Is Joe Wilson a Hero?

This story is interesting. During Obama's speech, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" My initial reaction was "So what?"

Based on the aftermath and mainstream media backlash, it's obvious that Joe Wilson did something heroic. Almost every article I read was critical of Joe Wilson. The coverage would not have been uniformly severely negative, if Joe Wilson didn't do something important.

As usual, Joe Wilson was forced to apologize. For once, I wish someone would say "I did the right thing! Obama really was lying! I'm not apologizing! I'm not sitting there quietly while the President lies to America!" Why should Joe Wilson be forced to apologize?

The specific issue is irrelevant (healthcare reform and illegal immigrants). The whole "healthcare reform" debate is a lie on both sides. The real issue, restrictive State licensing requirements for doctors, is never mentioned. "Eliminate State licensing requirements for doctors!" or "Increase the supply of doctor licenses!" is not mentioned as a possible solution for decreasing healthcare costs.

It's also interesting to read "Obama accepted Joe Wilson's apology." Translating, Obama said "I know the mainstream media is wrecking your career over this incident. I'm pretending to be the nice guy while everyone else ruins your reputation." An apology has zero economic value, and is irrelevant. The only value of an apology is that the slave is acknowledging the legitimacy of his master.

The mainstream media and Republican Congressmen are closing ranks against Joe Wilson. They're all criticizing him. They're probably kicking him out of the House or forcing him to resign. It's practically certain that Joe Wilson will be forced to resign or won't be reelected in 2010.

"The Strawman Fallacy" is also relevant here. Even if you believe "Joe Wilson should not have interrupted Obama!", that doesn't mean his career should be ruined. Joe Wilson should be evaluated based on his entire career, and not just one incident. This incident illustrates how politicians must continually be careful that they don't accidentally tell the truth, lest their career be ruined. This incident sets an example, in case another Congressman considers telling the truth.

A politician has no useful skills. It's irrelevant if Joe Wilson is replaced with a different pro-State troll. For this reason, any politician who deviates is sacrificed to preserve the scam of the State.

There's an interesting legal loophole I hadn't noticed before. Even if you're an elected Congressmen, the other Congressmen can refuse to seat you. An elected representative can be kicked out of Congress by a majority vote of the other Congressmen. Previously, the Senate was considering invoking that rule over the controversially appointed replacement for Barack Obama's Senate seat.

This article was also interesting. I don't understand how Joe Wilson is being compared to Preston Brooks. In a slavery dispute in 1856, Preston Brooks physically assaulted another Congressman.

Is that how far things have degenerated? Calling someone out as a liar is the same as physically assaulting someone? Physically assaulting someone is an obvious crime. Calling someone a liar is normal human behavior.

The rules for the House require Congressmen to be quiet when the President is speaking. However, those rules are defective. If someone is lying, the correct normal human behavior is to object. Otherwise, you're implicitly accepting the lie by sitting there quietly.

Also, the President speaking is not the same as other public speakers. The President claims the ability to violently impose his will on everyone else. If I give a speech, it's reasonable for me to prevent audience members from disrupting the performance. Even so, I suspect I'll get lots of hecklers if I attempt "Promote agorism via standup comedy!" Also, if I gave a speech, I wouldn't be lying.

Considering the mainstream media backlash against Joe Wilson, it's obvious that he did something heroic. Criticizing the President after a speech is acceptable. Calling him out as a liar during a speech is unacceptable. Why is that?

It's the difference between immediate feedback and delayed feedback. If you give *IMMEDIATE* negative feedback when someone is dishonest, that's correct behavior. If you give delayed negative feedback, that's implicitly accepting the dishonesty. That's an important psychological trick.

The fact that Congressmen sit there quietly while the President lies has a hidden psychological assumption "The President is telling the truth. He's a noble and heroic leader." Joe Wilson broke the trance when he shouted "You lie!" If you don't challenge a dishonest person immediately, you're implicitly accepting the dishonesty.

Consider the following example. Suppose a defense attorney tries explaining jury nullification during a criminal trial. The prosecutor immediately says "I object!" and the judge says immediately "Objection sustained!" and the defense attorney is forced to shut up. Why doesn't the prosecutor wait until it's his turn to speak to complain? The immediate objection has an important psychological effect.

If people started shouting out "You lie!" whenever politicians speak, then the scam would rapidly collapse. A politician is lying whenever his lips are moving. Joe Wilson set a dangerous precedent, calling out the President to his face.

The mainstream media backlash is also implicitly saying "Those people who interrupted 'Town Hall' meetings are scum like Joe Wilson."

Isn't accusing the President of lying the correct behavior for a Congressman? Even if the criticism later turns out to be wrong, it shouldn't be wrong to suggest the issue in the first place.

Wouldn't it be nice if someone had accused President Bush and his assistants of lying before the Iraq war in 2003?

The President is a noble and heroic leader, even if you disagree with his policies. That farce must be maintained at all costs, because the President is the public face of the State. Calling out the President as a liar shatters the myth that "The President is a noble and heroic leader!" All Congressmen are part of the scam, merely by sitting there quietly as he speaks.

Joe Wilson set a dangerous precedent, publicly calling out the President as a liar to his face. He gave immediate and direct feedback, rather than delayed indirect feedback. Immediate direct feedback has much greater psychological effect than delayed indirect feedback. Joe Wilson broke the trance of the President's speech. For that, Joe Wilson must be punished.