Much ado has been made of Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouting out “You lie!” during the president’s nationally-televised healthcare promotion address.

OK, he’s a fool … and an uncivil one, at that. Although I doubt that surprises anyone. “He may be a fool, but he’s our fool.” — from a hit song by Randy Newman (sadly, the scourge of political correctness demands the song title remain unmentioned).

Certainly Rep. Wilson’s been in D.C. long enough to be familiar with the politically correct, media-friendly terms like dissembling, embellishing and massaging the truth. What’s the point in spending billions to dumb-down American schoolchildren with the enlightenment of political correctness, if professional politicians can just call one another liars on national TV?  Hmmpf, simply shameful!

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And aren’t we fortunate that every major media outlet is scrambling to inform us that such a thing has never happened before. Just think how lucky 19th century Americans were. Their congressmen and senators merely challenged one another to duels to the death … but I’m sure it was done with the utmost civility.

For the record, those “inside the beltway” consider it particularly egregious to suggest a politician might allow facts to get in the way of a political opportunity.  Furthermore, it’s uncommonly uncivil to expect a politician — regardless of which elective office he/she represents — to flirt with the truth while facing a television camera (with or without a working teleprompter), or when addressing constituents in person. 

In the finest D.C. tradition President Obama faced a joint session of Congress and a national audience, and proclaimed:  “I will not sign any bill that adds one dime to the deficit.” Given the perfect opportunity to test a truism, I glanced at his pants legs to see if any flames.   

Weeks before, in what might be considered a “How-To” lesson in beltway courtesy, the Congressional Budget Office released a comprehensive report which refutes every deficit-reduction claim made by the president or his spokespeople about his health care proposals. If the bookies are taking bets on whether it’s Mr. Obama or the CBO that’s giving us the strait skinny, even without the pants on fire thing, my money’s on the CBO. Sorta reminds me of a great American colloquialism: “Who ya gonna believe — ya lyin’ eyes, or ya lovin’man?” 

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” — Isaiah Amberay.

Lee McGee

New Iberia