YOU LIE and the Immigration Debate

Filed in archive Americas on September 14, 2009

© José Goulão

New America Media had an interesting piece this week on the outburst by Representative Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) during President Obama's address to Congress on Wednesday.

Wilson shouted "you lie" when President Obama said that his health care plan wouldn't cover undocumented aliens. Whether undocument aliens would be covered has become an emotional component of the debate. The NAM author argues that not covering undocumented aliens is bad policy.

Excluding these residents from health care reform is a very bad public policy no matter how you look at it. In principle, we believe that access to medical attention is a basic human right. But beyond the issue of fundamental human compassion, health coverage for all those who reside in this country is an issue of health and the economy.

We'll see how the issue developes over time. Or not...