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Views From Your Windows
Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg announced plans to expand the city's response for World Trade Center-related health illnesses, after a panel found many things, such as many people didn't even know there's a WTC health program at Bellevue. Now the city plans to ask Washington D.C. for $150 million a year for programs; establishing new to keep everyone aware of what's going on; and, perhaps most importantly, reopening the Victim Compensation Fund and ending various legal disputes victims have been enduring.
At the same time, the death of Cesar Borja continues to be news. Trumpeted as a 9/11 first responder, retired cop Borja died of pulmonary fibrosis last month while awaiting a lung transplant. His family believed his illness was caused by working at Ground Zero (doctors did think it was possible, though there's no conclusive evidence) and the media and politicians alike seized his story. Yesterday, the NY Times revealed at Borja did not work at the WTC site immediately after September 11 or work 16 hour shifts as previously described by other newspapers, most notably the Daily News, which paid for Borja's son Ceasar to attend the State of the Union as Senator Hillary Clinton's guest.
The Daily News spoke to Ceasar Borja in light of the new facts about his father's service. Borja said, "Why are they attacking my father's honor? I don't see my father [as] any less of a hero. To me, heroes are heroes." Borja feels the Times is trying to discredit his father, as well as others afflicted after working at Ground Zero, but one could also argue that the Times was clarifying the public record.
The NY Post wastes no time, offering a story about how other people suffering from WTC-related illnesses are worried that their claims may not be believed because of interest in Borja's story and the Times' follow-up. Plus the Post has an editorial: Death of a Myth, which has the line "...there is also no substantial reason to believe that he was sickened by conditions at Ground Zero, or that he was harmed by government negligence - city, state or federal." The Times, at least, in its coverage yesterday did offer a statement from Mount Sinai doctors, who said that Borja's more limited-than-previously-thought exposure could have led to the illness. A Post PR person also sent an email to Gawker, belittling the Daily News' attempt to get a Pulitzer with its "Forgotten Victims of 9/11" series.
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Rather than wait for the current Do-Nothing Congress, how about using some of the tax surplus instead of giving real estate tax rebates?
Am I the only one who cringes every time I see this angry young man's name in print? It reminds me of the classic New Yorker cartoon a few years ago of someone ordering in a restaurant: "I'll have the misspelled 'Ceaser' salad and the improperly hyphenated osso-buco."
Am I the only one who cringes every time I see this angry young man's name in print? It reminds me of the classic New Yorker cartoon a few years ago with someone ordering in a restaurant: "I'll have the misspelled 'Ceaser' salad and the improperly hyphenated osso-buco."
Oh god, so sorry about the multiple postings. I assumed it wasn't going through, since there was a time-out message.
Um, right, cough, that's the ticket. Rather than focus on how the Bush administration has failed New York in the wake of 9/11 and what can be done to actually help New Yorkers, let's turn this around into a partisan attack on the Democrats. Brilliant.
Seriously Warren, why wait? If the problem is as bad as the politicians want you to believe then why wait? We have money of our own. Why not get started and ask for money at the same time?
It's hard not to be cyncial about Congress when the party changes but their inability to accomplish anything remains the same. So I hardly think my attack is "partisan". By saying "current do-nothing congress" I was implying the previous was one "do-nothing" as well.
And why blame Bush anyway? Ultimately Congress has to pass the spending bills. If our congresional delegation had tried hard enough they probably could have made their voice heard. Somebody found $15 million in the Federal budget for the Highline renovation. You can't tell me that as the minority party they couldn't have pushed for something 9/11. Bush may suck but you're giving a free pass to Clinton, Schumer, Rangel, etc. They all ran for reelection on their "accomplishments", right?
I agree with you that there are better ways to use that $1 billion surplus and, yes, this seems like a good use for it. Let's not forget, however, that Bush's EPA told everybody that Ground Zero was safe.
Also, the new Congress has only been around for about 45 days or so, which makes comparing them to the Republican-controlled Congress (which has had years to address this issue, but hasn't done squat) kind of pointless.
I agree with you that there are better ways to use that $1 billion surplus and, yes, this seems like a good use for it. Let's not forget, however, that Bush's EPA told everybody that Ground Zero was safe.
Also, the new Congress has only been around for about 45 days or so, which makes comparing them to the Republican-controlled Congress (which has had years to address this issue, but hasn't done squat) kind of pointless.
I agree with you that there are better ways to use that $1 billion surplus and, yes, this seems like a good use for it. Let's not forget, however, that Bush's EPA told everybody that Ground Zero was safe.
Also, the new Congress has only been around for about 45 days or so, which makes comparing them to the Republican-controlled Congress (which has had years to address this issue, but hasn't done squat) kind of pointless.
"We lied to first responders about environmental conditions at WTC and now they're all sick. Can you help us pay for that?"
Well, at least their pension funds are in good hands.