The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act - the Bill extending medical benefits to the heroic men and women who toiled for days/months/up to a year and did so tirelessly (after being told, incredibly, by the EPA that the air at Ground Zero was safe to breath without the use of traditional breathing apparatus/oxygen tanks) - all the while inhaling toxic fumes, smoke, soot and ash after the collapse of the two burning skyscrapers - has been floating around the Halls of Congress for a year, now.
Why?
Now, that's an exceptional question.
For - despite claims made by GOP Senators to the contrary - Yes! The Zadroga Bill had been heard and passed through a Congressional Committee (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee) and Yes! It was paid for (by closing a corporate tax loophole).
So, what's the hold-up?
According to Senator Jon Kyl (R) of (yep, you guessed it) AZ : To make Senate Republicans keep working this close to December 25th or to make them come back to work between Dec. 25th and Jan. 1st (*After all of the Obstructing or Just Plain Nothing they've done over the past 18 months) would be offensive to Christians. (Yes, Virginia, he said that.)
Really?
So, what you're saying Mr. Kyl, is that, basically, for anyone to expect you to fulfill your sworn duty as a Member of Congress (allegedly "for the people") is "offensive to Christians"?
You know what, Senator Jon Kyl? That isn't what's offensive...
It is you, who are offensive.
(And, not just to Christians).
And, not only that, let me clarify something else: Both you and your fellow perpetually-filibustering Senators are nothing more than political cowards, incompetents and putzes.
Whew! I feel better now!
And, Heeeeere's Some Really Good News:
The Senate just passed The Zadroga Bill into Law! (Hurray!)
And, Heeeeere's Some Rather Bad News (Sorry, I'm only the Messenger):
In order to be able to get the Bill successfully passed, Senate Democrats were forced by Senate Republicans to "... shave it from $7 billion in benefits to $4.3 billion in benefits".
I don't think the Senate Republicans realize what a deeply-disgusting and utterly-revealing victory this is for the GOP:
The Grand Ol' Parasites Party has held Every Piece Of Legislation in Congress hostage, that is, until they got their demand of extending the $700 Billion Bush tax cuts for the top 2% of billionaires for two more years.
They got their pieces of gold for their gold-plated patrons...
But... When it came to asking them to simply approve a bill that would provide (paid-for) health benefits for 9/11 First Responders who are not only suffering, but dying, from ground-zero related cancers and lung and brain diseases...
The "let them eat ash" GOP Senators said "NO!".
And, after using blatant extortion to get their expensive tax cuts extended, Senate Republicans then demanded that the amount of (paid for) benefits/coverage for those 9/11 First Responders be cut nearly in half.
* IMHO ~ It would be such a Beautifully Karmic Moment Of Justice if - should any of those GOP Senators' homes happen to catch fire in the coming 2 years - the Firefighters would decide to send the proposal of heading out to risk their very lives to fight those particular GOP home conflagrations through a Committee Hearing, first .
And, after that, they would hold a vote on the proposed response to fighting that fire and requiring - not a simple majority - but, a Super-Majority of their number to vote in favor of doing so. Noting that, without said Super-Majority, they'd have to let it burn.
Burn, Baby, Burn.
Hey...Listen, I'll bring the marshmallows! We'll make s'mores!
Peace,
L.
Here's a link to a TRMS clip on Senate Republican stall tactics...
The War On Work After Christmas
And, here's a link to one of the first articles announcing the passing of the Republican-reduced Zadroga Bill:
The 9/11 bill passes -- but should it really have been this hard?
by Ezra Klein of The Washington Post.
Showing posts with label lame duck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lame duck. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Saturday, December 04, 2010
House Democrats Approve Extension Of Unemployment Benefits Despite 168 GOP Members "No!" Vote.
On Friday, the House of Representatives successfully passed a motion to extend unemployment benefits for millions of unemployed Americans.
Most noteworthy is the outcome of the voting: 231 House Democrats voted In Favor of the extension (and 20 Dems - who should definitely be voted out of office ASAP - voted Against it.).
As for House Republicans, a stunning 168 members of the party devoted to extending tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%, voted Against the extension.
Remarkably, there are signs that some semblance of human compassion still exists in the GOP... At least in a grand total of three Republican members who actually voted in Favor of the extension. (*I Salute You Three, Whoever You Are.).
Now, the measure moves on to the Senate for a vote.
The last time the Senate voted on the extension, the Senate's Republican members said what they pretty much always have said - at least since 2006 - namely, "No!".
It has become excruciatingly obvious that every last one of those heartless and callous GOP Senators is in acute need of the experience of being unemployed and cut off, too.
Here' a brief clip on the story from MSNBC's Countdown.
Enjoy!
L.
House Dems Approve Unemployment Benefits Extension For Millions
Most noteworthy is the outcome of the voting: 231 House Democrats voted In Favor of the extension (and 20 Dems - who should definitely be voted out of office ASAP - voted Against it.).
As for House Republicans, a stunning 168 members of the party devoted to extending tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%, voted Against the extension.
Remarkably, there are signs that some semblance of human compassion still exists in the GOP... At least in a grand total of three Republican members who actually voted in Favor of the extension. (*I Salute You Three, Whoever You Are.).
Now, the measure moves on to the Senate for a vote.
The last time the Senate voted on the extension, the Senate's Republican members said what they pretty much always have said - at least since 2006 - namely, "No!".
It has become excruciatingly obvious that every last one of those heartless and callous GOP Senators is in acute need of the experience of being unemployed and cut off, too.
Here' a brief clip on the story from MSNBC's Countdown.
Enjoy!
L.
House Dems Approve Unemployment Benefits Extension For Millions
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Pentagon Releases Results Of Study On DADT/Urges Senate To Repeal NOW. No More Excuses, GOP Senators.
The Pentagon Has Released Results Of 10-Month Long Study Of Effects Of Ending “DADT” On Service Members.
115,000 troops answered the questionnaire as did several thousand spouses.
Results: Of those surveyed, 69% said they’d served with a gay service member. 92% said they were able to work together. 70% said allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would have positive, mixed or no effect. 30% had negative expectations – though many of them weren’t aware of having served alongside a gay service member.
Check out this clip from TRMS on the Pentagon’s Report and the statements of many GOP lawmakers prior to the study, saying that they wouldn’t vote to repeal until the results were back and the military brass supported doing so (Well, they’re baaaack,):
Enjoy!
Intransigent GOP Out Of Excuses On DADT.
The U.S. ban, known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was adopted in 1993 as some sort of compromise. It requires the military to expel gays and lesbians who are open about their sexual orientation or who have been “outed” – regardless of how long they have served, how many medals they have earned or what rank they have achieved.
According to the Pentagon, about 13,000 American service members have been discharged under the ban.
Question: In the face of two continuing wars in which our military have been forced to do repeated tours due to lack of personnel and considering the fact that there are several international hot-spots of military unrest – isn’t the fact that we have lost 13,000(and counting…) of our brave, devoted and patriotic service members a threat to our national security?
Meanwhile… throughout the rest of the World, 25 countries (incl. the U.K., Canada, Australia & Israel) allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their militaries.
During their press conference, Sec’y of Defense Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair. Adm. Mike Mullen, Working Group co-chairs Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, concluded the risk of repeal of DADT to overall military effectiveness is low. Sec’y Gates also urged Congress to achieve the repeal before the Courts overturn the policy.
*A Little Background: In 2006 (Before he campaigned for the Presidency and lost (sarah palin) to Barack Obama), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was clear about his position on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. McCain stated that he would support repealing DADT if our top military brass declared they agreed with implementing the change.
And I Quote:
“The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy,’ then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it,”
- Senator John McCain, speaking in October 2006, to Iowa State University students.
And now, despite his own public statements like the quote above and despite all of the considerable effort, consideration and hard work put into this 10-month long study by America’s highest military leaders…
On Meet the Press, the reigning poster-boy for Sore-Losers, Arizona’s Republican(‘t) Senator John McCain told host David Gregory:
“I will listen, as I’ve said for years, to our military leaders and not a [study] that is leaked, as we know this town’s been good at that.”
What?! Dear Demented Senator McCain: The fact that some of the Pentagon Study’s findings were leaked… Does Not… I repeat… Does Not render said findings “flawed”. Nor does the fact that you feel that the majority of your constituents support the continued (and unconstitutional) discrimination of gays and lesbians.
Or, as said by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis, in response to McCain’s remarks: “Sen. McCain is clearly out of touch, not only with the American people, but also the Pentagon and our troops,” “McCain seems to be saying he wants a do-over because he doesn’t like the findings and recommendations in the Pentagon report going to Secretary Gates.”
“In other words, McCain is telling the Pentagon: Keep working until you produce the outcome I’m looking for.”
HELLO? U.S. SENATE? Are You (Finally) Hearing This? Are You (Finally) Getting It? No More Excuses. The Question Has Been Asked And Answered. Please Honor And Respect Our Top Military Leaders, Our Fellow Americans and The U.S. Constitution And Vote To Repeal DADT, Now!
*And, SHAME ON Those GOP SENATORS who claimed to be “open-minded” about Repeal and said they were waiting for the release of The Report. (It’s Released.) You who – even now, despite what’s been said and done – are already overtaxing your Petty, Pathetic, Prejudiced, Unpatriotic & Pointy heads in a rush to come up with any baseless challenge you can to call into question the legitimacy of the Pentagon’s report and to try to impede DADT’s repeal.
Dear Anti-Repeal Senate Republicans: You do know what happened to your Ancestors, don’t you? You know whom I’m speaking of: I’m Talking About All Of Those Plodding Prehistoric Reptiles… The Ones That Were Infinitely Bigger, Much More Powerful & Way Badder Than You. Those Ancestors of Yours. Remember them? Yeah? Good. Well, Eventually, All Of Them Went Completely Extinct. Gone… Poof… Almost Like They Were Never There In The First Place… Well, ‘cept for some ol’ fossilized bones. And Guess What? Someday (Thankfully) So Will You.
Peace,
L.
115,000 troops answered the questionnaire as did several thousand spouses.
Results: Of those surveyed, 69% said they’d served with a gay service member. 92% said they were able to work together. 70% said allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would have positive, mixed or no effect. 30% had negative expectations – though many of them weren’t aware of having served alongside a gay service member.
Check out this clip from TRMS on the Pentagon’s Report and the statements of many GOP lawmakers prior to the study, saying that they wouldn’t vote to repeal until the results were back and the military brass supported doing so (Well, they’re baaaack,):
Enjoy!
Intransigent GOP Out Of Excuses On DADT.
The U.S. ban, known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was adopted in 1993 as some sort of compromise. It requires the military to expel gays and lesbians who are open about their sexual orientation or who have been “outed” – regardless of how long they have served, how many medals they have earned or what rank they have achieved.
According to the Pentagon, about 13,000 American service members have been discharged under the ban.
Question: In the face of two continuing wars in which our military have been forced to do repeated tours due to lack of personnel and considering the fact that there are several international hot-spots of military unrest – isn’t the fact that we have lost 13,000(and counting…) of our brave, devoted and patriotic service members a threat to our national security?
Meanwhile… throughout the rest of the World, 25 countries (incl. the U.K., Canada, Australia & Israel) allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their militaries.
During their press conference, Sec’y of Defense Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair. Adm. Mike Mullen, Working Group co-chairs Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, concluded the risk of repeal of DADT to overall military effectiveness is low. Sec’y Gates also urged Congress to achieve the repeal before the Courts overturn the policy.
*A Little Background: In 2006 (Before he campaigned for the Presidency and lost (sarah palin) to Barack Obama), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was clear about his position on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. McCain stated that he would support repealing DADT if our top military brass declared they agreed with implementing the change.
And I Quote:
“The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy,’ then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it,”
- Senator John McCain, speaking in October 2006, to Iowa State University students.
And now, despite his own public statements like the quote above and despite all of the considerable effort, consideration and hard work put into this 10-month long study by America’s highest military leaders…
On Meet the Press, the reigning poster-boy for Sore-Losers, Arizona’s Republican(‘t) Senator John McCain told host David Gregory:
“I will listen, as I’ve said for years, to our military leaders and not a [study] that is leaked, as we know this town’s been good at that.”
What?! Dear Demented Senator McCain: The fact that some of the Pentagon Study’s findings were leaked… Does Not… I repeat… Does Not render said findings “flawed”. Nor does the fact that you feel that the majority of your constituents support the continued (and unconstitutional) discrimination of gays and lesbians.
Or, as said by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis, in response to McCain’s remarks: “Sen. McCain is clearly out of touch, not only with the American people, but also the Pentagon and our troops,” “McCain seems to be saying he wants a do-over because he doesn’t like the findings and recommendations in the Pentagon report going to Secretary Gates.”
“In other words, McCain is telling the Pentagon: Keep working until you produce the outcome I’m looking for.”
HELLO? U.S. SENATE? Are You (Finally) Hearing This? Are You (Finally) Getting It? No More Excuses. The Question Has Been Asked And Answered. Please Honor And Respect Our Top Military Leaders, Our Fellow Americans and The U.S. Constitution And Vote To Repeal DADT, Now!
*And, SHAME ON Those GOP SENATORS who claimed to be “open-minded” about Repeal and said they were waiting for the release of The Report. (It’s Released.) You who – even now, despite what’s been said and done – are already overtaxing your Petty, Pathetic, Prejudiced, Unpatriotic & Pointy heads in a rush to come up with any baseless challenge you can to call into question the legitimacy of the Pentagon’s report and to try to impede DADT’s repeal.
Dear Anti-Repeal Senate Republicans: You do know what happened to your Ancestors, don’t you? You know whom I’m speaking of: I’m Talking About All Of Those Plodding Prehistoric Reptiles… The Ones That Were Infinitely Bigger, Much More Powerful & Way Badder Than You. Those Ancestors of Yours. Remember them? Yeah? Good. Well, Eventually, All Of Them Went Completely Extinct. Gone… Poof… Almost Like They Were Never There In The First Place… Well, ‘cept for some ol’ fossilized bones. And Guess What? Someday (Thankfully) So Will You.
Peace,
L.
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