Consumer Law

Senator Mike Enzi vs. the Heros of 9/11

By Joe Consumer

Back in February, U.S. Senator and former shoe-man Michael Bradley "Mike" Enzi from Wyoming delivered a speech on the Senate floor about disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. At least he tried.  He couldn?t pronounce ?Blagojevich.?  Recall that by 2010, the name ?Blagojevich? had been in the national news for roughly two years, aided by such television moments as the former Governor's appearance on Letterman and his wife Patti's stint on ?I?m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here.?  

In its article ?Senator Mike Enzi Is Physically Incapable of Saying ?Blagojevich??, New York Magazine speculated that perhaps ?He has not watched the news, listened to news radio, or had a conversation about politics in the past fourteen months, and does not know how the name is pronounced." 

Maybe this explains a lot more than we think, such as why the Senator is so horribly misinformed about the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.   This bill, which already passed the House, is up for a Senate vote today and still seems one vote short to prevent a fillibuster.  The bill would provide $7.4 billion over 10 years to provide health care and payments to sick and dying 9/11 first responders (supplementing the recent legal settlement by covering care for far more victims).  And it would be paid for!  (?It calls for closing tax loopholes on foreign corporations to raise the money - a move opposed by Republicans. New York's senators have offered a menu of other funding options.?) 

But you?d never know it listening to Sen. Enzi.  The NY Daily News reports,

Enzi is blamed for circulating a document filled with distortions about the bill. Dozens of responders hoped to tell him not to block the $7.4 billion measure.

They had to settle for staffers .

"Your boss and others are playing God with human life, when we are trying to ease the pain of these people," John Feal, a construction worker and 9/11 advocate, told noncommittal Enzi aides.

The opposition document endorsed by Enzi raises numerous objections, and offers dubious facts to Republicans who want ammunition to shoot down the bill.

Now there?s a real act of courage ? a U.S.  Senator who hides from 9/11 heroes. Take note, Senator, of the life and death of retired NYPD detective Kevin Czartoryski, 46-years-old, who died this week from pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer due to his work at Ground Zero transporting remains to the morgue.

The NYPD Detective's Union said, "Detective Czartoryski's condition is a glaring indication that we truly need the U.S. Senate's support on the Zadroga Bill. This would provide for monitoring, evaluation and treatment for heroes like Kevin."

But alas, in the Senate, we have Sen. Enzi instead.

Full post as published by ThePopTort on December 08, 2010 (boomark / email).