But not at least until 2014. These people have health problems directly related to their efforts at the WTC* now*.
Because some of them developed major health problems after working at the World Trade Center site, and sometimes the symptoms did not show up for a long period of time. And because at the time they went to work there, the government assured them the air at the site was safe. It was not.
Agreed. I was going to say this is how Congress works at this point, but I realized works is exactly the wrong word. And it’s true that the ‘these heroes didn’t die for a tax increase!’ rhetoric is staggeringly bad.
Except when they are in power. Then paying for bills doesn’t matter. Anyhow it was a gasp tax increase.
Besides the first segment, he had to pull comments out of the guy he was interviewing. That probably didn’t make things any more fun.
The message of the show was that it is okay to get mad at the stupidity in Congress, made a tiny bit sweeter by being able to show a video of his friend getting mad on the floor. I’d vote for Wiener for President.
I’m sure lots of construction workers are having health problems directly related to working with black mold following post-Katrina. Where’s their bill?
Not being argumentative with you, just saying that I think that this bill is irrational because it shows blatant favoritism to just one segment of society. I’m a justice for all kind of girl. Plus it’s blatantly manipulative. (I’m surprised they didn’t add in widows, orphans and puppies to the title.) Its “funding” is laughable. Oh, and it’s ripe for fraudulent claims.
So, in this instance, I’m going to have to disagree with Stewart. Which is odd because we’re usually in synch with each other.
If they prove they need it, there’s no reason they shouldn’t have one. But I get the impression you are not aware that this has been an issue for years. And it’s not just that they had health problems after doing rescue work. It’s that the government told them it was safe to be down there, and it was not safe. A lot of these people now have chronic lung problems. I think a few have died.
It’s a mom and apple pie issue, sure. That doesn’t mean there is nothing happening here.
I think it’s just to compensate rescue workers who suffered major health problems as a result of doing their jobs. Especially when the government fucked up and wound up misleading them about the job they were doing.
I think it’s pretty well known who was down there and who wasn’t. Fire departments and police departments keep track of their members.
Agree regarding the Katrina workers, but I was addressing specifically your comment regarding health care reform. It’s not relevant to the issue, as it doesn’t even go into effect for years.
I was just amazed at that segment. Oh sure, I already knew what Congress had done, and I’d already seen the clip of Weiner a few times . . . but Stewart’s accompanying rage was right-on and totally justified.
And I must say, Anthony Weiner is the hottest person in government in my long, long memory. I’d beg for the pleasure of doing him.
wtf no. My vote goes to Harold Ford, Jr.
It’s pretty generous to categorize this “fucking up and winding up misleading.” At the time the gov’t said it was safe I knew it wasn’t, and practically anyone who knows anything about industrial safety had to know it wasn’t. It was just a nice fat comforting lie, and I was pretty mad about it at the time, despite all the “everyone pulls together” crap in the news.
The more I think about this, the more I reluctantly agree with this. This bill is about the optics, not doing the right thing for the right reasons, in my opinion. ALL firemen/policemen/paramedics/whatever should have full medical coverage to cover the damage that is inflicted on their bodies through their work, not just ones who were involved in 9/11. Maybe they do already; I don’t know.
Yes, I imagine the republicans are hard at work drafting a bill that covers everyone as we speak.
Very much so. I enjoy John Stewart, and while I like his delivery and the humor he is able to inject, the whole subject is more depressing than it is funny. But John Stewart pulls it off as best can be done.
I enjoy Jon Stewart, but the OP’s episode seems quite a bit over the top. Anyone else feel Jon must have had a chemical “boost” before doing that particular show?
Yes, let’s say don’t help out one group of people because they aren’t helping out everyone. That’s just as stupid as not helping them out in the first place.
Why? All he did was act like he was going to cry, and act depressed. If that took chemical help, then I feel very sorry for the guy.