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UPDATED 1:44 pm ET: A deal has been reached to pave the way for Senate passage of a health bill to aid 9/11 first responders.
Some GOP senators, led by Tom Coburn, R-Okla., had been blocking quick passage of the bill over objections about its cost and the process by which the legislation passed through Congress.
But after negotiations led by New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the impasse appears to have been broken, possibly setting up the last legislative action of the 111th Congress this afternoon.
"The Christmas Miracle we've been looking for has arrived," the New York senators said in a statement. "Over the last 24 hours, our Republican colleagues have negotiated in good-faith to forge a workable final package that will protect the health of the men and women who selflessly answered our nation's call in her hour of greatest need."
It's now expected that no objections will be raised that could slow down or kill passage.
The agreement reduces the total cost of the bill, closes the compensation fund after five years, and limits attorneys fees.
"I'm pleased the sponsors of this bill agreed to lower costs dramatically, offset the bill, sunset key provisions and take steps to prevent fraud," Coburn said in a statement.
The bill must be approved by the House (which has remained in session in hopes of the chance to approve the measure) before going to the president for signing.
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This is how you do it... lol
It's about freakin time this thing passed - hero's are dying while DC fiddles...
You're right IR - YES Virginia there IS a Santa Clause! It's about time we start taking care of our own instead of spending trillions of dollars to blow sovereign nations to bits and pieces!
Oh and did I mention it's PAID for? lol
Feisty;
This is shaping up to be a great Christmas.
Feisty
This is how you do it...
Indeed, Feisty
One question though, will DR No not NoJo but Coburn object to Lame duck for the President being the golden goose?
Nicely done. The men and women who flocked to Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 are heroes. They deserve better than "thanks for doing that, oh, and sorry about that respiratory disease."
Yeah John - the typical IGMFU response we usually see out of the righties!
It is undeniably shaping up to be a VERY Merry Christmas for a lot of folks thanks to this lame duck Congress!
I guess this is good, but why does the public sector have to foot the bill completely? These men and women did their job and helped save countless of (Fortune 500) lives. I would think that these companies would feel the need to contribute to their saviors medical cost. The fact that it took 10 years for these heroes to get help from the government is pathetic, but what is even more upsetting is that some of the people that these people helped save are now multimillionaires and have not done anything to help the sick first responders. How about we stop worrying about monuments and start worrying about people.
Hey, Fiesty, another one for the good guys! It's about time the regressive/TP/Rethugs, do the right thing. Took 'em long enough. My family has a name for people like them, Drama Queens.
It's about freakin time !!!
Sen. Tom Coburn agreed to allow the bill passage only after negotiating another 4 percent tax cut for those making $250,000 or more per year. Gotta reward the GOP's real heroes.
Not paying for tax cuts for the richest 2 percent that will run up the deficit another $140 billion is worth shutting down the government. Helping those who sacrificed their bodies for the good of the nation doesn't meet the standard of importance. If this had passed when it should have it wouldn't have needed half of what it is.
Excellent news, this has been one fantastic finish to a turbulent year of politics. Democrats take care of America's citizens, too many republicans take care of their campaign contributors.
So true, jacaf19. Sure wish the Conservatives claiming to be for "real Americans" during the election had been honest about their definition. To them "real Americans" have names that begin with "millionaire" or "billionaire".
It was Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma who initiated the filibuster against proceeding on the bill for our 9/11 responders.
Senator Coburn's reason what that the appropriate hearings had not been held with regard to the legislation.
The truth of the matter was that the appropriate hearings had in fact been held, Senator Coburn just hadn't bothered to attend them.
The numbers fo Sen. Coburn's offices are: Tulsa- 918-581-7651 or Oklahoma City- 405-231-4941 Washington DC- 202-224-5754
Give him a call today and insist that he stand by his pledge to make this his last term as Senator.
The fund closes after 5 years that means any health problems that occur are not covered many cancers caused by exposure to toxic substances like tho ones encountered at “ground zero” are slow developing I guess those who went there better get sick quickly or they are on their own....I wonder if the con-servitives who worked so hard for this limit are willing for their health benefits (paid for by the public) to laps after 5 years I am so glad that many of you are pleased with this outcome please request that your medicare coverage be cancled 5 years after you retire to show solidarity with the people who worked at "ground zero"
Five years is a good number to start at. They can look at the issue again if 5 years and add on a few years at that point. Leaving the door wide open indefinitely is nothing more than a disaster in waiting. What you want to do is take care of those legitimately harmed specifically related to 911 causes.
I agree Redhead, thank god that idiot Senator did not hold this up. Late for some of the people, hopefully the ones still here will be able to derive some benefit from this. A Long Time Coming. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all the heroes and their families
Without the GOP pulling on the reigns, this would not have been possible. THIS is how you do it. Bipartisanship and lowering spending.
The White House finally gave up on appealing the Log Cabin Republican's victory to repeal DADT as well. Things are finally happening now that the Dems don't hold supermajority.
"The righties" were never against the bill. You really need to expand your media exposure beyond far left hate sources. That's a 100% inaccurate claim. Unfortunately, it's becoming a "typical leftie response".
The real question is, with supermajority for almost 2 years, why didn't the left do this already? Did the "lefties" not care?
Again, the left did nothing until December 2010 and could have pushed this bill through any time they wanted. Indeed it did take 'em long enough, but it wasn't the right who was (or even is yet) in power.
Wrong--bill was voted on in July 2010 but got shot down in the House because it didn't get passed with a 2/3 majority. Voting was mostly along party lines with only 12 Repblicons supporting the bill.
That's it, I refuse to explain it again. Alan-968499, you are banished to your room where you will study about, 'filibuster', 'cloture rules', the 111th Congressional Record and the statistics of the filibuster. Here is your first lesson: the Republican/TP Inc. party has, in only the last 3 years, invoked 18% of all filibusters over the past 90 years.
You will get no dessert until you stop telling the super majority canard.
I'm getting tired of having to be happy about watered down legislation. I am disgusted by a Congress full of wimpy Democrats and puffed up, power-hungry Republicans. Any thanks to getting this legislation passed at all goes to the most trusted name in news - if "yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," his name is Jon Stewart!
Sooo do all of our armed forces get this same coverage? What about civilians who helped? Where to you draw the line.
Great Christmas for the the Survivors of that horrible day and their families. I do find it kind of ironic that everyone is surprised by the INACTION of a few in the Senate. The veterans of the gulf war, and most recently the debacle in Iraq have been treated less than honorably for the heroism. Fighting with the government and VA for reasonable medical and psychological care. Going back farther in time I remember the vets and families fighting with the government and VA over the adverse effects on their health from the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam. The government has a long tract record of this type of behavior. Spend hundred of billions of dollars on killing people (both sides), causing economic hardships for all, then screw the folks they sent off to do their illegal bidding.
Can anyone tell me the need for a library for every president? and yet we have to take years to get help for the true heros of this country? They are held hostage by republicans until the greedy don't have to pay an extra 3 percent. They always use FEAR! and I think you know what kind.
I do remember seeing some of the same libs bitching about repubs not doing anything about this on the the first read about DADT.(fiesty,navy,and few others)
I know Dems are always right. But do you guys/gals ever admit that maybe you jumped the gun alittle on that one?
Sueprmajority or not, control of all 3 houses for 2 years and 2 of the houses for 4 wasn't enough for the left to even attempt it? Show me where the left tried to bring up the bill and didn't because they couldn't get even a handful of Republicans to support this bill. That's what you seem to be implying. Otherwise, you're just blowing smokescreens to cover the statement that the left did NOTHING for 4 years.
You're talking about 1 seat from supermajority when it takes a single election to teeter it to supermajority. It was from July 7, 2009 til Feb 4, 2010. Were you assuming I didn't know that in your little rant? All they needed was 1 more vote outside that date range and they didn't even try.
There was good reason to hold this up and get the concessions that were given. Scratch a couple billion off the top, not allow trial lawyers to get more than a 10% pay out and not allow any double dipping by all these so called first responders estimated at over 71,000 people. It also cut off the date to file at 5 years instead of leaving it open until 2030 or whenever.
The idiots that wrote the original Bill and got their Senators and Reps from New York to introduce the legislation were trial lawyers. They saw this as a huge bonus to them at the normal 30% plus fees they normally charge for this kind of work. Instead of the real responders having to give up to at least 1/3 of their compensation the most they will have to pay is 10%.
It also puts a better system in place to force the so called first responders to prove they were actually there at ground zero and helping in the recovery vs. being a few thousand miles away like some of these people have been found to have been.
jacaf19, RonInColorado, Matthew, Houston, TX and joanne-2829813, cheers to you!
Allen-968499, you should follow your own advice and do a little research outside of the infosilo you live in.
Hopefully the HealthCare Bill will cover the 9/11 Responders after the 5 yrs this bill does.
Its great that the bill went from $8 BB and paid for to some percentage of, short term and potentially adding to the deficit. All because of one jack a$$
Allen...its a good bill and you know it. Trying to blame dems for it is nonsense and you know you are wrong for doing so.
You live in a fantasy land that the GOP 'forced' this to passage. That is a blatant LIE and only the GOP was against tis bill. Your party looks HORRIBLE opposing it so its the GOP that caved in the end.
Score another victory of resonable compromise for Obama and the DEms who negotiated them. I know it sucks to be an obstructionist malcontent conservative. The fact remains this is viewed as vitcory for Obama and the Dems.
The way I see it, the Dems ran the table on the GOP (with some of their help) in this lame duck session...and face it, Allen, you got what the GOP exclsuively wanted for Xmas; a TAx Gift for the rich. Congratulations. And with that gift 'uncertainty' that you guys stalled with has been removed and we can expect robust job growth with those rate extensions, right? Where are the jobs? We will be waiting as its the only Jobs/Growth plan the GOP has.
And now with these bills out of the way I can now say...where is the GOP Budget? GOP Jobs Plan? GOP Deficit Reduction PLan?
Allen-
"The real question is, with supermajority for almost 2 years, why didn't the left do this already? Did the "lefties" not care?"
One more time..... Democrats did NOT have a supermajority for 2 years. They held a simple majority in the House. They held the presidency beginning in 2008. Due to a recount, they did not have 60 seats in the Senate until Al Franken was seated in July 2009. When Scott Brown was elected in August 2009, that was the end of the supermajority of ONE WHOLE MONTH.
Byrd was near dead, and Kennedy was dead. Does that add up to 59 or 60?
Thank God for Democrats.
Thank God for Republicans being strong enough to counter the inappropriate liberal offsets and put some sanity into legislation so it can pass. It will be interesting to see what the final offset deal really is!!!!! Republicans never said they were against supporting the 9/11 heroes... just how it was going to be paid for! The incredible demagoging by the Democrats saying that the republicans were against the 9/11 heroes couldn't be further from the truth and was typical political liberal agenda positioning by the Democrats instead of proper governing. That a deal has been struck means the system worked FINALLY instead of Reid and Pelosi shoving whatever down Americans' throats without any Republicans inputs.
to fed up senior: oh yes it was several republicans who were against this first responder health bill, claiming it cost too much; take your memory vitamins or check your facts
Why don't you go sit down somewhere and wait for your Socialist Security checks & suck up some more of that Socialized medicine known as medi-care!
It's going to be paid for by closing a HUGE tax loophole that the US Chamber of Commerce is vehemetly against... so it must be a goodthing if the gazillionairs from the chamber are so adamantly against it!
Which btw was the DEMOCRATS idea...
We will see since the article gave no details! Nice words! HAHA
Fed up Senior, we are still waiting on details on how we are going to offset GW and the Fundie rights $1 trillion war costs. Oh that's right, we only need to offset spending when Democrats do it to save national heroes from bankruptcy as they slowly die, not to ravage a sovereign nation that did nothing to us. Enjoy that medicare bud, I'm sure the cost is offset somewhere otherwise you wouldn't be using it.
How about all of you stop playing politics and be glad something's going to be done regardless of whether or not its done by Dems or Repubs. Neither party could jack by themselves anyway.
Thank God for Democrats? Politics in all situations? How many years for this process? When did it start? Who didn't bring it to the floor for a vote? Ignorance is bliss, right?
Thank God for Back-Room- Democrats. That's not the way for Democracy. Remember those days Amy?
Feisty: This Thread is on the MSN Home Page. Looks like you will get a lot of attention today.
You know, the passage of this bill should have been a slam dunk! To not provide adequate health care for the brave men and women who responded to 9/11 is unthinkable. It amazes me that any American would oppose this bill.
No wonder the conservatives are quiet on this issue.
I was wondering when the Repuiblicans would stop spitting on our brave 9-11 first responders who showed extreme valor by rushing into doomed skyscrapers trying to save people and had to breathe in all the toxins in the rescue effort.
Senior:
What planet are you on? Your Republithug buddies spent 100 TIMES more than this bill cost on useless tax breaks for people who already have more money than GOD.
People like you are monsters. Your party has delayed passage of this bill, scoring cheap political points on the backs of people who put their lives at risk to do real work. And, as Jon Stewart correctly pointed out, it's those same people who have run campaign after campaign on their 9/11 credentials. Hypocritical scum, every one of them, and anybody who supports them too.
The Democratic Party is a mess, but the GOP is rotten to its core.
This is directed to FEDUPSENIOR: These people are heroes. They rushed into a holocaust to try to save the lives of people they didn't even know. They saw hundreds of their comrades killed in the attempt. And you're worried about the cost of taking care of these great men and women? There isn't anything that we shouldn't doing for these brave souls. I have an idea. If you think the cost of taking care of these heroes is too much, the next time (God Forbid) someone has to answer the call, why don't you go? For free!
Thanks Ron... I'm kinda used to all the rammin - jammin & crammin around here these days! lol
Funniest thing is those who complained the most LOUDLY are those who are now choking on it!
Nothing causes their heads to EXPLODE like P R O G R E S S!!!
You & the Mrs. Have a Very Merry Christmas if I don't talk to you before...
Your republican clones opposed the Bill because the US Chamber of Commerce paid them to. They opposed it on the grounds that the funding, which paid for the bill) was based on closing the tax loopholes that allowed multi-National companies farm Jobs overseas. The Chamber could not have that and lobbied against the bill (paid off the republicans). And that is what you are proud of? The republicans holding the bill hostage until they get the tax break back for those companies farming jobs to China, India, etc??
WHAT A JOKE.
Yeah, thank God those Republican were upset on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which lobbied them to block this bill b/c it's being paid for by the rescinding of loophole tax breaks for offshore corporations. From ThinkProgress.org:
"Over the weekend, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) tried to revive the bill by changing the way the compensation fund would be paid for. Instead of ending the foreign corporate tax loophole, Gillibrand proposed a new funding mechanism, including a 2 percent excise fee on certain foreign companies that receive U.S. government contracts. However, the Chamber still believes the bill’s offsets are unacceptable.
Asked for comment by ThinkProgress, Chamber spokesperson Tita Freeman told us that the Chamber takes no position on compensating 9/11 first responders, but absolutely opposes Gillibrand’s new funding mechanism because the Chamber believes it to be “harmful to the business community and the economy.”
Yeah, gotta thank God for those patriotic Republicans, well... apparently more patriotic toward foreign countries and corporations.
Whatever.
It seems Fed up Senior is unaware that the money was ALREADY provided, and as usual here's another who has been suckered by the usual Republican baloney: Republicans only trot out the "how do we pay for it" when it suits their demagoguery and distraction from facts of the issues at hand and when they are so un-Christian and miserly (read: greedy and selfish) to be against humanistic values. No one said "how are we going to pay?" for the oil wars, for the frivolous and immoral invasions into people's personal lives or for the unconscionable and ridiculous tax breaks for the rich!!! ($32 billion just to the WalMart family???) It is not only pathetic that Republicans get away with such atrocities, but it is amazing that so many people are such sheep that they can't see beyond all the professional spin, monied special interests and utter hypocrisy! The Republicans succeed in getting people so confused, frightened or angry that they actually support and vote for measures against their own interest and their neighbor's interest, all to support the reigning financial barons of capitalism. They dream and hope that they might be rich some day so they buy the "trickle down" theory of benefits of giving to the rich (what the elder Bush called "voodoo economics") which has shown to be utter nonsense.
Fed Up (foolish) Senior, Its kinda funny how your Republicans are so worried about how health care for 9/11 heros is going to get paid.. But, they don't seem too worried about how extending the Bush era tax cuts to the richest 1% might effect the deficit. It seems that for the GOP, if its about the little guy, its about how much is it gonna cost, BUT, for the big guys its about, how much money can they keep in their pockets?
Hey Fedup, why do we have to pay for the 911 responders and not pay for the tax cut package that adds as much to the deficit as the stimulus package you railed against?
I'm simply fed up with all you on the left that want to constantly lie and attack those on this thread with whom you do not agree. That goes for US Navy, Fiesty, Ron in IN especially. All thress of you come on here and consistenly attack, demean, and otherwise insult those on the right. While I personally do not agree with your stances on this issue, until now, I've only called you out on some of the lies you spew but enough is enought. Calling Fed Up Senior a monster, idiot, etc as well as many others on here just shows how completely disgusting you people are. Nevermind facts or the reasons some of us believe what we believe, in your eyes we are nothing to you and it's getting sickening.
The Republicans want the first repsonders to get the care they need. That being said, they wanted to make sure that the program was paid for, since that's what the past election was about you freaking nitwits, and what their consituents want from government. And why do you all have a problem with them making sure there are provisions to eliminate waste and fraud.
Go ahead, insult my intelligence or blame Bush, or point out the fiscal irresponsibilty of previous Republican held congress. I do not support the overspending of the past and the Republicans have finally figured out their consituents do not either. Continuing to attack the right because the American people are waking up and saying enough with the spending is not a valid arguement. Mistakes by the Republcians were made in the past and they are correcting them now. This bill happens to be one that they can still give the benefits to the first repsonders that no one is debating is needed with controlling the cost and ensuring the bill is understood.
And fine, if I get banned or suspended for this fine. I'm sick and tired but I would expcet newsvine to also ban and suspend everyone else on here who consistently violates the code of honor by which you have all agreed to abide but have consistently not done so.
How nice of the Republicans to stick up for multi-national corporations by saying that they shouldn't have to pay tax on income earned in the United States. THAT'S how it was planned to be paid for in the original bill.
I will NEVER understand people who think citizens on Medicare and Social Security are some how living it up at the expense of taxpayers. I would like to remind you that these programs were funded by the very people using them! This isn't just some freebie hand out like Midnight Basketball or tax deductions to raise llamas.
My husband had social security payments deducted from his paycheck when he was a paperboy at age 10!!! And, needless to say, every year of the past 55 years since! Me too! And if the government had been able to keep its grubby hands off of that money and invested it the way it said it would, there would have been plenty to fund the program and we wouldn't be in this mess today.
And, thanks to the Democrats, we now are taxed on our Social Security benefits. Never mind it was our money to begin with!
And Mike Smith, Post 2.5--- I voted for you by accident. Guess I'm just one of those dotty old ladies on Social Security...
A few years ago in LA an out of service (empty except the driver) Metro bus was involved in an accident. By the time police and fire arrived there were a number of people on the bus complaining of injuries. This is why a limit was necessary - we want to treat those who were legitimately injured and not leave the door wide open to fraud.
GOP opposed to funding for treatments of the 9/11 heroes. Here is the case where people who voted for the Republican should see the GOP true color. The Republican only care for the millionaires and very much careless for the fire fighters, police and military personnel lives and services; despite the facts tha tthe majority of these service people usually voted for the Republican. If this is not a kick in a face then I am not sure what is.
Statements like this just give ammo to the right when they claim the left just wants to spend trillions of other people's $$. You don't "pay for" a tax cut, you "pay for" the gov't spending more than it takes in.
And, as Jon Stewart (he's not news, he's entertainment) deviously LEFT OUT, even Fox News wasn't against the bill. If he were true news, he would have had the right wing commenting and correcting him about why the bill was held up. But he's not, he's a 1 man show that leaves out anything that doesn't back his satire. The right got the cost cut down and even limited what ambulance chaser lawyers would have sucked out of the coffers. Are you guys actually FOR higher cost and the rich lawyers getting more $$? That's what was in the bill the Dems tried to push through. Remember that while using that Jon Stewart quote, he's been very outspoken about us retaliating for 9/11. If we had left the terrorist training camps operating unhindered in Afghanistan like he wanted, we could have had thousands more dead.
Its about damn time, of course the Republicans and their patriotism that scoundrels often cling, have negotiated what ? to reverse the repeal of tax deduction for outsourcing jobs that was to pay for the bill ? is that what was negotiated out ? along with limiting health care to five years by these charlatans?. Thank you MR. Weiner, Mr. Schumer, Mrs, Clinton, and all those in the House and Senate that made this possible, and the President of the U.S. for their continued attempt to do the right thing for the American people. To the first Responders, you deserved this on 9/12, and SHAME on those who made you plead.
Ok, so now you're going to start collapsing us on the right that don't agree with you... typical bs again. Since you all decided to collapse Fed Up Senior's post, even though it insulted no one nor did if violate the code of honor, I'll repost it for him.
Thank God for Republicans being strong enough to counter the inappropriate liberal offsets and put some sanity into legislation so it can pass. It will be interesting to see what the final offset deal really is!!!!! Republicans never said they were against supporting the 9/11 heroes... just how it was going to be paid for! The incredible demagoging by the Democrats saying that the republicans were against the 9/11 heroes couldn't be further from the truth and was typical political liberal agenda positioning by the Democrats instead of proper governing. That a deal has been struck means the system worked FINALLY instead of Reid and Pelosi shoving whatever down Americans' throats without any Republicans inputs.
Well then Karen, you have the GOP to thank for that! They're the ones who thought it would be such a grand idea to raid the SS Trust Fund to pay for everything. Remember how Al Gore was lampooned for the "lock box" idea? Well, THAT would have kept your money safe. (And he's a Democrat, remember?) So when you speak of "grubby hands" in the government, think GOP: That's who's stealing your money. Dem's try to save it for you; the GOP would love nothing better than for you to have NO Social Security whatsoever (so rich people can be bazillions richer and buy a 5672 foot yacht instead of that old 5668 foot model.)
You know, STLMike, you do have a point but you are only yelling at half of the problem. There are a few on the right who come on here and are very civil and you will notice that those of us on the left have cogent, respectful discussions with them. However, there are those on the right who come on here and do the very things that you say specific people and only the left is doing.
I know that I, myself, have often been quite harsh on a few from the right but it is only when they have called me some pretty bad things. I have been called stupid, uneducated, uninformed, immature, a$$hole, jobless, dependent upon the public dole, unAmerican, a pervert, a drunkard, idiot, etc. by people who I simply do not agree with. In my case, my reaction is in some measure related to how I am addressed.
Shoot, I've seen USNDV-R, Ron,Feisty and several others collapsed simply because they commented on an article from a liberal viewpoint. They did not call anyone stupid, never attacked the other side, didn't use words like 'Rethuglican' or 'Democrap' yet, simply because it was a liberal opinion or brought up facts that dispute a conservative opinion, they were collapsed.
Now, it would be great if we could all refrain from the name calling, stereotyping, generalizations and insults when we post but we are all human, after all. Even you are human, notice the fact that you only called out certain people on the left and those on the left in general as behaving badly. And understand, saying that something someone said is stupid, is not necessarily calling that person stupid.
I know I get very frustrated hearing the same lies being told by the right day, after day, after day, after day . . . And I know that I get frustrated when the right refuses to take blame for anything bad and blames others for their own actions. Now stick with me here, STLMike, I am also sure that the righties who post here feel the same frustration when they hear things they perceive as lies or the left not taking responsibility, too. When a person is frustrated, they do tend to react badly no matter whether they are on the right or the left. Right wing posters have posted some pretty nasty and vile stuff here, too, STLMike.
If you are going to post here, you need to develop a thick skin and learn when to use invective and when not to use it. The moderator has actually learned this and you will notice that the really, really, horribly ugly, scummiest vitriol gets deleted. There is a limit but no one is going to come on here, hug you and sing kumbaya, especially if you only scold one side when both are equally as guilty.
Lately, I know that I have been a little over the top/pushing the limits/been a bit of an a$$hole (I got collapsed for the first time last week and Tyler gave me a warning on another thread) and will work on my demeanor. However, (listen up ITM and Bob), do not think for a minute it will be all sweetness and light from me or that I will be a pushover. Come after me and I'll come right back after you.
STLMike, there is a reason for the saying, "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones." You personally may not have thrown any of those stones (well, maybe not until today), but there have been plenty of those on your side of the aisle that have (yes, on both sides but this is directed to STLMike).
Now everyone go have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
STLMike, "inappropriate liberal offsets", ". . . demagoging by the Democrats . . .", ". . . political liberal agenda positioning by the Democrats instead of proper governing." and ". . . instead of Reid and Pelosi shoving whatever down Americans' throats without any Republicans inputs." are all insulting turns of phrases. Plenty of liberals on here get collapsed all of the time for even less insulting language and some righties have even bragged about doing this.
Now, because you started it with your ". . . typical bs. . ." comment, I am fully justified in telling you to take your holier than thou, sanctimonious attitude and shove it.
See how that works?
Hey CoolObserver-2258743, the reason no one asked how we were going to pay for the oil wars is because they actually explained how during the run up in '03. It would cost about $20MM and we would be rich from all of Iraq's oil...
Griftopia
Allen-968499
Statements like this just give ammo to the right when they claim the left just wants to spend trillions of other people's $$. You don't "pay for" a tax cut, you "pay for" the gov't spending more than it takes in.
??? That's exactly how tax cuts cost money... Between the physical size of our nation and the population, how exactly do you propose to reduce spending? Our country is going to cost us a lot of money to run regardless. I hope that we have learned by now that supply driven economics will never work.
Also, I am 100% certain that Jon Stewart has never complained about the invasion of Afghanistan, only it's execution. ..He only protests the invasion of Iraq.
Griftopia
Good morning all you bloggers. It appears I started a firestorm yesterday when I said we needed to wait to see what the deal was before we start pointing fingers and making accusations against the Republicans. Seems like the system worked to me if everyone "negotiated in good faith", yet most of the comments since yesterday just blast the same ole lines on both sides ... me included! Can we now drop all fuming from this Lame Duck season and move onto debating how we are going to being reducing the spending in this Government. Heck, it is Christmas.... Great debates so far, but maybe we need a gift of calm for at least a couple of days. By the way, for all of you who tend to assume everything ... I am not yet on medicare or social security and still work daily, so enough with side comments against seniors! When I do get old to begin accepting the Medicare or Social Security benefits that I paid for all my life, I don't ever expect to break even! Have a Merry Christmas y'all! Also Fiesty, I may never agree with you, but enjoy your comments!
This is GREAT news.
This is long over due! A lot of politicians should be ashamed of themselves, starting with Mitch McConnell and the rest of his confederate legions!
Dave B-436161
This is long over due! A lot of politicians should be ashamed of themselves, starting with Mitch McConnell and the rest of his confederate legions!
Dave, I don't think McConnell is capable of human emotions. He prefers to act like a turtle. But, I do think he has lost his leadership skills. No= yes.
Happy Holidays to you.
Fed up Senior
Thank God for Republicans being strong enough to counter the inappropriate liberal offsets and put some sanity into legislation so it can pass
Did you nurse pass your meds for memory lost yet? Or is it lunch time in your nursing home?
Fed you senior, Thanks for telling like it is. When the tail is a wagging the dog like it is in Washington, it is nice to keep the lawyers fees to a minimum. I know all the ruthless liberals are attacking you, it is just their nature. Once they relieve them selves of the excessive kool aid, they will realize what you wrote is great for our nation! I am very releived that the hero's will be taken care of but not the lawyers that leech every penny out of any oppurtunity
Beverly, why don't you try actually addressing what you quoted rather than name calling. He's quoting the ARTICLE that you're commenting on. Sheesh.
im just amazed that the republicans can actually claim to be religious and/or compassionate (conservatives) when they act as they do. others in this post claim that democrats lie all the time on msnbc (like fiesty redhead) when it is clear who is telling the truth and who is lying. im also amazed that God lets you guys get away with all the lies and usery. old people complaining about their taxes paying for the same things now that someone else paid taxes so they could enjoy when they themselves were younger like after school programs and school sports.
It's about time, and it is shameful that many Republicans were blocking this. Then again, it's shameful that Democrats were trying to attach riders to it too. Both sides are full of failures on this issue.
You hit the nail on the head. Both sides should be ashamed for playing with these heros' lives for the sake of politics.
Please, do tell us what riders? Got a source? Didn't think so.
Wholeheartedly agreed, with both of you (Janey C and GmcD). Every opportunist that tried to take advantage of this...be they on 'our team' or 'their team' should be ashamed, not rewarded or praised. But then again, maybe I'm an idealist for thinking the country can be a better place within my lifetime.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three we'll once again have leaders that care about the good of the country as a whole and not just one or two subsets.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three we'll go back to having 'public servants', rather than disconnected plutocrats more concerned with their careers than their country.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, we'll no longer live in a country where some groups are more equal than others.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, we'll once again live in a country where rational discussions can be held without finger-pointing, shouting, name-calling, and adherence to ideology so strong it's an order of magnitude beyond dogmatic.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, our leaders will be interested in leading, rather than acquiring and maintaining power for themselves and their allies.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, tomorrow's leaders will be interested in honor, duty, and integrity rather than spending every moment obsessing over money and the acquisition thereof.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, our society will hold in high regard humanity's most admirable traits, rather than lauding the marks of shame that have gone from stigma to commonplace to accepted to valued just within my lifetime.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, our land will be back on track to being a shining beacon that the rest of the world looks up to, rather than working very hard to destroy itself by squabbling, bickering, shouting, and grandstanding internally.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, we will have citizens and leaders alike that can see the world as shades of gray, rather than saturday-morning-cartoon 'good guys' who are incapable of doing wrong or having a bad idea, and 'bad guys' who are incapable of doing right or offering ideas of any merit.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, we will have citizens and leaders alike that no longer subscribe to 'us vs them' whenever possible, be it on individual issues, politics, and the like.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, we will have a citizenry that is no longer more readily willing to admit and accept the faults of their chosen sports team than they are the faults of their chosen political affiliation.
Perhaps in an election cycle or three, what is best for the country will be more important than the wants of a few obsessives that will stop at nothing short of having it all, no mater what 'it all' is.
Or perhaps we can stay the course. We can ignore all of life's lessons and experiences in favor of shameless, unabashed greed. We can continue to treat honor and compassion as weaknesses to be exterminated. We can continue to let parts of our society needlessly suffer while others grow helplessly fat, both figuratively and literally. We can worship selfishness and ruthlessness and all the worst tendencies of the human condition, then sit here and argue about why it took 10 years for heroes to see the honor and compassion they deserve for being selfless in one of our nation's darker hours. We can continue to be inundated with noise 24/7, where not a single waking hour goes by without one group or another trying to stir up controversy or demand to be given money. We can continue to stifle today's nobodies that could be tomorrow's heroes on both the personal and professional levels, in the name of rewarding those that seized control and squelched all their true competition yesterday, and formed unwritten agreements not to rock the boat with those that remained. We can continue to boast about having the best government money can buy. We can dehumanize anyone that disagrees with us, so that only animals have differing viewpoints and can "safely" be ignored.
In short we can continue to go wherever it is we're going...but if we do so, we should stop questioning why we're traveling in a handbasket.
The cost went down about 1.2 BILLION dollars. The unedited bill capped the # of people it would cover at 25,000. If there weren't riders, how did it drop almost $50K per person?
The CBO cost estimate is here:
CBO Cost Estimate
good news.......much credit to Jon Stewart
Yes, Jon Stewart deserves a great deal of credit here for holding not only the politicians' feet to the fire, but also the media at large. I've never seen him as passionate or articulate as he was on that program last week.
Passionate and articulate about pushing the bill through at a $1.2 Billion higher pricetag is good? You do know that's what the Republicans were holding it up for, right? Stewart left that out.
so does "a deal has been made" mean that the republicans finally decided that it was bad politics to let first responders die while trying to use them in their campaign ads?
The Zadoga bill was first introduced in 2007. This has been going on for three years even when the Democrats had Majorities in the House a filibuster proof majarity in the Senate and the White House. The Dems own the blaim for this bill taking 3 years more than the Reps. If you dont believe me ask Jon Stewart.
I even found a Left wing website for you.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/05/stewart-on-killing-of-911_n_671519.html
"This has been going on for three years even when the Democrats had Majorities in the House a filibuster proof majarity in the Senate and the White House."
What years were those? Because while the Democrats have held the White House since 2008, they have only had a simple majority in the House, and only had a supermajority (filibuster-proof) for a month from July 2009 (when Al Franken was finally seated) until August 2009 (when Scott Brown) was elected. So this idea that Democrats could pass anything they wanted to for the last two years is nonsense.
They are the RE-peat-the-lie-to-the-PUBLIC-ans. They will lie about the "filibuster proof majority" forever. They don't care if we know that it isn't true. They only care that they can say it for the consumption of the oblivious and that we, the informed, can't stop them. This, lying, is their idea of freedom of speech.
Thank you DrDrGrim for being another of the few who seem to understand this concept and are willing to declare it. I have continually been amazed at the number of people who have no understanding of the term "super-majority" and the fact that it was only available during a very short period pf time.
Simple majority control of the House or the Senate, or even control if both, is not a "super-majority."
DrDrGimmetheNews...What years were those? Because while the Democrats have held the White House since 2008, they have only had a simple majority in the House, and only had a supermajority (filibuster-proof) for a month from July 2009 (when Al Franken was finally seated) until August 2009 (when Scott Brown) was elected. So this idea that Democrats could pass anything they wanted to for the last two years is nonsense.
I think you need to go back and learn some recent US history before you go critcizing people on this board. The Democracts have held control in the house and senate since 2007, when this bill was introduced. It's true they did not have the white house until 2009 but they still controlled the legislative process for the last 2 years that Bush was in office. As for the fillibuster proof majority in the senate, the dems held that for longer than a month. Scott Brown wasn't elected until Jan 2010, not Aug 2009.
"I think you need to go back and learn some recent US history before you go critcizing people on this board."
First, how am I criticizing anyone when I simply point out the facts? The Democrats may have had majorities in both House and Senate, but they were not filibuster-proof, i.e., a supermajority, except for the one month. I misspoke, and you are right that Scott Brown was not elected until Jan 2010, but when Ted Kennedy died in August 2009 (hence the need that precipitated the special election that brought in Brown), the Democrats went back to having 59 votes in the Senate. Not a supermajority.
Don't let it worry you DrDr. Conservatives are heavily invested in that "Democrats could have passed anything they wanted" narrative. The refuse to acknowledge the reality of the situation because if so then they need to take responsibility for the obstruction. Ironically, in different moments they're PROUD of that obstruction.
Hey Navy Vet, any other Vets and particularly any currently active military , firefighters, Policemen (and women) and any others who actively go forward when most turn away: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
And a Merry Christmas to all.
Duh101:
Thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thanks you all active and non-active military and other first responders. I think they should also be included in this bill. They also put their lives on the line each and every day.
I guess Jon Stewart and Shep Smith embarrassed the Republicans enough to get this voted on and passed. I wonder if it will take as much in the House.
Maybe we should see what the deal was before we make such accusations about the Republicans. Maybe everyone had to simply read the bill to find out what it really was doding then work out an approprite offset. You may find out that a more appropriate offset was arrived at and if that is true, the system worked as it should! The Demcorats had more "funny business" in their offsets that has been emphasized in these blogs! Maybe we ought to throw more of the Democrats out in the next election so we can get more lame duck deals when they have to work with Republicans for a change.
To Fed Up Senior:
The original bill was paid for by taxing foreign corporations who do business in this country but the "U.S." Chamber of Commerce objected to that. Providing for the responders' health care and that of their families who no doubt were also affected by the toxins the responders brought home is the VERY least this country can do for them. There should have been NO objections to this. What kind of people have we become?
From a Senior who appreciates what the first responders did. I am not sure I would have had that kind of courage. Would you have run into those burning buildings?
Jon Stewart did an excellent job when he pointed out how these Republican senators were worried about how expensive the 9/11 first responders bill would cost but had no qualms about pushing the tax cuts for the top 2%. Perhaps they should re-evaluate their priorities.
Fed up Senior
Maybe we should see what the deal was before we make such accusations about the Republicans. Maybe everyone had to simply read the bill to find out what it really was doding then work out an approprite offset
Why don't you go sit by the Christmas tree in the activity room of your Nursing Home as you read this link?
The bill has been in negotiations for nine years. I'm sure its been read.
"Every Republican should vote for this bill," Huckabee announced.
"I wish that the Republicans would say, 'we'll fight the battle,'" Huckabee said. "If it needs two [GOP senators to pass], there ought to be 25, 35, 45 Republicans voting for it."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/17/mike-huckabee-first-responders-daily-show_n_798189.html
Oh, and if your Nursing Home has FOX on in the activity room, Turn off Fox. When you watch Fox Noise you'll have a tendency to loose touch with reality.
You act like you are an from an unbiased perspective. "Only read the bill and find out whats in it..." and then you have some deep belief that republicans have been acting in good faith. You are a gullible fool. The Republicans refused to bring it for debate. 13 times it was deferred. The Ahole Coburn (R) on the committee didnt even show up, then says the committee hadnt had proper time for procedures. Why dont you ignorant, illiterate "fed up seniors" just pass already. Your era is over and it was sh!t. Time to bring USA out of your dark age, oppressive and totalitarian mind-set, and into the new renaissance of what this country was envisioned by the brilliant architects of our republic. Namely freedom for all citizens of any stripe, not beholden to bankers-wallstreet, and no more damn war-mongering.
I do not know where planet XYZ is, but I am glad you are a citizen there and not here. Here, we respect our elders, they paved the way for snott nosed, phompous little twits to have the ability to spout out ignorance without even an idea of what life was like 30 or 40 years ago, thnaks from us all, Senior.
citizen-xyz
The language used in the attack was uncalled for. Yes, he does not seem to have his facts straight, but there is no call for such language. The first responders were promised all sorts of things immediately following their heroic acts. And then came the stalling ... since November 2001!!!
It is rather strange, Coburn not turning up for this debate, McConnell absent from the vote on the health care bill (even though he was vehemently opposed to it), etc, etc. All the while, they were holed up with donors working out deals for more money!!!
Just an observation: When one looks at the world, one can not seem to understand why some really bad people continue to be supported; like Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Boehner here in the US, Limbaugh, etc, etc. in spite of facts to the contrary. I do not understand the mentality of the people who support these bad people, even when it is to their own disadvantage. But then I am no psychologist. Maybe, some of the so-called conservatives can explain this, but with no rhetoric
Hey Fed up Senior
You mean work with the party of NO! Where the hell were you when this country was going downhill due to your sacred Republican agenda which got us into most of this mess. I guess you saw nothing wrong with it then? Open your mouth at the appropriate time and you said nothing then. It's easy to blame others, isn't it? Look in the mirror, buddy!
Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They should be ashamed of themselves allowing this to take this long.
Thank you to all the 9.11 first responders and I hope you all have a happier Christmas and holiday season.
Thank you to all our other first responders --wishing you all the best for a wonderful holiday season. Know that if something like this happens again, we the people will make sure you are taken care of like the 9.11 [2001] first responders except perhaps in a speedier fashion.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays to all...
I really appreciated your naming all the Republicans who broke ranks with the likes of Mitch Mc"NO" to support this bill.
I would like for you to list the senators somewhere on your site so I can call their offices to thank them for their courage to do something right and against the "leadership" whose main goal is to make Obama fail.
A Kentucky Liberal Democrat
I feel your PAIN, James!
Another Kentucky Liberal Democrat.
 Looks like Obama and the Dems(sounds like a band) are the supreme negotiators after all, and the GOP are tripping all over themselves to keep up! Nice!
jbird
I am glad to see this done, but making it a partisan issue is what caused the problems not solved them in getting it passed.
I believe you will see Republicans and Democrats voting for this bill
And they should
Jbird,
This is was bipartisan politics looks like, now that the Democrats don't feel like they can shove stuff through. Supporting the first responders was always the right thing to do, but that does not mean you rubber stamp the first legislation that comes through. There are right and wrong ways to go about any process, particularly in politics. This was a negotiated bill agreed to by both parties, and that's what should have been happening all along. The Republicans are not the bad guys, any more than the Democrats are; they just hold to a different paradigm of the role of the Federal government in our democratic republic.
The party of war, military might and spending money on the war machine has been shamed into supporting this long overdue legislation. I can't believe the hypocracy of John McCain and others in his party who have no problem voting to spend massive amounts on bombs but can spend money on the healthcare of these domestic heroes. Shame on them that it took so long!
And one more thought. Is there anyone more senile, more hypocritical or more irrelevant that John McCain? His fall from principled grace is nothing short of remarkable.
inkitnow
I agree with you that it is beyond time for this bill to have been passed and the heroic accomplishments of the first responders at Ground Zero cannot be overstated.
I also think it is fine and proper that disagree with Senator McCain on the issues (this one and others), but he and always will be an American hero of the highest order. Don't forget that.
Robert in Ohio
I also think it is fine and proper that disagree with Senator McCain on the issues (this one and others), but he and always will be an American hero of the highest order. Don't forget that.
I'll have to disagree. Mccain has lost his honorary status of great American. His grand kids and great grand kids will be embarrassed that he was and usually was on the wrong side of history.
=============================================
From another post
Robert in Ohio
Bev
I always enjoy your ideas and posts - keep them coming, they make me think
Thank you, I 'll try my best.
Happy Holidays to you
Beverly.... Someone who volunteers for the miliatry, gets shot down, endures 5 1/2 years of torture and abuse for his country so you can come on here and insult him and others you do not agree with will always be and AMERICAN HERO!! What have you done for your country today except insult those on here with whom you do not agree? As far as I'm concerned, you can go rot in the cell where McCain was kept for the rest of your life!
Robert in Ohio,
Regarding McCain: Hero is as hero does (present tense). Don't forget that.
------------------------
Beverly in Chicago,
No need to wait for the next generation. McCain's immediate family is questioning his views.
------------------------
It's sad to watch base politics so brazenly replacing common sense and common decency. It's as though the Congress is more interested in conquest than stewardship of "The People's Business."
But what we are seeing is the truth of H.L. Mencken's aphorism, "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
Best wishes to everyone, though...
STLMike,
Shall I rely on the medals and awards, sitting in a box in my storage room, to tell you what sort of woman I am... Or shall I rely on the actions I take each day and the attitude I present to you as I take those actions?
What you see in my actions and words is tangible. If I never dig out those medals and awards, would you know they existed?
Senator McCain served well and honorably 35 years ago. I served well and honorably a decade ago. But to rest in satisfaction, allowing actions I took between ten and twenty years ago to define me wholly to those who were not there to see me take them, and to not continue to prove myself worthy of the sacred trust I have been given, is, by definition, a dishonorable dereliction of the duty I have sought out.
What have I done for my country in the past? I served, voluntarily and honorably, and became permanently disabled doing so.
What have I done for my country today? I have spoken truth, respectfully, about a man who performed some truly heroic acts in the past because, as a soldier, it is my duty and obligation not to fall prey to hero worship, but to see all men clearly.
Passage of this bill is the right thing to do and a victory for America.
Non-partisanship should have been the rule in passing this bill months ago and it should not have been used as political football by either side
Sen Gillenbrand deserves a lot of credit with identifing and overcoming the obstacles to gettin gthis done
A Christmas present for many that truly deserve it
This is more evidence that everything the Republicans do is politically motivated...Coburn had no problem voting for farmer and oil welfare but he gets concerned about cost for helping Americans...he was an unabashed supporter of Iraq and the trillion or so thrown away for nothing there...chickenhawk party.
It is about time. I, for one, will think twice before stepping in to help in any situation from now on.
I certainly hope this helps those that came to the aid of New York and the Pentagon.
Great deal, just hope they found away to cut back on other costs to pay for the sacrifice these people did. In Arizona they are working on pension reform which government workers need to realize we all have to sacrifice. The Wal Marts pay under $10 an hour more Americans are facing and taking away good paying jobs for slave labor does not allow the middle class to keep paying for government jobs and pensions. Live worse, keep shopping Wal Marts.
Feisty & company, great victories for the president and democrats. Merry Christmas and happy New year.
You BETCHA CommonSense!!! And a VERY Merry One to you & yours as well! ;0)
"Great Victories for the President and the Democrats". Says it all. First Responders getting what they need and are entitled to just a side bar. As along as Obammie and his ilk get their victory, then nothing else matters. How is it Obammies victory? Even Schummer said that the republicans negotiated in good faith and with thoughtfulness on some serious issues. It's called working together you fools. I personally like the Republicans limits on Attorney fees so the money to help these heroes doesn't get soaked up by one of the Dumpocraps biggest contributors, trial attorneys. Go ahead and keep patting Obammie on the back. All this cooperation started after the Dumpocraps got shellacked last month and the Dumpos realized that they could not ram things through starting in Jan. So they started working with and stopped dictating to the republicans. Your so rabid you libtards can't even see it. Great Victory for the First Responders and the American people. How about that you bunch of dopes.
So interesting how you Repugs get things so twisted....
What good are ALL those NEW politicians IF they do nothing but sit on their hands and whine....
What you fail to realize is that the Presidenr got what the American people need and if he had to USE the Repugs...then OH WELL!!!!! Checkmate......
People from Oaklahoma must be or should be embarrassed...these are the type of people that represent you. People who will gladley give tax breaks to the rich at the cost of the unemployeed and will allow our hero's to needlessy suffer...GOP you people are a discrace tothe US.
Oh yes, I'm sure that Sen. Coburn's Republican co-horts here in OK are so very proud of him. Talk about the party of NO, he has to be the leader of it I think, of course Kentucky can be proud of their Sen. McConnell also. When it has come to Veteran's issues Sen. Coburn has voted NO more times than yes but yet he sure had no hesitancy in voting for off-the-budget funding for war in Iraq. The sad thing is the OK Republicans have re-elected him to another 6 yr term which means we Veterans will come out losers again.
Ed, i'm 1 of many Kentuckians who Despize McTurtle. Ignorance is Blissfully True in my State, as it is in many States across America. So i'm sure, many in OK feel the same about Coburn.
Snakes in the Grass, both of em.
OK - please bring the Scrooge Coburn home.
I think both sides are full of it on this bill. If the ending date of 2031 was the real sticking point
I agree with the repugnants, as painful as that is for me- if you can't figure out in 15 years if you have a claim or not @!$%# you. This is like the cigarette bull@!$%#-I hate cigarettes- I quit 40 years ago-I dumped a woman because she wouldn't quit smoking- but allowing people to file against the tobacco companies after 30 or 40 years of smoking is BS. Americans are the dumbest people on earth- they voted for Nixon twice, Ronnie Raygun twice, old man Bush twice (if they were repugnants), dumbya twice, McCain once- that's a sure sign of stupidity.
 if the first reponder bill is passed today, we should not forget how the Republicans played politics with such an important issue, one has to know if this was some of there rich cronies, this bill would have passed months ago. The Republicans pay lip service to the important issues that have an affect on people's lives, there was no reason for anyone to stand in the way of this bill. We owe these men and women the security they need for their health concerns, at a time when this country was going through a major crisis, this group of men and women did there jobs without worrying about the risk to themselves, we have to now step up and do what is right and that is to take care of these people for the rest of their lives if we have too. Shame on the Republicans for such mean spirited behavior, may those who oppose this bill for the first responders never be forgotten and we should remember them at the ballot box.
Hey Evelyn, did you not read the article, the Dumpocraps biggest contributors, trial attorneys were going to get a big chunk of any awards, the republicans wanted to set limits on what these scumbags could steal from the Responders and Dumpocraps finally agreed to accept limits on what the leeches could grab. So partisan, so rabid that the republicans probably saved the Responders millions. But hey, lets not let facts get in the way of a could partisan scream fest.
So True Soupysales. The GOP could'nt get around the Funding part of this bill, so they Rightfully went after Trial lawyer Fee's. I'm ok with that. What i'm Not ok with is while fighting That, they're the 1st in line at the CourtHouses across America with frivalous Lawsuits.
Go Figure!
Dick, not so sure they are 1st in line. The Dumpocraps are funded by Unions and Trial Lawyers. Pretty sure they are first in line.
So with these string of legislative accomplishments, I guess the GOP plan to have Obama fail..even after the 'schelacking'...has also FAILED..miserably
Obama and the Dems (to a lesser extent) win today.
Six billion seems like such a drop in the bucket compared to what this government spends. I honestly can't believe it took this much wrangling to get the job done. It should have been a given.
Jin
I agree this bill should have sailed through the approval process.
But we cannot be cavalier about the cost of anything in our current situation, $6B here and there and there and before you now we are talking about real money.
Now we get START and the CR approved and move onto tax code reform, budget balancing and deficit reduction in the new year.
Happy holidays
Except for the $400 Billion TAx Extension for Millonaires that the GOP feel didnt have to be paid for and should hold up everything else. Where was the fiscal and prioroty sanity check for that? Just Sayin
Obviously first responders and heroes should be cared for. The concern is, another government program, and you can be sure it will be full of waste, fraud, and missing taxpayer money. We should not however keep funds from those who truly need help. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all military, firemen, policemen, EMT's and first responders.
This law should have been done a long time ago. Why Thank God for Democrats? If both sides didn't posture so much we wouldn't have these last minute laws going into effect. Just remember though, we cannot continue to spend money that we don't have. This country is in for a rude awakening when it comes time to pay for all this spending. Democrats and Republicans, WAKE UP!!! We cannot keep borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.
We certainly can...if the only voters who we care about are Pauls.
We need more Peters in DC...and I'm NOT talking about Barney Frank.
After psssing the Shark Conservation Act earlier this week, it was only a matter of time before the GOP would get on board with helping some US citizens.
dig
The Shark Conservation Act is a Democrat bill that they have been complaining about for months so I am pretty sure the Dems brought it to the floor not the Republicans.
Dang, you mean they actually passed a law protecting lawyers ?
The SCA bill was introduced by the representative from Guam I believe.
@dig, sorry, I misread your post..... I guess I meant Republican Sharks... :-)
err. lawyers....
to amy and job1 and dave: you heard it here first, "thank God for democrats;" and john stewart! have been thinking about the phrase uttered today on morning joe from tom brokaw about "shared sacrifice." perhaps the end of "shared sacrifice" started when gwb started two wars, one of necessity (but not 10 years) and one lied into. a very very small percentage of young men and women and their families have been called upon to make any sacrifice; while americans here at home got unfunded tax cuts and seniors got an unfunded, largest ever entitlement with medicare part d. we were told to go shopping while we saw no body bags coming back and the media for the most part were absent while on duty.
now we have, "no and hell no" to unemployment benefits for the "lazy," no real help for millions of americans losing their homes because "they didn't deserve to have a house in the first place," no tax increases for the wealthy, no public option because we must after all support the health care industry but no help for the auto industry - unless of course it wants to move to southern climes.
after the 2010 election we hear no dept of education, no epa, no help for the 99ers. what happened to the concept of "shared sacrifice" and what helps one, helps us all.? yes, thank God for the democrats, while not perfect at least they make the attempt to help the 98% of americans who are not the base for the gop.
Democrat or Republican, does not matter. They all work for the corporate interests, wall street and the bankers.