Joe Wilson Raises $700,000 since Friday; Also featuring other GOP heroes from 9/9/09

During the president's speech on Wednesday, Congressman Joe Wilson stunned a nation already on tenterhooks trying to figure out what the hell Barry was talking about. After the president claimed that the healthcare bill would not cover illegal aliens, Mr. Wilson decided he had had enough. "You LIE!", became the shot heard 'round the world, and Congressman Wilson had fired it. Since then, the good congressman (pictured below shouting the president down) has apparently raised $700,000. Not bad.

But Joe wasn't the only Republican out there disgusted by what he heard. He was only the loudest. Congressman Louie Gohmert of Texas held a sign throughout the speech asking the president to reveal what mysterious plan he was speaking of, since it didn't seem to resemble any bill currently before Congress.Congressman John Shimkus of Illinois was so embarrased of just being in earshot of Barry's bellicose blather-fest that he walked out of the chamber.And when the president insisted that opponents of the current proposals offer solutions of their own, more than a handful of Republican representatives stood up waiving their own reform bills in the air.

But most of all I feel terrible for Congressman Wilson, who is being treated like common dirt (or as we call common dirt here at The Tusk, "an ACORN employee") for correctly calling the president a liar just moments after the president accused his opponents of lying. Indeed, right before Mr. Wilson let the cat out of the bag about Obambi's big fudge, the President had already accused his opponents of being dishonest and playing "games":

But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government. Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.

Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed.

The Democrats should really look deep within themselves before accusing anyone of scare tactics. Every two years during any national election we hear the same thing said to poor people ("Tax cuts for the rich" and "the poor get poorer"), and to old people ("They'll take away social security" and "They'll end Medicare") and to minorities ("Racists!"). It's really old. Boring, even.