Joe Wilson: Nancy Pelosi's House

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Joe Wilson: Nancy Pelosi's House

by Mark Silva and updated

Payback is fundraising.

The Republicans have tapped a potentially powerful fundraising tool in Rep. Joe Wilson, the South Carolinian who accused the president of lying about his health-care plans. Wilson apologized to the White House, but not to the House, which in turn admonished him for his behavior.

The GOP has not only President Barack Obama and his health-care plans, but also House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in its cross-hairs with a fundraising appeal in Wilson's name.

Democrat Paul Begala takes note in his own fundraising appeal for his party: "'You Lie!' That was one Republican Congressclown's response to President Obama's call for action on health insurance reform. Classy. But now the very liars who heckled President Obama for calling them out are raising millions of dollars off of their rude, dishonest attack.''

"There has been a lot of debate on what is true in the debate over government-run healthcare,'' Wilson writes in a fundraising email circulated by the National Republican Congressional Committee. "But Democrats continue to spin and mislead the public in an attempt to stifle honest and open debate about what this bill will do, what it will cost and how it will change your healthcare.

"To remedy this, my Republican colleagues have introduced legislation requiring Nancy Pelosi to post all major legislation online for a minimum of 72 hours before it can be brought to a vote,'' he writes. "While this seems like common sense, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have continually rushed major legislation to a vote to ensure little to no public scrutiny. This means, you as a taxpaying citizen, cannot read the legislation before your representatives vote on it. ''

And this is what taxpayers can do about it, Wilson suggests: Follow the link in his email to the GOP "to support the NRCC and return the people's House to you.''

Consider this Wilson's own resolution of disapproval.

"Imagine what would happen if Nancy Pelosi is required to post the Democrats' healthcare bill online for public scrutiny,'' Wilson writes. "If we succeed, Americans can finally separate fact from fiction. The level of discourse would most certainly rise due to such transparencya concept promised by Democrats on the 2008 campaign trail.

"It's up to us to hold the Democrats accountable and that's why I'm turning to you for your immediate help. We have an important fundraising deadline approaching at the end of the month where the money raised by the Republicans will be compared to the money raised by the Democrats to determine our strength going into next fall's elections. If we can raise more money than the Democrats, we'll send a message to Pelosi, Obama, and their friends that the American people are firmly behind the Republicans in opposition to government-run healthcare.''

This is from Begala's fundraising appeal:

""You Lie!" That was one Republican Congressclown's response to President Obama's call for action on health insurance reform.

Classy.

But now the very liars who heckled President Obama for calling them out are raising millions of dollars off of their rude, dishonest attackand they're even claiming victory in the media for it!

They understand that this is the make or break month for health insurance reform. There's only four more days left to act. We're $531,161 shy of beating them by passing our million dollar goal.

September 30th marks an important deadline where the amount of money Democrats have in the bank will be a judgment on President Obama's support of health care. ''

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