We all have heard about the recent tragedy in Tuscon, AZ and how the many are placing blame on violent political speech as the cause. I will not be discussing it. Last night on "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart discussed the matter in a way that I wanted to share.
Showing posts with label Jon Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jon Stewart. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Saturday, December 18, 2010
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 11th. 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.
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.
I truly do not understand why anyone would oppose a bill that helps those who helped us on September 11th. 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.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Food Safety Is An Issue?
It's 5:42 AM as I begin writing this post. I'm watching last night's Daily Show. Jon Stewart just went over the criticism over a new food safety bill that just passed the Senate. I cannot help but literally shake my head. I just do not understand why there is so much objection to us having safe food to eat.
In September Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) objected to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that said Americans were not eating enough fruits and vegetables. He said
Last week, Sarah Palin attacked First Lady Michelle Obama for her anti-obesity campaign on Laura Ingraham's radio show:
Now there is this food safety bill. All it is saying is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has more power to inspect our food and force recalls when necessary.
I realize that Rep. Gohmert and Gov. Palin are talking about telling us what foods we can and cannot eat. My question is how do they feel about the banning of Four Loko in many states? Actually, let's take it up a notch. Do they still want mercury to be present in our medicine? We have the FDA and the CDC in order to make sure that we stay healthy and the treatments for any illness (whether it be an aspirin or chicken broth) is safe to ingest.
I understand the belief that inspecting our food is big government. However, how many parents are going to actually trace the entire history of every piece the food they eat? Unless that food is home grown or made in-house, I will guess not many parents will.
First Lady Obama's campaign regarding anti-obesity is related to other pieces of health. Obese people are more susceptible to heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure to name a few. It is not her saying that the average American is dumb. It is her trying to prevent a health crisis!
If Gov. Palin and Rep. Gohmert are so strung up on this anti-big-government-that-is-taking-over-our-food-supply mantra, why did they not protest New York City's ban on trans fats in foods? Actually, I will go one further: why have they not called for the dissimulation of the Food and Drug Administration? It makes one wonder.
I realize this post has been all over the place. But it all ties in together. If you eat healthy and exercise, you will be in better shape and be more able to ward off a plethora of diseases.
Remember kids: eat your fruits and vegetables! I leave you with Mr. Jon Stewart's take on this:
In September Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) objected to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that said Americans were not eating enough fruits and vegetables. He said
Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta said people in America are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. They want all the power of the federal government to force you to eat more fruits and vegetables. This is what the federal, CDC, they going to be calling people and finding out how many fruits and vegetables you eat (sic) today. This is socialism of the highest order! (source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvpCIjFuwXE)I guess the Congressman does not understand the need for a healthy diet and how it directly correlates to disease control. The saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is not for mere amusement. The CDC's role is to find the sources of viruses and prevent them (look at the name!).
Last week, Sarah Palin attacked First Lady Michelle Obama for her anti-obesity campaign on Laura Ingraham's radio show:
I think she has got a different worldview and she is not hesitant at all to share what her worldview is. And I will take heat again for saying it on your show Laura but she encapsulated what her view of America is, I believe, unless she has evolved and things have changed in the last two years, but she said it on the campaign trail twice that it was the first time that she had been proud of her country when finally people were paying attention to Barack Obama. I think that's appalling. We can think of this infinite number of reasons to be proud of American exceptionalism and it baffles me that anybody would have that view and then allow that view to bleed over into policy.
Take her anti-obesity thing that she is on. She is on this kick, right. What she is telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own families in what we should eat. And I know I'm going to be again criticized for bringing this up, but instead of a government thinking that they need to take over and make decisions for us according to some politician or politician's wife priorities, just leave us alone, get off our back, and allow us as individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions and then our country gets back on the right track.
Now there is this food safety bill. All it is saying is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has more power to inspect our food and force recalls when necessary.
I realize that Rep. Gohmert and Gov. Palin are talking about telling us what foods we can and cannot eat. My question is how do they feel about the banning of Four Loko in many states? Actually, let's take it up a notch. Do they still want mercury to be present in our medicine? We have the FDA and the CDC in order to make sure that we stay healthy and the treatments for any illness (whether it be an aspirin or chicken broth) is safe to ingest.
I understand the belief that inspecting our food is big government. However, how many parents are going to actually trace the entire history of every piece the food they eat? Unless that food is home grown or made in-house, I will guess not many parents will.
First Lady Obama's campaign regarding anti-obesity is related to other pieces of health. Obese people are more susceptible to heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure to name a few. It is not her saying that the average American is dumb. It is her trying to prevent a health crisis!
If Gov. Palin and Rep. Gohmert are so strung up on this anti-big-government-that-is-taking-over-our-food-supply mantra, why did they not protest New York City's ban on trans fats in foods? Actually, I will go one further: why have they not called for the dissimulation of the Food and Drug Administration? It makes one wonder.
I realize this post has been all over the place. But it all ties in together. If you eat healthy and exercise, you will be in better shape and be more able to ward off a plethora of diseases.
Remember kids: eat your fruits and vegetables! I leave you with Mr. Jon Stewart's take on this:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c |
| The Food, the Bad and the Ugly | |
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