GOP Shame: Abuse of 9/11
Posted by dpolitico on July 30, 2010 · View Comments
We saw it at the Republican Convention in 2008 when the GOP used the 9/11 attacks to try and strike fear into the hearts of Americans in hopes they would vote for John McCain. Now, we’ve seen it again with the GOP’s biggest representatives decrying a “mosque” that is allegedly going in at ground zero (despite the fact that you can’t even see Ground Zero from what is not even a mosque). And in the very next breath, while using 9/11 as a rallying cry, they’re voting to deny funding to 9/11 responders. It is shameful and indicative of the current GOP’s willingness to put party loyalty before God and country.
New York Congressman Anthony Weiner, for one, has had enough with the abuse. Check out his response to Republican efforts last night to defeat a bill that would’ve given $7.4 billion in aid to 9/11 responders:
From the Huffington Post:
At the heart of the debate was a procedural maneuver made by Democrats to suspend the rules before consideration of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The move allowed leadership to block potential GOP amendments to the measure (there was worry that Republicans would attach something overtly partisan in hopes that it could pass on the otherwise widely-popular measure). It also meant that the party needed a two-thirds majority vote.
When the final tally was announced, there were 255 representatives for the measure, 159 against. The defeat of the bill, which would have provided free health care to those affected during the 9/11 rescue and recovery, likely means that the court system will have to settle compensation issues.
Weiner did not stop there continuing to attack this morning hammering the GOP leadership for blocking the bill.
I understand that there may be people who think the courts are better equipped to handle this and that the federal government shouldn’t be spending this kind of money. But at what point do you stop voting against the laws against rape and money for 9/11 victims for some sort of “idealistic” notion and instead start doing the right thing?
