An analysis by the non-partisan Tax Policy Center of Congressman Paul Ryan's proposal to cut and privatize Social Security and Medicare has exposed the truth about Republican values: they don't care about the deficit, just about giving handouts to insurance companies and tax cuts to millionaires. The proposed plan, which Ryan claimed would eliminate federal deficits by mid-century, would actually result in a massive tax cut for the wealthy and substantial tax increases on 90 percent of Americans--and it would still produce a higher deficit than is currently projected. Not surprisingly, Ryan's plan gained the support of many Republican lawmakers, including South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson, who endorsed it wholeheartedly on national television.
South Carolina Democrats question whether Wilson still supports the plan that will hurt his constituents by raising their taxes while it fails miserably at reducing the deficit.
"South Carolina voters want to know if Joe Wilson is still on board Paul Ryan's sinking ship. The fact that Congressman Wilson ever supported this plan at all shows how much he's out of touch with the needs of South Carolina's working families. Our taxpayers can't afford another Republican plan that only rewards the wealthy," said South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler.
It's shocking. Yesterday, I learned that the same unit at AIG that helped lead the entire financial industry off the cliff will be paid $100 million in bonuses.
Worse still is the fact that Joe Wilson went out of his way to protect those bonuses. The only reason AIG functions today is because they were bailed out by taxpayers in 2008--a bailout that you and I funded with our tax dollars and that Joe Wilson supported.
When taxpayers asked for greater accountability to make sure our money was being used to increase lending to consumers and businesses, Joe Wilson stood with the Wall Street bankers and overpaid CEO's and voted no.
Join me in signing my Main Street, not Wall Street petition. Let's demand that Washington politicians like Joe Wilson stop protecting corporate bonuses and start focusing on the citizens of the 2nd District of South Carolina.
Joe Wilson's votes for Wall Street are just another example of the misplaced priorities of both Congressman Wilson and Washington, DC. Instead of giving high-rolling financial executives unwarranted bonuses, Congressman Wilson's priority should have been providing small-business loans to his own district in South Carolina.
Will you join me? Let's start taking care of the middle class.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a new radio ad campaign against U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, slamming the South Carolina Republican for supporting TARP in 2008 but voting against the Democrats' financial regulatory reform bill last week.
The 60-second radio spot, which will begin airing on Wednesday across the Second District, accuses Wilson of putting the interests of big Wall Street firms above the needs of his constituents:
"October 2008, the last months of the Bush presidency. The big banks and financial institutions almost collapsed, putting our entire economy at risk. Remember? We all know we should never let this happen again. That's why what our Congressman Joe Wilson did last week is so disturbing." a male narrator says.
"Congressman Wilson voted to let Wall Street continue the same risky practices that crippled retirement accounts and left taxpayers on the hook for $700 billion dollars," the ad continues. "And he voted to allow the big banks to pay high rolling executives unchecked compensation and bonuses. Maybe the $55,000 dollars that financial special interests have given to Congressman Wilson mattered more to him than protecting taxpayers and consumers.
"Doesn't that just make you mad? Call Joe Wilson, tell him to stop standing up for the big banks and to start standing up for us."
According to CQ Politics, Wilson is one of only five House Republicans the DCCC plans to target this week with radio ads -- a reassuring sign to S.C. Democrats that the national party remains interested in helping Rob Miller put up a strong fight against 'Old Yeller' in 2010.
After his outburst in September, we all know Rep Joe Wilson marches to the beat of a different drummer--just under 65% of people in a recent poll said they opposed his actions that faithful night. That begs the question, who is Joe Wilson listening to? As first reported by the New York Times, in last week's debate on health care reform, Wilson along with a handful of Republicans and conservative Democrats took a page, literally, from the health care interests that have padded their campaign coffers for years.
In the Opinion pages of today's The State, you'll find Cindi Ross Scoppe's op-ed lamenting the ongoing aftermath of Joe Wilson's 'You lie!' outburst before the President and a joint session of Congress. Scoppe takes on what has become an all-too-familiar refrain from Columbia and Washington--the money, the politics, and the status quo that we have come to expect from politicians.
Is this guy for real! Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) says President Obama has endangered American lives by not doing more to alleviate the nation's short supply of H1N1 vaccine.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) stated in an interview with CNSNews.com concerning the shortage of H1N1 vaccine, "The current administration is solely responsible. They can't blame this on any prior administration," said Wilson. "This is the responsibility of the current administration. They've put the lives of Americans at risk."
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) voted against a bill in June which contained special funding to combat H1N1 both domestically and internationally. However, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) forgets this fact, even thoug he felt compelled to make the infamous "You Lie" comment during the President's address to Congress in September and now this ridiculous comment. The "Party of No" and Joe Wilson once again has to pull its foot out of its mouth.
Needless to say Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) was campaigning in New Jersey for Chris Christie in the Governor's race at a rally and fund-raiser sponsored by NJ Tea Party. However during an interview on Fox News Chris Christie denied the claim that Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) was campaigning in New Jersey for him, telling Fox News, "There was no campaigning with Joe Wilson." I don't blame him, being that close in the polls Christie doesn't need the baggage of Joe Wilson.
Doesn't look good for Joe Wilson when his own party's candidates won't admit to his assistance.
Like most everyone, my faith and life experiences serve as the compass by which I set my course through life. For me, my experience as a husband, a father, a small business owner, and public servant all contribute to the decisions I make.But no experience has been more fundamental in the decisions I make than my experience in the United States Armed Services. I served for 3 years, from 1986 to 1989 in the U.S. Army Airborne, attaining the rank of SGT/E-5.
Military training has its basis on a few core principles; Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Courage.The military instills these values in those of us who are lucky enough to serve, and we are beholden to represent that those values as we transition into civilian life.
Some would argue that Congressman Joe Wilson had a right to confront the President of the United States. In the proper forum, I agree. However, in every military operation we are guided by rules of engagement; rules that help us define our mission, define when it is proper to act or react, and what amount of response is appropriate.These rules protect the lives of our fellow soldiers, and the civilians we are bound by duty to protect.Congressman Joe Wilson, who is a veteran, should have understood better the rules of engagement for the Presidential Address on Wednesday evening.
There is no protocol, or excuse for heckling the President of the United States during a speech, no matter what political party that President is from. Voicing opposition at that moment, in that setting, was a violation of the rules of engagement and disrespectful towards the Office of the President of the United States.On the field of battle, when someone violates the rules of engagement there are always consequences – many times mortal. Last Wednesday’s outburst, while not mortal in nature, did do damage. It set a standard of uncivil discourse as acceptable behavior. Behavior that is unbecoming of a veteran and a standing member of Congress.
When Congressman Wilson shouted ‘You lie!’ at President Obama, he also showed a perverse disregard for another important tenet of military training: respect for your commanding officer. Though the President is not in charge of any Member of Congress, the President is the Commander-in-Chief and the Office of the President is due respect. In the military, even in disagreement, we are taught to show superior officers the proper respect during formal occasions.The President of the United States is the Commander in Chief of all our countries proud armed forces.That title alone, demands the proper respect that is supposed to be instilled through military training.Either Congressman Wilson never learned or purposely chose to disregard his military training.
Stand Up America PAC, which intends to target right-wing Republican demagogues in the United States Congress, has released it's first campaign ad attacking Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina for his shameful "You Lie" outburst during the President's address to a Joint Session of Congress last week.
"Joe Wilson's disrespectful and shameful behavior last week is a perfect example of the Republican demagoguery that has infected the Congress," said Aaron Ament, a co-founder of Stand Up America PAC.
"Instead of working to improve health care in America, Joe Wilson has indulged in red-faced, spittle-laced tirades. It's time we rid the Congress of people like Joe Wilson - and that is just what Stand Up America PAC intends to do," said Ament.
Stand Up America PAC has also announced that they intend to target for defeat the following Representatives: Michelle Bachmann (MN-6), John Campbell (CA-48), Eric Cantor (VA-7), Jean Schmidt (OH-2) and Joe Wilson (SC-2). Stand Up America PAC will conduct independent political campaigns aimed at these Republicans, as well as contributing funds to their Democratic challengers.
"In recent years our national discourse has become polluted with right-wing Republican provocateurs whose goal is not to move our country forward, but to demean and intimidate their political opponents."
"We intend to stand up to these demagogues - and we intend to defeat them," concluded Ament.
The Stand Up America campaign team will include Ament, who worked on the presidential campaign of Wesley Clark and the House Judiciary Committee, as well as Jesse Berney from Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential online team.
Mark Longabaugh and Neil Kammerman of Wild Bunch Media will also advise Stand Up America PAC as consultants. Longabaugh and Kammerman were the key architects of the Independent campaign expenditures campaigns that helped defeat Republican zealots Richard Pombo in California in 2006 and Marylyn Musgrave in Colorado in 2008.
Speaking of Southern politics, I'd like to take a moment to thank the gang over at The Kudzu Vine for having me on their radio show Sunday. We had a great time talking about the ongoing Luv Guv drama, the exciting Second District race, and Jim Rex's run for governor.
Kudzu covers politics across the South every Sunday night from 7 to 8 p.m. on Blog Talk Radio. You can check out the show online here. Thanks, Kudzu crew!
I heard some guy somewhere is selling "I'm with Joe Wilson" t-shirts. They're so popular, he's also giving them away for free. The slogan is also really funny. I didn't know Republicans were using the Congressman's name as a synonym for stupid. For kicks, I'd also recommend using a few anagrams of Wilson's moniker for shirt ideas, like Jo Lies Now and Jowl Noise, my personal favorite.
The malestrom created by Joe's jowl noise netted quite a treasure trove of internet critique and satrie not yet ready for free purchase. So, in case you missed it, here's some light reading on our venerable member of Congress:
The only thing more "out there" than Joe Wilson's disrespectful display during the President's speech to Congress on Health Care is Representative Wilson's all over the place take on two of the largest government-run health systems there are - the ones that benefit our troops and veterans.
Wilson has railed against health care reform, warning that offering more choice to people amounts to a government takeover of health insurance. To him, it's an evil that has to be defeated.
Yet, at the same time, Wilson hasn't said whether he's opted into TRICARE for Life. The completely government-run health insurance system for certain military retirees is available to Wilson, as he's a 31-year Guard and Reserve veteran (though he joined after getting out of Vietnam). If he's not, of course, then he's taking insurance from the government-run pool offered to Congressmen. Then, there's all of our active duty service members who are on TRICARE - stuck in an evil government system that must have turned them into Communists by now.
Wilson has saved them and gotten them out of TRICARE, right?
Right?
"TRICARE provides world class health care," said Wilson in a press release. "I believe TRICARE is one part of our health care system that's working."
What?! Joe Wilson is all for this horrible fascist system of government care?
Like a good neighbor, Rep. Joe Wilson is there to love black people, especially the ones from South Carolina. He loves them so much, in fact, that he revealed his special connection to them. When questioned byFox New's Chris Wallace (Gasp! Shock! Amazement! Awe!) on accusations there was a racial component to his outburst during President Obama's health care speech, what else could Joe Wilson say but, "YOU LIE!":
WALLACE: Now, in today's New York Times — I have to bring this up to you...
WILSON: Yes.
WALLACE: ... columnist Maureen Dowd says that the shout — she believes — suggests the shout was based on race, and she wrote this. "Wilson clearly did not like being lectured and even rebuked by the brainy black president presiding over the majestic chamber."
WILSON: Oh, hey, no. Hey...
WALLACE: Question: Is Mr. Obama's race an issue for you?
WILSON: No, no. Hey, I respect the president. Actually, there's a relationship, in a way. His wife — her family's from Georgetown. My family's from next door in McClellanville. So I have a great respect for the Obama family.
Yeah, because their families totally would have been hanging out back in the good 'ol days drinking sweet tea in the slave cabin and riding the bus together in the front seat in the segregationist South. Now that I think about it, some of the folks that live in the city near mine are black, too.
At least Mrs. Obama's maiden name isn't Wilson, or she and Essie Mae Washington-Williamswould have a lot to talk about right now. Maybe they still do.
Who could have predicted just 48 hours ago that two little words -- "You Lie!" -- could shake up South Carolina's Second Congressional District race overnight?
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson trails challenger Rob Miller 44-43 in the wake of his shouting out 'you lie' during President Obama's speech to Congress on Wednesday night. Wilson defeated Miller 54-46 in the 2008 election.
62% of voters in his district say they disapprove of Wilson's actions while just 29% think they were ok. While there is consensus on that, respondents were pretty divided about whether the substance of his comment- that Obama was lying- is correct. 42% say they think the President was lying while 46% believe he was not.
Wilson's approval rating comes in at 41%, with 47% of voters disapproving of his job performance. He gets good marks from 68% of Republicans, 38% of independents, and 11% of Democrats.
"In a matter of seconds Joe Wilson turned himself from a safe incumbent into one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the country for 2010," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.
Overall 49% of voters say that Wednesday's incident made them less likely to vote for Wilson in the future while 35% said it made them more likely to do so.
Obama's approval rating is 50% in the district, pretty good given his nine point loss there last fall. Mark Sanford's is 31% and 51% of voters think he should resign.
Joe Wilson's Democratic challenger has now surpassed the three-quarters of a million dollars mark. As of noon today this evening, Rob Miller has raked in over $775,000 $1,000,000 in campaign contributions and picked up more than 21,000 25,000 new donors since Wilson's "You Lie!" outburst Wednesday night.
I heard some guy somewhere is selling "I'm with Joe Wilson" t-shirts. They're so popular, he's also giving them away for free. The slogan is also really funny. I didn't know Republicans were using the Congressman's name as a synonym for stupid. For kicks, I'd also recommend using a few anagrams of Wilson's moniker for shirt ideas, like Jo Lies Now and Jowl Noise, my personal favorite. 
Like a good neighbor, Rep. Joe Wilson is there to love black people, especially the ones from South Carolina. He loves them so much, in fact, that he revealed his special connection to them. When questioned by 
