Nine long years after that September morning, that day none of us will ever forget, the Grand Old Party still refuses to do anything for the first responders who rushed toward Ground Zero while everyone else was rushing away. We were all shocked and stunned as we watched that morning’s tragedy unfold. As the towers came down, partisan bickering melted away and we united as one country for the first time in a very long time.
We remember that we stood as one with our President as he climbed the rubble three days after the attack, the same rubble under which so many innocent Americans were buried. Who can forget that dramatic scene? Although we remained devastated, it was still a proud American moment. Bullhorn in hand, then President Bush addressed the first responders.
President Bush: Thank you all…I want you all to know that American today, American today is on bended knee, in prayer for the people whose lives were lost here, for the workers who work here, for the families who mourn. The nation stands with the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens…
Rescue Worker: I can't hear you!
President Bush: I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people -- and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!
Rescue Workers: [Chanting] U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
President Bush: The nation -- The nation sends its love and compassion --
Rescue Worker: God bless America!
President Bush: -- to everybody who is here. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for makin' the nation proud, and may God bless America.
Nine years later, and oh, how times have changed. The GOP continues to find creative ways to bloke passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The bill would help pay for the healthcare of thousands who are sick from working at ground zero after the worst terrorist attack in America history.
Nine years later, and Republicans continue to stall in an attempt to run out the clock on this bill with claims like, we need more time to study this bill and we are trying to do too much too quickly and the bill’s not paid for and we can’t afford this bill.
Nine years later, and they “need more time to study this bill”? The fact is, the Republicans were in charge of all three branches of Government until January 2007. Five long years and they chose to do nothing. They wrapped themselves in the flag, congratulated each other on their patriotism, but took no action to help those who served at Ground Zero. Since that time they’ve blocked every attempt to help the 9/11 first responders.
Nine years later, and the Republicans claim the “Democrats are trying to do too much too quickly” by trying to pass so much legislation during this lame-duck session. Someone should get a memo to the GOP and tell them that is what happens when you stall and filibuster every bill that comes up during the first eleven months of the year. None of these bills going through the Senate during this lame-duck Congress are new to anyone.
They have all been worked and reworked for months, most with Republican input, in an attempt to capture just one or two votes from the GOP. If you don’t work during the year, then you have to work through Christmas. Too bad for you.
Nine years later, and the Republicans whine because, “the bill’s not paid for”. Not true. According to the Associated Press,
The original bill would have required multinational companies incorporated in tax havens to pay taxes on income earned in the U.S. Bill supporters said that would close a tax loophole, but Republicans have branded it a corporate tax increase.
What should have been a win-win, morphed into just another excuse for Republican obstructionism. That was back in July when Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) had his famous meltdown while lambasting Republicans in the House for not letting the bill even come up for a vote. Heaven forbid we close a loophole for the rich to supply health care for American heroes. Paying for the Bill became just another hostage negotiation with a different group of hostages.
Nine years later. We still hear from Republicans that, we “can’t afford this bill”. I would like to suggest that we can’t afford NOT to fund this bill. The total cost equals approximately three weeks funding for the war in Afghanistan. Is this how America should treat our heroes? Is this how we want to appear in the eyes of the rest of the world? I hope not.
If any issue in America today should bridge the partisan gap, it should be this one (okay, don’t get me started on the START Treaty). This should send a strong message to every American that the Republican Party selfishly and relentlessly clings to their obstructionist ways regardless of whether that tact is good for our Country or not. How can they fail to agree that this is the right thing to do? This is more than just shameless political stubbornness; it shows a complete and total breakdown of moral judgment.
Even Fox News has ramped up their rhetoric to help pass this legislation. Fox analytical windbag, Peter Johnson Jr., condemned Congress in a well worded rant stating, “Congress told them (the first responders) they could drop dead,” and they’ve been betrayed by the same “politicians who couldn’t take enough pictures with them.” Sheppard Smith and Chris Wallace also got into the act in this video with Smith vilifying the politicians standing in the way of the bill’s passage, “It's disgusting, it's a national disgrace, it's a shame and everybody who voted against (it) should have to stand up and account for himself or herself.” Wallace looked shocked at the tirade, but knew he had to agree.
Of course, never once did anyone at Fox News mention that it was only Republican Senators that were blocking the bill’s passage. They used terms like “politicians” and “Congress” or “these people”, as if the entire Federal Government is against the Zadroga Act. Could it be that Fox reporters are not allowed to call out Republicans for fear of being fired?
Just how shameless do you have to be before Fox News starts calling you shameless by name and lets the blame fall on those who are actually to blame? Anyone who doesn’t believe Fox News is a political arm of the Republican Party should wake up and take notice of their coverage on this issue.
Nine years later. The estimates I’ve seen claim that between 900-1200 first responders have already died from cancer and respiratory illnesses allegedly contracted from working at Ground Zero. The average age at their time of death was 46. Republicans now want to paint this as a New York issue, not a National issue. If they win this battle, what it will be is a National disgrace.
Democrats are desperately trying to get this bill passed before the year comes to a close. They have watered down the bill by removing more than a billion dollars in benefits in hopes of gathering one or two Republican votes. Sound familiar?If the bill doesn’t pass in this session of Congress, it will have to be reintroduced in the House in the next Congress and will likely never again see the light of day. Like DADT, it looks like the bill may have a chance to pass, but no one knows for sure. Flooding Washington with phone calls was instrumental in the recent passing of DADT. Many feel the same approach is necessary to insure this bill will also pass.
If you feel strongly about this bill and feel the need to get involved, the main switchboard at the Capitol is 202-224-3121. Ask the operator for one of your two Senators' offices. You will likely get an aide. That’s okay. Speak your mind, they are used to the abuse.
Then hang up and call your other Senator. Repeat as necessary. It is the very least we can do for those who put their lives and their health on the line in the aftermath of 9/11.
Have a Merry Christmas.
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Comments
Congrats on back to back EP's dude. You earned them here.....
You have done a thorough job of presenting so many recent hypocritical acts, which involve virtually the entire Republican congressional faction. What truly knocks me on my ass, though, is that there are congressional Democrats that work with the Republicans on things like this. Consider this: Harry Reid voted NO on this?
I just don’t get it. Do you? The Tea Party is ahead of Progressives in trying to disallow the status quo. Why don’t Progressives declare war on the Democrat Party Republicans?
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Lezlie
"Nine years later, and oh, how times have changed."
I don't think times have changed much, it's just that we hopefully see more clearly now how things work. Bush and the gang never viewed the tragedy of 9/11 as anything more than an opportunity to invade Iraq and erode civil rights and to work towards other neocon and corporatist goals. Bush's bullhorn moment at Ground Zero was a glorified photo op, and the first responders just more expendable working people to use then discard. That was the reality of our nation then and it's our reality still today. It's no use counting on the whores in Washington to change that reality; it's up to us to do so.
Why aren't the American people up in arms about this? Do they not know what went on over there?
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Scanner…..Bloodsuckers works for me. Conscienceless bloodsuckers.
Hey, Mission! Glad to see you typing a bit today. I don’t think these people are re-trainable. I say scrap the whole lot and start over.
James, I so agree with you. These guys always land on their feet while they continually screw those who voted them in. The problem is that we all get screwed right along with the idiots that keep voting them in. Gah!
Hi, Lea!
Boanerges….I’ve lived here all my life and I don’t get it. I don’t understand how anyone can deny these people coverage. Insanity and getting worse.
Duane…I actually am a bit surprised that anyone could possibly be so callus for nothing more than political theatre. Some things should be beyond all that crap. For me, this is one of them.
Rick, thanks for stopping by. We write what we write. Being pissed keeps me going on some things. Mostly I do fluff, but I still pay attention. I think Reid changed his vote at the last minute so he could bring the bill up again. Not sure how that works, some procedural thing or another.
Cindy….It can be exhausting trying to keep up with all the crap the kids in Washington try to get away with. It’s like daycare on crack.
John….some of those guys were Republicans on Stewart’s panel and they were pissed. I didn’t see the whole thing, but I watched some of it. I don’t see the gain for the Thugs on this one. Is there something we aren’t seeing?
Jeannette….Big thanks!
Lezlie…. I’ve always liked Shep, I used to watch him years ago when he was a reporter at a local Fox station in Miami. I knew he was going places back then. It’s a crying shame he landed at Fox cable. I hear they pay pretty good, but I can see in his eyes that he feels he sold his soul. It’s clear to me that they are on some kind of gag order from the top.
Nanner….I always appreciate your take on things. I think the country has shifted quite a bit to the right compared to 2000 or so. I agree we are pawns and act like pawns. Things will change when we demand they change and not a second sooner. There are good people in politics, but they are in low numbers. I see the non-stop screaming on the right as getting all the attention, while the left continues to bicker among themselves. And it’s the Senate that is so dysfunctional. What is with those people?
Semolina, Great thanks for stopping by. I don’t understand the lack of outrage, either. This story has been all over the cable networks and the Net for the last three or four days, but I haven’t read much about it in print. Part of the problem with America is that we simply won’t pay attention to the world around us, so we create much of our own (and so many others, too) misery.
David…. I so very much agree with you. The fact that it is Christmas time makes the whole thing that much worse. It’s unforgivable, but the people will forget long before the next election and the same asshats will stay in charge.
Monsieur….. You Sir, are most graciously welcome.
Jeanette…that was my take on it, though I don’t understand it.
Celeb…..thanks for putting in the effort!!!!!! That is what it takes. Millions of use doing something.
Blue….the START Treaty is another one that just makes me want to scream. This thing has been on the table for months and they act like it was dropped on their desks this morning. Every single living Secretary of State says sign the damn thing, but still they play games and still they get re-elected. Maddening, isn’t it?
Dirndl Skirt…(you’ll have to explain that dirndl part to me sometime) The only reason I can see is political obstruction. They will even fight the losing battles if they can stall progress. They claim they listen to the American people, but it’s a sham. If the people would ever wake up and pay attention to some of this stuff, we could rid ourselves of most of these types of politicians.
FusunA….I often argue with friends that more people outside our country pay attention to our politics than we do here at home. We don’t seem to realize that what happens here matters to the rest of the world because it will somehow affect them. It a crying shame that we don’t get more involved.
Not only that, but the GOP effectively blocked a small financial pittance for Social Security recipients, AND, Disabled Veterans.
Present day Republicans, almost the whole bunch of them, are uncaring, mean–spirited tightwads, who dote on and support their favored projects, and to hell with anyone else.
However, the real enemy is “we–the–people” – who keep reelecting these creeps. Every election cycle there is a chance at some change, something different, yet the public keeps them in office. Are the elections rigged? What?
“We have met the enemy... and he is us” Pogo, (via Walt Kelly, 1952) Still is valid today. http://www.igopogo.com/we_have_met.htm
maybe the public would get a clue if an autopsy were done & found it......?
naaaaaah
humans are stupid.
This is a stunning piece. It is a call to decency to those who do not know the meaning of the word.
Fox continues to blind the electorate.
Parasites merely suck the blood of the host, but keep the host alive, in order to have some sustainable system of exploitation upon which they can survive with a bare minimum of effort. Most governments in history and nobilities, for that matter, have been parasitic upon the poor and middle classes.
We have had a parasitic nobility in America for 200 years, and we have survived regardless.
What we have now is something new. We have a predatory nobility. A predator consumes the entire host--flesh, blood and bones. It doesn't care if its predatory actions are unsustainable, whether the rate of predation exceeds the capacity of the prey to replenish itself. In nature, this replenishment rate is represented by the reproduction rate. In economics, it is represented by a person's ability to afford to live without "going under," due to debt, health care or unemployment.
Upon serious analysis, it seems that our leadership class is, indeed, Predatory. A line has been drawn here, in terms of their actions and behavior toward the rest of the country...
I'd be curious to see the source of these estimates. The Wikipedia page on the issue implies numbers that are a tiny fraction of this.