So, with astounding lack of reflection, with a straight face says the slimy little John Ensign, forgetting that not all of us have rich parents to bail us out of a problem; actually having the audacity to quote Ronald Reagan which, coming from a Republican, means he's trying somehow to say that government programs are harmful to personal responsibility. Well, perhaps his Senate paycheck has been harmful to his.

A man with no credibility and no integrity, a hypocrite still there after having attacked others for doing less ugly things and telling them to resign--this is the man representing a side that shouldn't have a voice in this debate anyway. Do the Republicans have some kind of secret magical amulet somewhere that shields them from the effects of reality? I hate to bring it up, but--Didn't they completely fail to govern the country, have an unprecedented stream of scandals, lose two wars and get their asses handed to them in the last two elections? Why am I hearing John Ensign speak?

And so, with four Democratic defections led by Max Baucus, Jay Rockefeller's version of the public option is murdered by a party that lost the election, that has proven it doesn't care about the good of the people of the US. This is a party that would have let an American city die if not for public outcry(and damn near did anyway), right after tearing the country apart to save the artificially animated corpse of a single Florida woman already long since dead. And the reason, revealed? Death panels? Rationing? No.

Not because people are against it. Most aren't. Not because the American people don't want it. Most do. Because people might like it. That is what Ensign said. It might be seen to be preferable, once people see what it's actually like. This is the reason--they fear it would work. The Republicans--are we supposed to be grateful for their tough love?

And all you people foaming and yelling and ranting against the health care bill--you do realize that you're slapping yourselves in the face? That you're helping no one but the insurance companies? If you're fine with that, start just saying it. Declare your loyalty to United or Blue Cross. Hell, vote for their candidates. Just be honest with yourselves, and don't whine if someday your child dies because your insurance company unexpectedly denies coverage. Consider it a sacrifice to your insurance god. And yourself someday as well. All hail Moloch! He's laughing at you. Be glad you're entertaining.

Joe Wilson's appearance. His loutishness. His lack of awareness of why he should even be apologizing, and lack of contrition in said apology. The wooden way, as though he's still tackling Hooked on Phonics daily, that he reads every prepared statement. His obviously smarter wife, who seems a very patient woman. This all reminds me of someone. But who?

Oh my god.

It appears that the GOP has finally realized they're looking like fools, with the rude interruption of Obama by Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), calling him a liar in the middle of the address. It encapsulates the entirety of the GOP's, and its pawns', answer in the healthcare debate into one perfect, easily-repeated clip.

"Everybody was stunned," Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said of Wilson's eruption. "It was just something that nobody had ever witnessed before. We all felt embarrassed."

Republicans froze; several glanced in Wilson's direction.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi directed a fierce frown at him; first lady Michelle Obama pursed her lips and shook her head from side to side. Vice President Joe Biden looked down and shook his head too.

Obama, meanwhile, looked toward the outburst and replied, "That's not true" before going on with his speech.

Tonight, in front of most of America, it's not so much that they overplayed their hand, but that they made it clear they already have. And the few sane people in the party are using it as an opportunity--too little, too late--to try to distance themselves from this mad wing of the party. Well, a wing that has taken over the whole body. Does anyone know what the Republican response was? As far as most people are now concerned, that was the Republican response.

In any case, it was a foolish moment and Wilson has screwed his party, and set them now in place as children not to be taken seriously. As though they hadn't already.