The Nativists Behind The Man Who Called Obama A Liar
The Nativists Behind The Man Who Called Obama A Liar
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) has received a lot of attention for calling President Obama a liar last night when he asserted that undocumented immigrants will not benefit from health care reform. Most commentators and politicians have denounced Wilson’s unruly behavior, though not enough have bothered to highlight the inherent fallacy of his accusations. Undocumented immigrants are in fact explicitly barred from receiving any health care benefits under both the House and Senate bills and a closer look at all those who restlessly suggest otherwise sheds some light on the radical nativist underpinnings of their anti-health care reform crusade.
To begin with, Wilson is a member of the Southern heritage group, Sons of Confederate Veterans, which favors secession and defends slavery is stock full of white supremecists and right-wing extremists. Crooks and Liars further reports that, as a state legislator, Wilson went against his own party and voted with seven lone right-wingers to keep the Dixie Rebel flag flying over the South Carolina state capitol building.
As a federal lawmaker, Wilson became a member of the House Immigration Reform Caucus (HIRC), a group of (mostly Republican) representatives founded by former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) with the mission of stopping “the explosive growth in illegal immigration,” “reversing the growth in legal immigration,” and halting “amnesties.” Other notoriously anti-immigrant members of HIRC include Steve King (R-IA), who described immigration as a “slow-motion Holocaust,” and Lamar Smith (R-TX), who equates undocumented immigrants with “terrorist weapons.” HIRC members Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA), Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), and King all proclaimed that undocumented immigrants would receive health care benefits long before Wilson’s outburst. The two Republican representatives, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA) and Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV), who proposed amendments to the House health care bill that would’ve added stringent citizenship verification mechanisms are active members of the HIRC as well. Heller and Deal also lead the fight to overturn the 14th Amendment and end the policy of automatically granting anyone who is born in the country US citizenship.
Wilson’s reaction last night was certainly out of line, but his indefensible fit of temper was illustrative of a larger discussion taking place amongst HIRC members and anti-immigrant groups who see the health care debate as yet another opportunity to promote their nativist agenda by advancing illogical fears, misplaced anger, and calculated misinformation. HIRC is now headed by Brian Bilbray (R-CA) — a former lobbyist for the anti-immigrant hate group, Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The Center for New Community reports that FAIR paid him almost $300,000 for work on its behalf between May 2002 and July 2005. Since then, Bilbray has announced his intentions to “work closely” with groups such as FAIR and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), another “FAIR spin-off group” that has been identified as part of the “nativist lobby.” It comes as no surprise that HIRC’s health care reform haters have regularly relied on the shoddy “expertise” of FAIR, CIS, and their sister-group, NumbersUSA, to promote the myth that undocumented immigrants will be covered under the bill. Another anti-immigrant group, Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC), has gone as far to call Wilson a “brave Congressmen” for calling Obama out on his “lie” and have advised their membership to personally thank him.
Wilson has co-sponsored several pieces of English-only legislation and supported efforts to report undocumented immigrants who seek emergency medical care. In 2006, he declared “it is time to curtail the invasion of illegal aliens.”
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11 Responses to “The Nativists Behind The Man Who Called Obama A Liar”
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First of all, every resident of the U.S. deserves healthcare, including unauthorized migrants. That’s not only best for unauthorized migrants it’s best for everyone.
Second, Joe Wilson is a clear nativist so consumed by hatred for fellow human beings he could not contain himself during Obama’s speech.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:00 pmAre we not surprised … And it’s regrettable that undocumented folks are excluded. Now, if Obama can get it together to do immigration reform next, the results might improve slightly. One can hope, anyway.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:34 pmI’m not surprised that Wilson, a member of a nativist group, behaved in such a shameless way last night. As a country, we should be embarrassed that we have representatives who fuel the public with lies and misinformation. The reality is that undocumented immigrants won’t be covered, which really hurts all of us. It is common-sense policy that all U.S residents should have access to health care.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:37 pmGreat post, Andrea. Speaking of which…
Let’s fight the nativism that’s descending on Washington next week– FAIR (a recognized anti-immigrant hate group) is coming to lobby Congress:
http://www.AmericasVoiceOnline.org/FightFAIR
September 10th, 2009 at 5:53 pmAs illuminating as this post is, it is primarily read by those of us who are already of the same mind.
I regularly encounter good people who have no idea that this site and facts such as these exist.
What does it take to get outfits like moveon.org or others to place full-page ads nationwide to expose the general public to who these bigoted clowns really are?
September 10th, 2009 at 7:58 pmThe folks against health care reform are essentially classists and exclusionists. They desire to promote class divisions of the ‘Haves’ and ‘Have Nots’ and exclude the Have Nots from any charity of any kind. That’s why they’re so private industry. Whoever generates the big money are there best friends. Those far less fortunate are dismissed to fret and fend on their own. Regrettably, the low and middle income earners in the Republican party are simply unknowing pawns in this whole scheme. The wealthy Republicans will use them politically for their own purposes and then hang them out to dry. The low/middle income earners have little to gain from being anti-govt all down the line as, ironically, it’s the govt that is looking out for them, not the Republicans.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:49 pmHe shouldn’t have done that to a person of such authority and respect he is the highest law of the land and when he apologized he didn’t look like he meant it. What i think they are waiting on is a retalliation from PRESIDENT Obama and as you can see its not happening because he is a person that can control himself and he is owed much respect and people should stop reporting everything he does because its harmless stuff like swatting a fly forreal just give him a break he is a normal person like everyone else except he has the whole country to take care of. Respect our president.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:24 amWhat’s a: Nativist? Is that a new term to replace: WASP American?
September 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pmThis is BullShit: “Wilson is a member of the Southern heritage group, Sons of Confederate Veterans, which favors secession and defends slavery is stock full of white supremecists and right-wing extremists.” (Why didn’t you just delete that crap statement, instead of lining through it?)
I’m a Member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. I’m a Civil War Actor. It’s simply a Southern Heritage group…
The only people whom can truely be termed: Nativist, are the American Indians.
I also believe that BU$H was a con, a crook, and a criminal. I support progressive ideas. Also, deportation of illegal aliens. Sen. Wilson was CORRECT! Presently, illegal aliens seek treatment, and are given medical care at emergency rooms. Costing billions! So, to say that they’re excluded is FALSE! To exclude them they have to be denied emergency care, which won’t happen. Or, evict them from USA. Also, ain’t happening. They receive de facto Health Care. Which should be clearly recognized, and listed as an expense to be included in the cost of the program.
The NAACP concluded that some Americans didn’t want their kids watching President’s address to the school children because he’s a Negro. They detest having Negros in The White House. I believe that is true. I anticipated this when the Democrats nominated Mr. Obama.
There’s a extremely high divide between reality, and hype in this Country. And abroad. That’s partly why we were attacked 8 years ago. Our attackers don’t want our culture, nor society, polluting theirs. Now, were facing disfunctional government.
This health Care biz is unraveling the legislation. Deception on the issue of medical care for illegal aliens is 1 flaw which I predicted would cause failture. Now, we’re looking at anarchy.
PS: If your not a Nativist, than what else can you be?
September 11th, 2009 at 1:45 pmAn Earthling?
I agree with the person who says that “people of like minds” know what time it is….Yes sadly racism is alive and well! It is difficult for some to even address people as “human” we have to resort to terms such as Alien just as we did with “Negro” to justify irrational hatred and bigotry….or perhaps it is really fear?I mean why else would people show up to town hall meetings as if they were going to a “lynching?”. As for Mr. Wilson it is very clear where he stands after all would he have stood up and called any other president a liar? Like Bush? Thnk God for those of like minds!!!!
September 12th, 2009 at 9:55 amit’s not surprising. No respect for the Prez, no respect for human beings.
September 12th, 2009 at 3:21 pm