The 9/11 First Responders Bill: How the Republicans Were Just. Bad. People.

Who would block a bill that helped 9/11 first responders pay for the medical problems they contracted during those horrifying first days when the city was covered in dust and ash? Who would deny treatment to Americans who risked their own lives to try to save others, after wearing all those lapel flag pins (and condemning those who didn't) and making those innumerable pretty speeches about how New York is filled with heroes?

Senate Republicans, that's who.

At the beginning of December, Republicans in the Senate blocked the passage of a bill that would have paid for the costs incurred by responders who breathed in the dust, fumes, and smoke that covered Manhattan for the first few days after 9/11. The article: Republicans Block U.S. Health Aid for 9/11 Workers - New York Times

And the mass media barely commented on these Republican Senators, aiding them in their utter lack of morality. Even the NYT article above didn't have any quotes from the Republicans who committed this act of cowardice.

The most outrageous part of this is that the Republicans love thinking of themselves as the "Moral Majority." They thrive on shaming people who do things that don't agree with their own values but are perfectly moral, like not believing in the same God, putting life-saving water out in the desert for those trying to escape their impoverished country, or falling in love with people of the same gender. What hypocritical assholes.

The happy ending to this story: the bill was revived and passed, after some intense work from New York politicians and Senate Democrats. But perhaps the biggest hero of the story is Jon Stewart, who went on The Daily Show night after night to bring to light the hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy of the Republican party, or as he called it, “the party that turned 9/11 into a catchphrase.” Because of Stewart, Americans finally heard about the issue, got good and lathered up over it, and called on their representatives to, you know, do the right thing.

There was some sore-losership from the Republicans, of course:

One of the main critics of the original House bill, Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, expressed satisfaction with the legislation’s final cost.

“Every American recognizes the heroism of the 9/11 first responders,” Mr. Coburn said. “But it is not compassionate to help one group while robbing future generations of opportunity.”

Still, the acrimonious fight over the 9/11 legislation appeared to leave Republicans on the defensive and concerned that their party had been unfairly demonized for raising legitimate objections to the original $7.4 billion bill the House passed.

“Some have tried to portray this debate as a debate between those who support 9/11 workers and those who don’t,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader. “This is a gross distortion of the facts. There was never any doubt about supporting the first responders. It was about doing it right.”

To Senator McConnell, "doing it right" would have meant letting those people pay out of their own pockets. You gigantic dick.