Jon Stewart Is Sanctimonious, but Congress Should Be Better at Doing Its Job

The fight over the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is pure political theater.

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund—which provides financial assistance to 9/11 victims and their families—is running out. That fact became national news following comedian Jon Stewart's testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee last week.

If nothing else, Stewart succeeded in eliciting an exasperated response from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R–Ky.), who told told Fox News, "We have never failed to address this issue, and we will address it again. I don't know why he's all bent out of shape, but we will take care of the 9/11 victims compensation fund."

"I'll tell you why," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) replied to McConnell on Twitter yesterday. "Because 9/11 victims are getting sicker, and the last time this bill came up you delayed."

The most recent version of the bill was passed in 2015 and is set to expire in 2020. The new bill—which unanimously passed the House Judiciary Committee last week—would extend funding until 2090.

McConnell says he plans to pass it. "Many things in Congress happen at the last minute," he told Fox News, in response to Stewart's accusations of procrastination.

Of course, a significant part of McConnell's tenure as Senate majority leader has been defined by his obstructionist tactics. Under his leadership, for example, the Senate has refused to consider bills on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, even though such legislation enjoyed broad bipartisan support.

Jon Stewart may be a sanctimonious grandstander, but he does make at least one valid point: Congress should be better at doing its job.

Comments

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Gulf War Syndrome, V7.0

[Unicorn Abattoir]

Extending to 2090? By that time, any first responder from 9/11 will be at least 107 years old!

[Earth Skeptic]

But their unborn children will be only 88.

[John]

The better question is why the federal government is doing this at all? These were state and local firefighters and cops. They are not the federal government’s problem.

[Serial Microaggressor]

Think of it as a sort of congressional virtue signal.

[Moderation4ever]

Because the attack was on the United States. These people were responding to that attack and have dealt with the health consequences of that attack. Its funny how many politician wrap themselves in the flag and talk about how America was attacked on 9/11. But those who responded to the attack are just state and local employees responding to like a house fire or something. Sorry you can have it both ways.

[Juice]

Congress should be better at doing its job.

True, but does doing a good job mean creating a public fund for 9/11 victims? There are victims of all sorts of crimes. Do they get federal funding too?

[MelvinUpton]

It's a political move, not a moral one

[Nardz]

So how long are US taxpayers expected to take care of NYC first responders? How long would be appropriate? Forever?

More importantly, why are taxpayers from Colorado, Mississippi, Wisconsin, California, North Carolina, Wyoming, etc responsible for paying for the care of New York first responders?

I'm not decided on my opinion here. It'd be interesting to see arguments either way. Though Binion is correct that Jon Stewart is a sanctimonious ass, it would have been nice if the article/3 paragraphs had anything to say beyond that.

[DesigNate]

His argument in the video is that it was a terrorist attack and therefore all of the country is involved.

[BestUsedCarSales]

That's a pretty bad precedent to make explicit. Beyond the fact that other terrorist attacks in the US face no such don't draw such special distinction.

[Last of the Shitlords]

It’s a shitty article. It’s well known in those circles that the committee meetings regularly overlap. It’s also well know that they were going to vote yes on it already.

Jon Stewart is either a grandstanding disingenuous weasel, or a grandstanding buffoon. Take your pick.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

My favorite was when John Stewart told McConnell "I know your species is not known for its speed."

[Titanian]

Of course it was, you're deeply unfunny and lazy, so that's right up your alley.

Where you no doubt would like Stewart as well.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Inconsequential malcontents rarely get mainstream, let alone polished and professional, humor. Being a disaffected slack-jaw has consequences.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

If anyone knows about inconsequential malcontents, it's slack-jawed Arthur L. Hicklib every time he looks in the mirror.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Are you prepared to declare victory for the clingers in the culture war?

[Titanian]

"Being a disaffected slack-jaw has consequences."

1) you're using your crutch again, because your vocabulary is stunted

2) no one cares about your sex life

[Mickey Rat]

Except what Stewart was griping about in the committee meeting was that there were empty seats on the dais where the reps sit. The problem was they were using a full committee meeting room for a subcommittee meeting so the seats would never be full and the other being Congressmen have multiple committee assignments they need to cover. Stewart was complaining that it did not appear that the reps were prioritizing this issue as high as he prioritized it and that offended him deeply.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Honestly, this is a low priority thing.

[68W58]

Clown nose on.
Clown nose off.

[Jerryskids]

Jon Stewart is a New Yorker and all New Yorkers think New York is the center of the universe. 9/11 wasn't just a New York problem, or even an American problem, it was the greatest outrage in human history and therefore all of Mankind needs to be outraged. No group of people have ever suffered as New Yorkers suffered on 9/11. Bravely and stoically, of course, as New Yorkers are the bravest and most resilient people on the planet, so you'll never hear them complain like little whiny bitches, though.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Says who? Superstitious slack-jaws from can’t-keep-up America, who continually beg for and receive federal relief — funded by America’s modern, successful, educated citizens — after a windstorm, high water, a crop failure, a plant closing, or yet another generation of bright flight?

Carry on, clingers. So far as lousy education and old-timely bigotry could carry anyone against the tide of America’sliberal-libertarian progress.

[Entropic Principle]

Apparently says Jon Stewart. Who does not fit your bigoted ideas of who believes what.

[DenverJ]

You mean like deep red New Orleans and Puerto Rico? And wasn't there a little storm a couple years ago that hit New York?

[Titanian]

Florida laughed at that pissant squall, "What kind of bitch ass pussies are New Yorkers?" wondered Fl man.

[Sevo]

Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland
June.18.2019 at 7:43 pm
"Says who? Superstitious slack-jaws from can’t-keep-up America, who continually beg for and receive federal relief — funded by America’s modern, successful, educated citizens — after a windstorm, high water, a crop failure, a plant closing, or yet another generation of bright flight?"
You mean the CA state government begging for aid since the eco-nazis ran the lumber industry out of the state and left the forests totally un-managed.
Is it that fucking lefty moonbeam you're whining about? Or the slimy lefty CA legislators? Just hoping to triangulate the most recent pile of bullshit from the bigoted asshole.

"Carry on, clingers. So far as lousy education and old-timely bigotry could carry anyone against the tide of America’sliberal-libertarian progress."
You're doing just fine proving there is no 'liberal-libertarian' alliance, asshole bigot.

[Mongo]

The 9/11 whoring will never end.

[DenverJ]

The new bill—which unanimously passed the House Judiciary Committee last week—would extend funding until 2090.

Huh. Anybody who is still kicking in 2090 probably didn't get all that sick from 9/11.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I believe it goes to children as well. This is probably like that Civil War thing. The last Civil War Widow pensioner only died a decade ago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maudie_Hopkins

[Titanian]

Um...they got a paycheck right? Yeah.

[SIV]

One of our greatest Americans, known for his precocious bear-slaying feats, had this one covered nearly 2 centuries ago:

Not yours to give

[Horatio Cornblower]

Awesome story. I've never heard it before. Were every politician as honest as Davy Crockett was portrayed there, I'd have little to complain about.

Unfortunately, we have the most vile sluts representing our interests.

[A Thinking Mind]

So New York isn't taking care of its 9/11 first responders? Is that why Jon Stewart is all over Congress about this?

[Sevo]

Well, stopped clocks are wrong 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59+ seconds of every day; Stewart is proving he's a stopped clock.

[Mickey Rat]

New York is spending its money on the vital task of choking out black market cigarette purveyors. They have no more to give.

[Sevo]

BTW, was this Stewart as 'comedian' or Stewart as 'pundit'? Or does Stewart need another day or two to decide which way the wind's blowing to make the choice?

[BestUsedCarSales]

Regardless, his fans will defend him either way.

[Live Cheap or Free]

But congress' job is to get reelected and anything beyond that is just gravy. Seems to me that most of them are pretty good at their job.

[markm23]

The .9/11 attack was an attack on the USA, not just NYC. It had about 17 times the death toll of any other terrorist attack, and more deaths than the Japanese strike at Pearl Harbor. So it's reasonable for the whole country to aid NY in taking care of the victims and their survivors.

BUT it was 18 years ago. By the time the previous bill expires, even the unborn children of survivors will be adults. Now they propose to extend this until everyone affected will be at least 88. This is ridiculous.