The heckler who screamed “Baby Killer” at Rep. Bart Stupak (D., MI) during the health care debate has been uncovered. It was not, as widely assumed, a person in the public gallery. Rather it was Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R., TX) who has fessed up to the infraction, here. After Joe Wilson (R., SC) screamed “you lie” at the President during the State of the Union and Justice Sam Alito saying “not true” and shaking his head at the State of the Union (here), Republicans appear to have growing distemper in their ranks.
Such outbursts are common in other legislative bodies from the Parliament to the Knesset, but are violations of the rules of the House. Nevertheless, Wilson is now running on his outburst in his campaign, here, and has become one of the most sought after speakers in the House.
Neugebauer of Lubbock is a banker from Lubbock and insists that “I’m just trying to represent the people of the 19th Congressional District. The intensity of the American people was represented in my intensity last night. … I still believe that that Senate bill is a baby-killing bill.”
Here is his statement:
Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support. In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase ‘it’s a baby killer’ in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.
For the full story, click here.
Bdaman,
That would be like putting “E” before “I” as in weigh and neighbor or is that “I” before “E” as in neighbor and weigh?
Maybe we could have butchers do it!
I thought they already were. At least for the last eight years 🙂
Mespo said “You might recall I defended Alito and decried Wilson in previous comments.”
I do recall. My gripe is that we have a professor of constitutional law distorting what Alito did, and then referring to him as a “Republican”. What Wilson did was wrong. What Alito did was wrong. The major difference is that Wilson’s behavior was disruptive. Alito’s behavior was much more controlled. If not for the fact that we now have cameras capturing all angles, Alito’s head shake and mouthing would have gone unnoticed. It is possible that the same thing has taken place in years past, but went unnoticed.
Duh:
“What does the profession of those who signed the Declaration of Independence have to do with those of one profession creating, enforcing, and adjudicating all the laws of our country?”
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Sorry, I thought it was self-evident that those who’ve spent their lives and collective energies understanding the law should also be the ones who create, enforce and adjudicate it too. Maybe we could have butchers do it!
AY you could at least put me first B before D.
Mespo,
What does the profession of those who signed the Declaration of Independence have to do with those of one profession creating, enforcing, and adjudicating all the laws of our country?
How do you interpret Madison’s words in Federalist #47?
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
Swarthmore mom,
If you will look back at history, the GOP of today is the Old Southern Democratic Party.
This is why I find it offensive that the GOP like to use Lincoln saying in speeches. There is nothing further than what Lincoln stood for than what the present GOP presents as the party platform.
Duh,Bdaman, et al,
Alito is a Republican. If it walks like a Duck, Quacks like a Duck, you’d better find some water for the Duck to swim in or you are going to slip all over the Duck Shit.
Ever heard the saying slicker than greased Owl Shit?
Don’t piss on my leg and tell me its rainin’?
Now the GOP Mantra:
buy him the book, buy him a horse, send him to school whats he do. stands on the books and fu@@s the horse.
Duh:
You might recall I defended Alito and decried Wilson in previous comments. I find party labels banal. Conduct is a better measure of character.
Matt Talibi talks today about how we passed the Nixon health plan. He says the Democrats are becoming Nixon Ford Republicans and the Republicans are becoming way out “ruby ridge” type people. I think I agree.
“After Joe Wilson (R., SC) screamed “you lie” at the President during the State of the Union and Justice Sam Alito saying “not true” and shaking his head at the State of the Union (here), Republicans appear to have growing distemper in their ranks.”
Is Professor Turley saying that Justice Alito is a “Republican”?
I’m sorry folks. I find this kind of partisan rhetoric from a professor of constitutional law to be disgusting. Should I be surprised that none of the lawyers here haven’t expressed the same outrage?
Duh:
“I don’t like the dominating influence of any profession in our government, but to narrow the influence to that of trial attorneys alone would be the very definition of tyranny.”
**************
Well we started with those same “tyrants” in 1776: Madison, Jefferson, Adams, Henry, Hamilton, Marshall, Jay, …. I’m getting tired of typing.
This is beginnig to look like the floor of the stock exchange every day. People shouting out of order, loose rules, NO rules.
What’s going on? I heard ONE good thing the other day – that some college told Ann Coulter to watch her mouth. Maybe we’re finally shutting down all this hate speech. It’s exhausting. Maybe since we’ve gotten heard and won some kind of healthcare reform, we can finally reject the hate talk. I for one, am getting so so sick of this.
Mespo said “Call me biased”.
Yes. You are biased. 🙂 Civility is not limited to “trial attorneys”. However, a common unique perspective (bias) is.
I don’t like the dominating influence of any profession in our government, but to narrow the influence to that of trial attorneys alone would be the very definition of tyranny.
“Justice Sam Alito saying “not true”
SB: Justice Sam Alito MOUTHING “not true”.
But THE TRUTH doesn’t help sell the product, so we might as well ignore it. Right? We all know that mouthing a phrase would not be consistent to a story about “[s]uch outbursts”, so we might as well rewrite history.
I’m not somebody that is guilty of constant attacks on what JT writes. I just don’t like to see the facts get distorted. Once the ball gets rolling, it’s hard to stop it.
The very first comment on this thread continued the theme. “rafflaw” posted “They claim to be fighting for the babies, but they stop fighting for them after they are born and send them to die as teenagers in illegal and immoral wars.”
What baby, who was designated to be aborted, went on to fight in some immoral war? (I left out the illegal part, because I haven’t seen “rafflaw” screaming that we should “impeach Obama”.) Isn’t that what anyone with integrity would do if they truly believed the POTUS or a Member of Congress was involved in illegal activity? Can “rafflaw” or anyone else provide the name of one baby who was spared from being the victim of an abortion who went on to fight in Iraq? I didn’t think so.
Look. I don’t like the lack of etiquette that is currently taking place in D.C., but distorting the truth is not the proper way to address it.
Bill supports or pays for abortions with Federal Dollars.
Why did Stupak need an executive order to switch from no to yes.
I think he needs to seek solace from the California Senator Asburn. Maybe they have a lot in common.
Call me biased, but the exodus of trained trial attorneys from our legislatures has been a net loss for democracy and civility. Trial work gives a person the perspective that even distasteful opposing points of view have merit, else-wise why would they be advocated or even considered. Also, there is no finer teacher of respect and humility than a drubbing by an opposing advocate, in whose case you could find no validity at all. Banker Neugebauer and real estate lawyer Wilson seemed to have forgotten (or never learned) the maxims that reasonable men can differ, and, as JFK reminded us, “civility is not a sign of weakness.” And, I might add to JFK’s observation, “but churlishness most certainly is.”
After you finish reading the commentary of the first and only person (“rafflaw”), I have nothing more to say and I’m going to second the thought! Well said!
Distemper is the correct word. These guys are animals that have only their own interests at heart or they have no brains in their heads to think that this Bill supports or pays for abortions with Federal Dollars. They claim to be fighting for the babies, but they stop fighting for them after they are born and send them to die as teenagers in illegal and immoral wars. Finally, even if the Health care bill did pay for abortions, isn’t abortion a legal medical procedure? If Christian Scientists were the predominant religion, would they be able to lobby that Federal dollars couldn’t be used for any medical procedure?