United States and any others that may be observing. They should show a dignity when debating issues and a dignity for the office they have been honored to hold. They should be held to the highest standards of conduct, not only because they have the honor of serving in our great system, but also because by default they represent our great nation as well. This being said the Congress (especially during a joint session being broadcast nationally) should be show the respect it deserves and has earned over the many years it has served this great nation and its people, just like the respect shown in court rooms, historical places, museums, and dare I say churches and other places of worship. We have enough bad role models in this media centric society without U.S. representatives showing a lack of respect for the highest offices of the land.
This leads me to the outrageous actions Joe Wilson during Wednesday nights Presidential address to a joint session of Congress, it was a new low even for a politician from the much maligned state of South Carolina. Not only are they having to deal with the shame of a governor that disrespected his office, the people of South Carolina, and his wife by cheating and then lying about it to them and his staff; they no have the dishonor of having the first representative to show his lack of decorum and respect by shouting “You lie” during the President’s speech. I was in shock when I heard this shouted. I thought I had heard it wrong and then at the end when I say the replay of the event I was thoroughly disgusted by his actions. I work with children and it is hard to find role models in the world today, and what will they say when you ask them to respect others around them; Representative Joe Wilson doesn’t have to and is being held up as a hero by the “right” wing so why should I.
Another embarrassing thing came to light when I was researching the reactions to this event in the media. While reading an article in the Telegraph (an English media outlet) I was taken by surprise that a country that has very colourful discourse in its legislative arm doesn’t allow words such as liar to be screamed on its floor. The House of Commons bans words like liar, blackguard, guttersnipe and, oddly, stool pigeon, if these words are utter you are ask to leave or are removed. Maybe we should take a page from our allies across the Atlantic and make this a rule for our Congress. I know many have said he has apologized and we should move on, but truly if you have heard anything this man has said yesterday and today you would realize his apology is as hollow as his head seems to be. He must be censured so this is not copied by other headline grabbing wannabes like Wilson. Otherwise there will be utter chaos on the floor of the House and the Senate.
A few things to remember about this South Carolinian Representative; first he fought to keep the rebel flag on display on the South Carolina State House (even though they knew what that flag is a symbol of to most the people of the U.S. and the world – RACISM). Second this man accused another representative of being anti-America because he doubted the existence of WMD’s during the run-up to the Iraqi war (later we found out this man was right along with many of us that felt the WMD argument was a red herring to invade), once getting pressure he issued a half hearted apology, all the while bad mouthing the man to right wing fringe groups. Third he berated and called Essie Mae Washington-Williams a liar when she let it be known she was the illegitimate child of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond. Again it was proven that she was telling the truth and Thurmond’s family even came out and accepted she was his child. Again Wilson had to eat crow and apologize and keep with his M.O. he again talked under his breath about the motives of this woman and how she should have kept it to her self to preserve Strom’s memory (not worried about her feelings only the memory of a very racist and radical right fringe senator memory, even though he fathered her while married to another woman). Lastly he supported and voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 which gave health care to illegal aliens, but didn’t care about this because it was created by a white Republican President. You can check this bill and will see that Sec. 1011 authorizing $250,000 annually between 2003 and 2008 for government reimbursements to hospitals who provide treatment for uninsured illegal immigrant. Wilson never uttered one word, nor did his republican colleagues, because of who put this bill forward. This is enough proof for me to say that this man is a hypocrite and a liar.
Rob Miller is the democratic opposition for Wilson’s seat in 2010. He has raised as of 09/10/2009 $1.5 million and hopes to unseat the disrespectful and dishonest Wilson and I urge anyone that is outraged by Wilson’s behavior to make a donation to Miller’s campaign.
]. I don’t understand how Republicans can still think this person is a viable candidate. If she can’t handle governing Alaska, how the hell could she handle being in the White House? Is the Republican party that devoid of leadership, talent, and/or intelligence? That’s a rhetorical question, we all know they are. Anyway if you haven’t seen it [been on the moon or in a coma or don't watch t.v. or follow politics or tabloids] here is the speech 
