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I got to say this one time and one time only. Welcome back to the Data Show with Trevoro with John Stewart's.
This guy is here.
So just to bring you up to speed, today we're talking about the Zadroga Reauthorization Acts, which gives permanent healthcare to ninety eleven first responders injured or sick through their work at Ground zero. Now it seems like a no brainer. So John, what's holding it up?
Now? No brains?
So right now, there's sixty seven Senators sponsoring the bill, two hundred and sixty representatives, which even by stupid Senate and housemath, is more than enough to do this. So it really comes down to the two individuals who currently control Congress. One Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Right now, as we speak, the House is still trying to pull money out of the healthcare portion of this bill.
But I believe when push comes to show, Paul Ryan's going to do the right thing, because ultimately he is still human. And then there's doctor Doom.
You could say that.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, he is the key to getting this done. And so far he has been an enormous obstacle, unwilling to move the bill forward for purely political reasons.
Yeah, but John, to prove that it's purely political, you'd have to have a video of McConnell supporting or even sponsoring a similar bill granting permanent healthcare for national security related workers who happen to live in his home states.
That's a brilliant idea trev Roll two twelve.
During the Cold War, workers at Paduca's gaseous diffusion plant are patriots who did some of the most dangerous work. We found out along the way that it was more dangerous than we.
Were might aware of.
Exposure to radiation was making some workers thick.
They needed help.
Senat McConnell took it on his own to do something for these people that did so much for the country.
These programs would not be here at all for it not for social mcconnald.
I'm Mitch McConnell, and I approve this message.
This is crazy.
That is correct, and if you're looking for more direct parallels, it gets worse.
We created the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program to ensure that our nation's nuclear workers finally now get the attention they deserve from their government. Medical screening is available to all Paduca workers so that they may be tested and treated for any illness they contract as a result of working.
At the plant, and rightfully so.
And that bill costs more than what the nine to eleven first responders are asking for. More so, this clearly isn't about Mitch mcconnald's principal objections to permanent healthcare programs for heroic workers.
So then the question is what is it.
Here's what I believe it is. Here's what I believe it is.
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky doesn't give a shit about anything but politics. The first responders were told as a Droga Act would be included. They were told us last week it'd be included in the transportation bill passed last week. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky pulled it out of the transportation bill when he didn't get concessions about loosening oil export regulations.
So he used the health of nine to eleven first responders as a boggaining chip to make it easier to sell oil.
Yes, Trevor, he's not nice, so I don't know what else to do to make sure this bill happens.
We don't know what else to do.
Well, you know, John, back in twenty ten, Yes, didn't this very show have a panel of first responders that helped get the Zadroga Act posts.
Yes.
Hearing from a panel of first responders firsthand who were struggling with their health was undeniably powerful.
It was a wonderful thing to hear from them personally.
Well, there's the answer right there. Why don't we get that panel back together again?
That's amaz that's exactly let's do this. Yeah, let's do it. Let's get it back.
Hey Kenny, Hey, John, Kenny, spect everybody.
He's had a curiosity. Where's everybody?
She and I? Five and a half years ago we did a show. Seventy five percent of the panels no longer here. Two of the people have illnesses, and obviously, by law, I can't comment on how sick they are. And John Devlin, who sat at the last chair and operating engineer, passed away since our show. So I think we brought the statistics to show that when we did the show five and a half years ago, men sat here, you and I and.
This is the reality of people's lives that are affected by this, and even the idea that you had to come here five and a half years ago to plead your case on national television to get this done was insulting and embarrassing for us as a nation.
Well, you know, John, we we did your show five and a half years ago. You stepped up and you asked what you could do to help us. Five and a half years ago, we didn't have the votes to get to Droga passed the first time, and because of your show, we were able to get it through at the last minute, right before the holidays, almost the same
time of years we have right now. Now we're back five and a half years late, and not because we don't have the votes, because you put the numbers up sixty seven senators, two hundred and sixty members of the House.
We're back.
We have the votes, and now we don't have the people that want to do what's necessary to either vote for it as a straight up and down bill, what put it on as an attachment. So they keep moving the goalpost, and they keep telling us there's things we have to do, and when we do it, it's not enough.
The pay for it thing is what drives me nuts.
They have paid for this bill over and over again with the lives of their friends and with their health. So if I hear one more of these guys talking about it pay for it's going to make me insane. But you got to meet with McConnell for just a little time.
I did, so my team they're with us tonight, John, feel right. We were able to meet with Mitch McConnell last week, the four of us, and well we got pats on the back, and we were told by so many people how difficult it is and how how happy we should be that we got a chance to meet
with an elected official in the United States. Exactly. Well, anyway, we met with Mitch McConnell, and Mitch McConnell gave us his word that he's going to attach us to the omnibus bill and he's going to fully fund and permanently extends a Droga Healthcare Act. That's what he told us. So as this bill comes up this week, we're going to keep him to his word. And this show is doing that part of it.
Let's keep him to it.
And the other thing is people forget with all this talk now about terrorism and from the World Trade Center to San Bernardino. The one common link to all of this is the first people on the scene were first responders. So I don't want to hear about what we're all concerned about terrorism now and things that are going on.
This is the legacy you guys.
What message does it send to our first responders if once we're done as a nation with them helping us, that we forget about them.
That's unacceptable to me.
You're right, and it's unacceptable to tweet and post on Facebook around the anniversary of September eleventh that we'll never forget right. And it's inexplicable to continue to get re elected off the backs of the soldiers of this country and the first responders when you get a chance to do something about that, to back away from so here.
We need your help. So now you know what.
It doesn't work when those guys go down there. It doesn't work when we bring cameras down there. I think the only thing is all politics are local, Kentucky. It's up to you. I would like you right now write your Congressman Mitch McConnell a letter.
John Hanna letter John John.
Sorry, Yes, I'm sorry, sorry, insrupt no one really writes letters anymore.
That's You're exactly right.
A sharply worded editorial in your local paper would.
Be people don't really read the newspaper.
That's exactly right.
Get out your phone, dial your congressman, John Klondike.
Five, John, just tell the people to use social media.
Social media. Oh great, something catch you like this and the free and okay.
There's a lot of pressure as guest hosts. You know, you got to be funny, you got to be satirically, you got to be powerful. You gotta you gotta you know, you gotta go viowl. And I don't know what to do. I wish I just wish I had somebody that I could talk to to gud me some of this stuff. Man Roy, use the false Roy who that Roy?
Use use the false man who Roy, use the false use the use the Roy right right, just because I know you, I know you, I know you.
I don't know him, I know you, I knew I knew you as.
Your Obi wan Kenobe.
I'm John, I'm John Stuart. I used to work here when the budget wasn't as big.
Years back. You were doing you were.
Were actually I actually hosted the program to be honest.
The Daily Show had a white house. Yeah, why are you dressed like Obi Wan Kenobi?
I like to be comfortable, Roy. The point is this, Donald Trump doesn't define.
You want Knobe.
What does that make me?
Because if you're Obi Wan, that makes me Luke Skywalker. I don't want to be Skywalker.
Why the fuck wouldn't you want to be Luke Skywalker?
Luke Skywalker kissed his sister. I want to be Han Solo instead. Han Solo's badass. Han Solo was cool, he had the ship. You can beat youbaka?
Why would I bother it? Be like a wolf ape?
That doesn't make look I think it would make more sense if I were the wise sage who mentors the young host and not the wolf ape. Also, I cannot return this robe. What happened was the events that took place in.
This But if you're Obi Wan, if you're Obi Wan and I'm Luke didn does that mean my dad is Vader? Because if my dad is Dar Vader, does that mean Donald Trump is my dad? Why I'm trying to I'm trying.
To know that, Roy, Why would Donald Trump be your father?
Because if I'm Luke and Trump is Vader, that means Trump killed you.
What?
Fine, you're Han solo, I'm baby Yoda. Fine. The point is.
Why did you be regularly.
About Well, I should have come when Silverman was here?
What Tilverman?
Listen?
Okay, okay, okay, how about this? How about because I want to go alone with I want to go along with you on this. Okay, how about you be Yoda because you're all hobbled and green and ship and I'll be Lando for obvious reasons, I can be Lando, you know.
Is this a trap?
Yeah, because you're both have a yes. My point is this Royan, thank you for having me on the program. The thing about and you're doing a fabulous job by the brothers. The thing about this historic indictment is that American judas pre.
Time, thank you so much.
No do I mean Joll's do it? Do'ts?
Do it? Everybody?
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