Who helps the heroesFollow

certainly not congress

A bill to provide medical coverage to 911 workers was voted down. To pay for the bill they were going to close a tax loophole that allows companies incorporated in tax havens to avoid paying tax on income earned in the states. This was the major point of opposition.

The other problem seems to be that the dems didn't want to deal with amendments because of some bullsh*t election year stuff, and so made it a 2/3 majority vote which didn't pass. Apparently the amendment was going to be that any 911 workers who were here illegally wouldn't get help, as they were clearly slacking off and stealing from real Americans. I don't know how this works, but couldn't they have just voted down the amendment?

Pretty poor play on every side of the isle, although it was amusing watching the video of Anthony Weiner losing it.

Apparently grammar is not my strong point this morning.

Edited, Aug 5th 2010 10:26am by Xsarus

From what I heard, the Republicans added that amendment specifically to force the Dems to scuttle it so they could point fingers. And yes, Weiner throwing a fit was rather amusing.

I'm actually a little surprised that 911 workers don't already have healthcare coverage.

well, not enough for all of them, and don't forget they now all have pre-existing conditions.

What's so un-American about celebrating someone one day and throwing them under the bus the next?

If I'm understanding the news article correctly, the vote would have passed with a simple majority, but considering it under such procedures would have allowed the GOP to insert an amendment that blocked aid to illegal immigrant workers affected by the disaster.

Two things come to mind:

A) How many illegal immigrants are employed by the groups that provided rescue and recovery services for the 9/11 incident anyway? I'm thinking it has to be a really low number, but I have no stats to prove it. The democrats have got to stop pandering to minorities on every single occasion and actually get stuff done in the face of republican opposition. Progress, not pandering, will win votes come November.

B) The republican intent to add such an amendment is pretty clearly more of the same obstructionist behavior we've come to expect. Not only does it soil the panties of lame democrats who are afraid of losing minority votes, but it protects corporate interests by avoiding the closure of a tax loophole.

Both sides failed the people here. The democrats are weak in the knees and the republicans are more concerned about protecting corporate interests and contributions than representing the people who elected them. Pretty disgusting show of American politics, IMO.

How do amendments work? Why couldn't they just vote to not include the amendment and then vote the bill through? Or is that the case when the GOP would just keep introducing more amendments?

It shouldn't matter, I agree. All I was saying is that the net benefit of the amendment would have been trivial at best.

Yeah, these poor people have been struggling for the past 9 years now, dealing with their health problems that are associated with running into burning buildings and saving lives. And it's all that one ******* Mexican's fault, how dare he think he could help?

The conservative trifecta seems awfully quiet. Not one condemnation, guys?

I'm not positive that "trifecta" is the word you want, here.

You know what would've prevented this?

Universal healthcare.

No. Law requires employers to cover workers for injuries or illness that occur on the job or because of the job (the individuals insurance covers them for general non work related stuff).

Workers comp is insurance though - bought and paid for by the employer. Like most insurance providers they'll often not happily and thoroughly cover expenses without a fight. The EPA claimed that site was safe from air borne hazards - I can see where some Workers Comp insuring company might use that statement to get them off the hook for chronic illnesses that showed up after the event. It seems to me that it would be these types of disputes that the government could help out with.