For anyone that hasn't yet heard about it, last night during the President's address to a joint session of Congress, Republican Senator Joe Wilson from South Carolina interrupted the President at one point to yell 'you lie!'

Check it out:

Yes, Wilson was quick to apologize to the President after the address via White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. But what bothers me the most about this whole situation is the response of ordinary people. From the blog responses and news story comments I've read, there are unfortunately a large number of people that think Wilson is 'brave', or is 'standing up for their rights'.

Are you for real?

Joe Wilson showed himself to be an unfortunate idiot serving in an important capacity, and it says a lot negative about South Carolina in general and people who support him over this event in specific. First things first; Don't disrespect the President during something so important, no matter what your political party, beliefs on the issues, etc. Second, if you think Wilson was acting passionately about this because he has the facts supporting him and/or because he has the voters of his district (or Americans in general in mind), then you are dead wrong. Fact is, his attacks, like nearly all those echoed publicly and privately by Republicans in office and right-wing conservatives in the media, are being made without any foothold in reality and are based purely on baseless conjecture and emotional appeal. Attacks like these are being made at the prodding of the healthcare industry to scare Americans not educated or informed enough to know the truth into fearing the oncoming 'government control' and 'socialization' of medicine.

Bottom line, we should be providing healthcare for all Americans anyway, so why not do what all other industrialized countries are already doing to some degree and get on with it already! All of the critics and supporters of 'big healthcare' like Joe Wilson need to recognize that the Americans they haven't bamboozled with their B.S. tactics are not going to go quietly on this one, not by a longshot.

And sorry Charleston, I do love visiting you. But until you get rid of this blow-hard you elected (several times), I just can't respect you anymore...

The the spirit of High Fidelity's love of lists, here are my top 5 favorite books that I like to re-read from time to time:

1) Dune - Frank Herbert

A masterfully-written book, chock full of awe-inspiring locations, deeply intriguing characters, and a meticulously crafted universe. Herbert's difinitive sci-fi masterpiece that I regularly re-read.

2) Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein

Although considered one of Heinlein's so-called 'juvenile' novels, Troopers (to me) remains one of his most interesting and accessible scifi adventure stories. It helps that I like his take on future politics, and it's interesting to me how the novel fits in with the period in which he wrote it.

3) Soldat - Siegfried Knappe

There is lots of material out there on the German military during WW2, but none as interesting as this 'from the inside out' look at a specific German soldier's journey from teenage recruit to decorated general staff officer captured in the rubble of Berlin by the Soviets. A great personal perspective on the war.

4) Guns of the South - Harry Turtledove

I've always been fond of alternate history topics, and this is Harry 'master of alternate fiction' Turtledove's crowning achievement. The plot is interesting and the characters come to life before your eyes with suprising results.

5) Fatherland - Robert Harris

Another alternate history tour-de-force, featuring a victorious Nazi Germany during the 1960s where a burned-out police detective stumbles on the greatest atrocity of the 20th century. With this one, you can just feel how scary a place this world would have been had Nazi Germany still existed.

Yesterday, Jonathan Axtell and Brooke Winston got engaged! They are great friends of Catie and I, and I wish them all the best!! John decided to surprise her with a proposal up in New York disguised as a business trip for her.

Now hurry up and get home you two so we can do some celebratory drinking!!!

So my buddy Jonathan sent me this email yesterday:

A letter Jonathan Axtell left at Hillary Clinton's Campaign Site:

Mrs. Clinton,

I have a question with respect. I was wondering why during the "State of the Union" address that Hillary Clinton never stood up, very seldom clapped, and sat there like it was a tremendous burden to even be at the "State of the Union" address. With respect, I understand she may disagree with the policy of the President, but he still her President and I think that it is incredibly disrespectful. I know I probably won't hear back from her but I would really like to know exactly why she would be that disrespectful to the President of The United States.


Jonathan Axtell
Orlando, Florida

Here is what I sent him back:

Hillary just sent me a response for you Jon:

Jonathan,

“Look, pal… Apparently, you don’t realize who I am! In Washington I’m… Kind of a BIG DEAL. I do what I please and vote how I want regardless of what ‘the people’ think, and in case you haven’t noticed I even keep Bill on a short leash these days…

So why do you care so much about that Texas moron anyway? I’ll be president soon, so I guess it won’t really matter how I treat him, will it?

Look, let me cut to the chase… Just vote for me and I’ll give you free* health insurance! That’s not enough? Fine... I’ll send you some Wal-Mart gift cards I still have around here somewhere.

If anyone asks you about me being the only first lady to come under criminal investigation, calls me the worst kind of socialist since Fidel, or talks about me ‘flip-flopping’ on issues like Iraq, or even mentions that Monica tramp again, just tell them it’s all just smoke and mirrors perpetrated by the conservative machine to keep a woman down!

I suggest you accept my offer to get with the program and join me. You won’t like me when I’m angry and in charge...

Toodles,

Hillary

P.S. Send a campaign donation now. Or else.