Why Is There Opposition to the Zadroga Bill?

The other day, on Facebook, friend of mine asked a mutual friend "How is it that the Daily Show is now beating out respectable news outlets in their investigative reporting?" This was in response to this video from Monday night that I posted on my Facebook on Tuesday morning:


I truly do not understand why anyone would oppose a bill that helps those who helped us on September 11^th. This bill is the least that we, as a country, can do to help those men and women who went down to Ground Zero and worked day and night to save lives and bring closure to the friends and families of the men and women who died that day. Oh, and guess how much this will cost you and me? Nothing. The bill will be paid for by increasing taxes on foreign companies. Yet, some fiscal watchdogs in Congress think $0 is too high a price for the American People.

On October 17, 2008, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, "I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out are they pro-America, or anti-America. I think people would love to see an expose like that." While doing research for this post, I looked at the House vote for the Zadroga Bill. Guess who was in the "Nay" column? You guessed it: Rep. Michele Bachmann. I am not calling her "anti-American" and I understand that she is very fiscally conservative. But this is helping some of the most pro-American people that have ever lived in the country with funding from sources outside this nation's borders.
Last night, during dinner with my parents, we discussed the Zadroga Bill. My mother asked why the 9/11 first responders were not getting worker's compensation. I proceeded to go to my bedroom to get my laptop and load up an episode of The Daily Show.
This past Thursday night, Jon Stewart continued his crusade for the passage of the Zadroga Bill.

Part 1

Part 2

Like Stewart, I, for no certain reason, want to apologize to those first responders for how this bill has not yet passed.

As a side note, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) also agreed with Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that it is wrong to have to consider so many bills just around the Holidays. "You can't jam a major arms control treaty right before Christmas. What's going on here is just wrong. This is the most sacred holiday for Christians. They did the same thing last year - they kept everybody here until [Christmas Eve] to force something down everybody's throat. I think Americans are sick of this." Notice how he called Christmas "the most sacred holiday for Christians." I'm guessing, then, Easter and that whole Jesus resurrecting from the dead thing has no importance to Christians. Oh wait. It is the foundation of the whole belief structure for Christians.

I do have good news. Two pieces of it, actually. The media is starting to pick the story (as I am typing, ABC's World News Tonight is reporting on the story). Also, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Zadroga bill will come to a vote next week. Still, there is some opposition. Senator John McCain said on the Senate floor, while debating the New START Treaty (my emphasis added), "This is one of the really seminal aspects of whether the United States Senate is going to ratify this treaty or not. To have a time agreement after all of the fooling around that we've been doing on DREAM Act, on New York City, on all of these other issues that's taken up our time." I guess time will tell.

Thank You Teddy!

I guess someone has to chime-in about the late Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy.

There is nothing that I can say that has not yet been said by any of the talking heads in the media about his life, career, strength, courage... well, you get the point.

Instead, I will tell you a story. One year ago yesterday, was the day I became a supporter of then-Senator Barack Obama. I can tell you exactly where I was: sitting in an over-sized chair that my family has dubbed "The Death Chair" in my living room in my summer house. My mother was sitting adjacent to me on the sofa. The two of us were watching the Democratic National Convention.

As many of you may know, I was a strong Hillary Clinton supporter. After Sen. Obama received enough votes to be the Democratic nominee, I still was still weary to support him. I found the Senator to be inexperienced and disingenuous. Unless he chose then-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to be his running-mate (which I thought to be a winning ticket), I was planning on voting for Ralph Nader. I still had my qualms, however, even after then-Senator Joseph Biden was chosen to be the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee.

Being the good Democrat that I am, I watched the Convention religiously. I openly cheered when some of my favorite Senators, Congressmen, and Governors took the podium to give their two cents.

My mother and I were curious if Senator Kennedy would make an appearance at the Convention. The Convention was in Denver and he was undergoing treatment in Massachusetts. He was only diagnosed 2 months prior, there is no way he could make it out there, my mother and I thought.

Then, at around 9:15 PM EST, the announcer introduced Caroline Kennedy and we knew who was coming next: her Uncle Ted.



Regardless of all of the treatment he went through, he looked as healthy and as strong as ever. If I remember correctly, when Sen. Kennedy took the stage, I myself stood up and cheered in my living room.

It was at 9:33, when Sen. Kennedy said

For me this is a season of hope - new hope for a justice and fair prosperity for the many, and not just for the few - new hope.

And this is the cause of my life - new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American - north, south, east, west, young, old - will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege!

We can meet these challenges with Barack Obama. Yes, we can, and finally, yes, we will!

Barack Obama will close the book on the old politics of race and gender and group against group and straight against gay.

Within those two minutes, in which he said those four, short paragraphs, I became a supporter of Barack Obama for President of the United States. Senator Edward Kennedy, a man I, in many ways, idolized, told me that two of the most important issues for me -universal health care and gay rights- would be accomplished under an Obama presidency. I told myself that if Senator Kennedy, someone with whom I shared a dream for America, knew that this was the right person for the job of President of the United States, then he was my nominee.

At 9:34 P.M. EST on August 25, 2008, I re-united with my party in a nominee for President.

Within the next few days, my mother (who was planning on writing-in Senator Clinton) joined the Obama band-wagon; and, a few days after that, my (paleo-conservative) Republican father (a McCain supporter) moved to be a supporter of Senator Obama (though the initial spark for the change in his vote was due to a certain unqualified Vice Presidential nominee that shall remain anonymous). For the next two months until the election, my family, with each passing day, became more and more supportive of the Democratic Nominee for President.

---

On November 4, 2008, I was watching the returns with my parents. The number of states with votes "too close to call" grew ever larger. It was around 10:30 PM that my parents went to bed. I had work the next day, but had no obligation to a time-frame when which to arrive. I budgeted myself until 1 AM to stay awake.

I figured that the returns would go on until 1 in the morning. So, I put on a television show that I had recorded from earlier that evening - 90210. (Yes, I watch 90210. I have a thing for teen dramas -I don't know why- and the star -Shenae Grimes- is my celebrity crush.) I get about 10 minutes into the show, when at 11 PM, from the back of my ear, I hear the voice of Charlie Gibson originating from my parent's bedroom; "For the first time in American History, the country will have an African-American President." To say that I started screaming would be an understatement (I have little doubt that the three young children in the apartment next-door to mine woke-up).

When I heard the news that I helped change (in more ways than one) come to this nation, I felt overly proud (in a way that words will never describe). And, I, for one, owe that all to the late Senator Edward Kennedy.

Thank You "Teddy!" May you rest in peace.

Bachman Watch

If you have not heard of Congresswoman Michelle Bachman (R-MN), do yourself a favor and look her up. She is insane. The DCCC (a few days ago) launched a new page called "Bachman Watch," I suggest you look at it (read it after you see the Wikipedia page on her -don't lie, I know that it is your primary source for information on a topic).

Some of the things this woman has said and done and believes in include (I got these from a variety of sources that are just a Google search away):

• Tried to ban Disney's Aladdin from elementary schools because it promotes witchcraft and paganism
• The (conservative, "family values") Family Research Council is the "front lines of defense for the American people"
• Opposition to trade schools and on-the-job training for workplace skills
• Sarah Palin "easily has more qualifications than Senator Obama and Senator Biden put together if you look at Executive Experience [emphasis added] She has been in the Executive position for two years! . . . She is one sharp lady! . . . She has made tough decisions all across the scene. And, I think women all across America are going to love what they see in Sarah Palin; I was taken with her and I know a lot of American women will be. She's very strong, very tough, a committed, loving mother. But, she knows how to be a good executive and how to take on her own party and how to make thing happen. There is no reason why people won't understand this once they understand that people in Alaska -85% of people in Alaska [emphasis added] have a positive approval rating for Sarah Palin."
• [James Carville says to Larry King that he is astounded that this is the best pick that the Republican Party could come up with. Bachman finds it offensive to women.] "There are a lot of competent American women. Sarah Palin easily is a competent woman. She's proved herself in business; she's proved herself in politics. She has come up from nowhere to be somebody. And, she is someone we can all be very proud of. She is one competent, tough cookie. People are going to love her." [James Carville tells her that he supported a woman -Hillary Clinton- for President.] "And, with that, I think a lot of American women are going to be delighted with Sarah Palin because she exudes competence in everything she has ever done. She has a very good record and should be proud to run on that record. McCain really hit it out of the park with this pick."
• Insertion of Creationism to public school curriculum
• Wants to ban all gay rights. Also, LGBT people have "sexual dysfunction" or "sexual identity disorders."
• Opposes minimum wage increases
• Opposes online poker
• "I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president Jimmy Carter. And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence." (The last time was actually under Gerald Ford.)
• Believes that Congress should be investigated for those with anti-American leanings
• Said that once argued that she couldn't support the economic recovery act because America was 'running out of rich people'

---

If you all think a commentary is needed, I'll do one, but I think much of this speaks for itself.

Young Republican rates Obama

Please watch this video and then read my commentary below



This girl does not know what she is talking about.

Firstly, the President is not a celebrity. No one is a celebrity. Celebrity status comes from name recognition and prestige (mostly encouraged by the media -but that is a whole other discussion). So, the guy likes to go to the beach? Is that wrong? Is relaxing and having a good time suddenly a sign that someone is not fit to lead? He likes to play and watch basketball. I cannot name a single President that has not, in some way, not partaken in some sporting activities. The thing that I find funny is that this girl says that the President is not spending enough time working when the last republican president spent more time vacationing than working. If you look at the press releases, Obama is working during the day and relaxing at night. Wait, don't most normal people do that too? Jessica Simpson once called President George W. Bush "a normal guy," adding, "but he runs the country." Honestly, we must remember that all of our elected officials are humans and they have the same emotions, desires, and needs that each and every one of us has. So, to criticize a President for relaxing and having fun every now and then is saying that they must reject their humanity, which is just absurd.

The President himself did not sign-off on Air Force One flying by the Statue of Liberty (nor knew about it for that matter), his military liaison did. And, by all accounts, the President was 'furious' about what happened. (To be fair, NYPD and FDNY did know about it, but the public was not notified.) But what does police violence, if I may ask, have to do with this situation?

As for Guatanamo Bay, Obama had planned to close it since the campaign. In fact, John McCain said that he would close it as well. It was doomed no matter what.

As for signing bills, I am not sure if this girl knows the difference between a bill and an Executive Order. He has not signed that many bills (the biggest is the Stimulus Bill), but he has done a lot of Executive Orders (which can be overruled by Congress). If this young woman wants to change policy, why doesn't she just write to her representatives (or is that too hard)?

I guess this is another manifestation of how uninformed the American populous is.