Republicans Hurt in 2012 by Failure on 9/11 Health, DADT, DREAM Act

• Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which would allow gay Americans to openly serve in the U.S. military.
• The DREAM Act, which would provide legal residency to upstanding, educated minors brought to this country illegally as young children by their parents. The minors would be required to attend college of join the military.
• The START Treaty, which is a Strategic Arms Reduction Agreement between the U.S. and Russia. START 1 expired on December 5, 2009. President Obama negotiated and signed START 2 on April 8, 2010. The Senate must ratify the treaty.

To all liberals, it's abundantly obvious that these bills should be passed and swiftly implemented into law:

• DADT and the DREAM Act legislation aim to ensure justice and fairness in American life.
• The START treaty aims to ensure continued peace, and common sense arms reduction, between two of the most armed nations in the world.

• But one bill has been shamefully, cruelly blocked by Republicans and, thus far, omitted from the 111th Senate's last gasp agenda: the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010," which is "named after a first responder who died from a respiratory disease attributed to his rescue efforts on the morning of the Sept. 11 terror attack," per Media Matters.

  Briefly, the bill extends medical care coverage for first responders (firefighters, police officers, public safety personnel, clean-up workers) to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As a result of exposure to harmful toxins released on 9/11, responders are suffering a high rate of cancers and cardiac and respiratory diseases.

  The House passed the 9/11 Responders Health Act by a strong bipartisan vote of 268 to 160.

  In a conscience-shocking display of callousness, Senate Republicans filibustered last week to block this bill from a vote by the full Senate. Describes ThinkProgress.org:

  "Not one Republican senator came to the floor to explain why the desperately needed, fully paid-for compensation didn't deserve to pass. When Fox News' Don Imus pressed Sen. John Thune (R-SD) for an explanation, Thune said the tax cuts are a bigger priority because 'there is a deadline.' And when first responders came to the Senate to advocate for the bill yesterday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) actually called the Capitol police on them to prevent a sit-in."

  Hopefully riding to the rescue of this humanitarian legislation, Jon Stewart skillfully skewered Senate Republicans last night by devoting his entire Daily Show to:

• Four ailing first-responder heroes from 9/11 who spoke of their actions that day, of their deep devotion to America and Americans, and who shared about their crippling health concerns stemming from 9/11.
• Republican Mike Huckabee, an ordained pastor whose father was a firefighter, who told Stewart, "Every Republican should vote for this bill... I wish that the Republicans would say, 'we'll fight the battle.'"

Passage of the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010" is about decency and about taking responsibility. About the character of the United States, and especially, about the character of the U.S. Senate.

I agree with others who've blogged today that it was an honor to listen to Jon Stewart's Daily Show guests last night. It's an honor and privilege to be served by Americans patriots such as those four men and their comrades.

Continues

Hats off to Jon Stewart for magnificantly calling attention to this abomination of a vote by the Republicans on the 9/11 First Responders Health bill.

When even Shephard Smith (of Fox News) excoriated the nay-sayers on this bill [Shepard Smith Unloads On Blockers Of 9/11 Responders Bill: 'How Do They Sleep At Night?' (VIDEO)] you know for sure that the Republicans are working without their moral commpass.  Or perhaps they have redefined their "morality" to mean "whatever the rich political funders want"!

As to the Repub brand of morality and religion, it does not include me. I am not a Christian.. and I cannot wait until this country has a true minority of Christians.  So, I am all for religions from every corner of the country to come to the U.S.  Let the show begin, already.

Let's see how far back the Repubs truly want to take this country.  Is it to as far as the "Founding Fathers" without a set of Founding Mothers in their mix? Is it to the days of the Native Americans?  Is this to the days of neanderthals?  As far as the "man eat man" world?   Oh, yeah, we are already there! It is "Rich eat the lunch of the Unemployed" instead!

Looks like 2010 is the last year I'd want to vote for any Repub on the ballot.  They are as heartless as they come.  Of course that doesnt mean I vote for Dems straight down the line either, but at this point, I am most certainly done with the Repub voting era.