Update (10 September):
Despite being disrespectful was Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst at President Obama correct? That is, is the president really lying about the government providing health care to undocumented immigrants? The short answer is "no" though some context is needed.
As it currently stands none of the health care reform proposals in Congress allow for undocumented immigrants to be covered. In fact, one bill currently in the House of Representatives makes an explicit point of that:
H.R. 3200: Sec 246 — NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS
Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.
Currently illegal immigrants do not qualify for any federal health programs and that is not expected to change if health care reform passes. According to the Pew Hispanic Center (and as cited by the informative factcheck.org) roughly half of illegal immigrants pay for their own health insurance. In fact, H.R. 3200 may obligate undocumented immigrants to purchase their own medical insurance:
As with any bill the above may be changed during the course of debate and discussion. Yet with the tinderbox that is the immigration debate and the already heated discourse on health care it may not be a good idea to modify the above provisos.That's the conclusion of the Congressional Research Service, which issued a report on the topic. According to the CRS, noncitizens who can be considered "resident aliens" under U.S. tax law would have to buy insurance — and unlike immigration laws, the tax code doesn't distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants.
"Thus, legal permanent residents, and noncitizens and unauthorized aliens who qualify as resident aliens … would be required under H.R. 3200 to have health insurance," the new report states.
Simply put, the notion that federal subsidies will pay for illegal immigrants' health care is a myth and patently false.
Original Post:
On Monday we gave our “¿Por qué no te callas?” honors to a group who heckled a Spanish-speaking pastor at a Connecticut town hall meeting on health care. A different form of heckling occurred tonight over health care albeit on a more prominent stage:South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson would later apologize for his unnecessary and crass outburst. Wilson- who is a Republican- was condemned by leaders of his party as well as by Democrats.
Perhaps the most worrying part of Wilson’s yell was that it came in a portion of the speech where illegal immigration was mentioned. If this is how one congressman felt about immigration during a presidential speech focusing on health care then it’s hard to imagine the vitriol and anger during the upcoming immigration reform debate.
The already contentious dispute over reforming health care may be peanuts compared to what awaits on immigration. Here’s hoping that cooler (and wiser) heads prevail.
Online Sources- Ventura County Star, CNN, AFP, YouTube, The Latin Americanist
Thanks for your opportune article on this subject.
ReplyDeleteI heard the noise and the hecklers in my TV ( that already has poor sound ) but I couldn't distinguish what they were shouting.
It is all very sad.... I love Mr Obama and the Democrats and I hope that the Intelligence, Reason, Professorial Brain of Mr Obama can find a solution. For the Good of the American Economy.
I have gathered many "liberal" articles in important newspapers that tell me that Mr Obama has to be decisive and strong like Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Lyndon Baines Johnson.
These two presidents are credited with the Greatest Advances in Social Legislation : Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.
It is very sad how Mr Johnson had failures and pain in his life ( Vietnam and the destruction of His Great Society Projects ) ... There are many beautiful things in Johnson's heart. The movie is very sad ...
I hope that Robert McNamara is already in Heaven after a brief Summer in Purgatory. He was nice too !!
My Historical Collection of Social Legislation, Supreme Court, etc .... :
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque
I myself do not agree with portions of the president's health care reform plan, primarily over the anticipated cost and the specifics of the "public option".
ReplyDeleteYet such an outburst is not only unprecedented but absolutely ugly, shameful, and crass on the part of Rep. Wilson. Whether or not one agrees with his viewpoint his heckling reeinforces (sp) the myth of the "ugly American" as was focused by numerous international newscasts.
I am astonished by the Vulgarity and Grossness of this action of Joe Wilson.
ReplyDeleteBut it helped me to find a jewel and treasure of lexicography, dictionaries, etymologies, etc ..
I asked the dictionary for Heckling and I found this :
to heckle
1. To try to embarrass and annoy (someone speaking or performing in public) by questions, gibes, or objections; badger.
2. To interrupt (a public speaker) with comments, questions, or taunts
3. verb jeer, interrupt, shout down, disrupt, bait, barrack (informal) boo, taunt, pester
to barrack
1. Chiefly British To jeer or shout at a player, speaker, or team.
2. Australian To shout support for a team.
v.tr. Chiefly British
To shout against; jeer at.
The word "Barrack" reminds me of the Military and Militarism.
Then I think of Military Coups, Military Gorillas in power, Military Juntas, Military Despots and Tyrants.
And Militarism is very useful in Demagoguery .... Alcibiades, a Demagogue convinced the Athenians that invading the Island of Sicily and dominating the Sicilians was a piece of cake.
He led the Athenian Army to ruin and death ....
Militarism is very closely linked to Demagogy and to Imbecility.
Perhaps Hecklers don't like free speech and their poor brains are only good to interrupt and obstruct the speaker.
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque