Why The GOP Filibustered The First Responders Bill

Dec 19th, 2010

The motivation for the GOP's filibuster of a bill to provide health benefits for American gheroes is more crass than you might believe. From the Hill:

"A vote to quash the filibuster failed by a vote of 57 to 42, three votes short of the necessary threshold. As a result, the proposal is unlikely to pass this year. The bill would provide funding for a health program to treat first responders, construction and cleanup workers and residents who inhaled toxic particles after the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. The $7.4 billion cost of the legislation over 10 years is paid for by a provision that would prevent foreign multinational corporations from using tax havens to avoid taxes on U.S. Income."

Got it? It is more important to the GOP to keep a loophole for corporations that make money off of American consumers but don't want to pay taxes on the profits. 

Shep Smith Slams GOP Filibuster Of First Responders Bill

Dec 19th, 2010

UPDATE: WE ERRONEOUSLY LISTED CHRIS WALLACE AS CHRIS MATTHEWS EARLIER. IT HAS BEEN CORRECTED 

We have been writing here for some time to generally praise Shep Smith, The Murdoch Device's only real journalist. He doesn't often add his voice to the commentariat wing on the network, but when he does, it serves to illustrate why we like him. Speaking to Chris Wallace, he praised Jon Stewart's coverage on the obscene GOP filibuster of the bill to provide health care to the brave men and women who rushed in to help on that terrible day. The money quote:

“We're able to pay for tax cuts for billionaires who don't need them and it's not going to stimulate the economy. But we can't give health care to Ground Zero first responders who ran right into the fire?"