Thursday night was the last Daily Show of the year and Jon Stewart was serious–not so funny about something he believes deeply in. Jon Stewart started off in his usual manner but things took a serious note as he discussed the James Zadroga Bill for 9/11 First Responders. Stewart punctuated the problem with a panel of 4 who suffer serious, life-threatening illnesses because of their efforts in the 9/11 clean up.
First the background of what has happened with the Zadroga Bill to provide health care costs and compensation to 9/11 first responders:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Worst Responders | ||||
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Things take an even more serious turn as Jon Stewart interviews 4 critically ill NYC first responders:
Stewart turns to Fox News. He credited them with giving 9/11 recognition its due diligence. He bashes the 3 major networks for their non-coverage of the Zagroda Bill. He lets the Senate have it with both barrels.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| 9/11 First Responders React to the Senate Filibuster | ||||
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Al Jazeera has covered this issue sympathetically. Stewart feels that it is an outrage that the American networks have not given full coverage to something due American heroes.
This is the only thread for right now. I ask you to listen to both videos. You probably don’t watch Al Jazeera. These heroes need us to back them. Get their story from the horses’ mouths.
Moonhowler,
THANK YOU for posting this story. The utter disgust is almost beyond words. These guys are DYING and senators don’t have time to figure out how to bring these hero’s some peace of mind by passing this bill? I can’t say more than Jon Stewart on this issue, he covered so well.
THIS is why I find the Republican party so distasteful. For people making over 250 grand they will stop government, but for dying effing fire fighters they can’t make the same effort?????????????????????????????????????????????????
Why is it just the Republicans, Elena? The Democrats have been in charge for two years. Why didn’t THEY do something before now? Its Congress as a whole, not just one party.
The GOP is not stopping the government. The Dems control the whole process and should have passed a budget before now. It is they that pushed it to the time limit, hoping that any protesters would blink first. They expected the President and the media to back them. They could have continued the status quo and not raised taxes at any time. Now the Dems are, or were, presenting a pork laden bill instead of a proper budget, one that should have been done by October.
This is just more game playing. Personally, I feel that the responders to 9/11 should be given access to the VA hospitals for treatment.
PUH-Leez! Democrats pass pork laden bills? Now let’s think…does any other party have a tendency to do that also? hmmmmmmm
RE: VA hospitals
Do you really think they need any more patients? They are already understaffed.
What about Congress just passing a bill that provides for these sick and dying people. They are dying of weird cancers, brain problems, lung problems, heart problems–all from environmental hazards from 9/11. These people are entitled to compensation as much as the rich widows who clawed and scraped for every penny. Not all did but I heard entirely too many…to the point I wrote to Frank Wolf over it. He never answered I might add.
And why Republicans? Those are the folks standing in the way of the bill being passed.
It doesn’t matter if it was done then, now, or whenever. Blocking is blocking. This makes me sick.
Did you listen to the videos? They are heart-breaking and good for Jon Stewart for breaking with his usual funny man routine to address a serious issue.
This should be a no brainer and it should not even be debated. What else can the 9/11 responders do? Right now they are dying at a very abnormal rate. They really did give all. So the some gave NONE crowd gets to withhold funds from their families. Many of these folks have lost their frigging health care. They have lost their jobs. Many are unable to work. Thanks a lot, America.
“THIS is why I find the Republican party so distasteful.” – uh, haven’t Democrats had a super majority for a few years now? Shouldn’t most of your ire be directed at them? After all, they have had the ability to do what ever they want for 2 years now (and still can, for now).
They didn’t pass this, do they make you sick? I’m so tired of this whole blame Republicans for anything and everything that is wrong in the world when Dems have controlled EVERYTHING for the past two years and have had the ability (but not the balls) to pass what ever they want. Where is your disgust for them?????????????????????????????????????????????????
democrats have been running congress since 2006 what the hell did they do for 9/11 responders?????just another excuse to bash republicans, and its damn transparent
I believe I have fairly said I hate both parties. Have I left anyone out? However, on this vote, the Democrats weren’t at fault. I will be more than happy to blame them when they are at fault. Quit trying to play time machine. We are talking about what happened THIS week.
I don’t need an excuse to bash Republicans. The fact that they exist covers it. Substitute the word Democrats if that one gets old.
And actually if you knew more about Elena, you would know why she finds Republicans particularly distasteful.
This bill was win/win for everyone. The bill should have passed. It had no riders.
Again, we aren’t talking about the time machine. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is when the bill came up this week the Republicans, for the most part, didn’t weigh in to see that it got passed. It was a win/win for both parties.
To ask why something didn’t happen in the past is just making up an excuse and not addressing the real issue which is…Why the GD bill didn’t pass?
Last night, Jon Stewart called on Fox News to address the 9/11 issue and address it they did. Who can we always count on the be fair and balanced in a sea of bias? Shep Smith came roaring to the front with Chris Wallace agreeing.
Shep said the following:
How do they sleep at night after this vote on Ground Zero first responders from 9/11? Are they going to get that done, or are we going to leave these American heroes out there to twist in the wind?
He said that Jon Stewart was absolutely right. Chris Wallace agreed with him. Shep Smith is the man of the hour! (and so is Chris)
The video will be posted as soon as it airs.
who cares what jon stewart or shep smith says or thinks, any clown can read the news from a teleprompter and suddenly theyre the oracle of delphi? some entity deep in the bowels of the soros purgatory came up with a “hey lets make the republicans look bad, lets throw this up against the wall and see if it sticks”
How do you know their party affliliation, e?
Were you down there in the rubble at ground zero? I sure wasn’t and that’s why I want everything done possible to help those people who were. Talk about a job that most Americans don’t want to do.
Being married to a conservative republican i think gives me some cred on first hand knowledge of how the mind of one works!
This particular bill was introduced in May of 2010.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/99821-mandatory-healthcare-for-911-
Jon Stewart is a great interviewer, he does not use a teleprompter to debate his guests!
a comedian, and a very lousy one at that
So this is the real reason and yes, it very much is on the heads of Republicans regardless of how many excuses some of our fellow bloggers come up with or want to dump back on the Democrats:
Mike Huckabee was also on the Jon Stewart Show. Jon asked him to help spread the word and Mike was true to his word. He went on Fox and Friends this morning and did spread the word. He didn’t dispell the myth that Harry Reid is trying to attach a gambling bill to it but he also didn’t comfirm it. He spoke of the urgency. Huckabee was not as vocal or forceful and Chris Wallace and Shep Smith but he was a man of his word. He personally has a first responder friend who is in real bad shape. So, Huckabee didn’t totally rise above politics but he did man up.
I’m going to have to side with Cargosquid on this one. It’s unfair to blame this solely on the Repubs. Are the Repubs acting immaturely with respect to this? Yes. But the Dems have had control for two years, and this bill was drafted months ago.