Jon Stewart, the long-time star of “The Daily Show,” devotes his time to lobbying on behalf of veterans who suffered grievous harm while defending our country. He raged yesterday against Senate Republicans who suddenly withdrew their support for legislation to provide long-term care for veterans who suffered from exposure to burn pits.
(CNN)House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democrats and comedian and activist Jon Stewart railed against Senate Republicans who voted against legislation to help veterans suffering from ailments related to toxic burn pits, calling it a “gut punch” to the veterans who had come to Capitol Hill to celebrate the legislation.
“So ain’t this a bitch?” Stewart said Thursday at a news conference on Capitol Hill. “America’s heroes, who fought our wars, outside sweating their asses off, with oxygen battling all kinds of ailments, while these motherf**kers sit in the air conditioning walled off from any of it? They don’t have to hear it. They don’t have to see it. They don’t have to understand that these are human beings. Did you get it yet?”
“And if this is America First, then America is f**ked,” he said.
Stewart, speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead,” said later of lawmakers, “I’m used to lies. I’m used to hypocrisy. I’m used to their cowardice. I’m not used to the cruelty, the casual cruelty … a bill they had fought for, for more than a decade.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Stewart said earlier during the news conference, lied to veterans by saying “we’ll get it done” and then voting against the bill. Stewart also criticized Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican retiring at the end of his term.
“Pat Toomey didn’t lose his job. He’s walking away,” Stewart said. “God knows what kind of pot of gold he’s stepping into to lobby this government to shit on more people. I’m used to all of it, but I’m not used to the cruelty.”
Stewart apologized for his foul language, but then outlined what the senators were voting against, with a veteran saying the bill “gives them health care, gives them benefits, lets them live from become an addict, keeps veterans from committing suicide.”
Historian Heather Cox Richardson explained that Senate Republicans were acting out of spite because they were angry that Democrats had reached agreement with Senator Manchin to pass a bill to boost technology and oppose climate change.
Blogger Robert Hubbell explains that Senate Republicans are voting against popular bills solely to punish Democrats for reaching agreement on the climate/energy bill. Republicans want to go into the midterm elections running against a Democratic Party that failed to accomplish anything.
Hubbell writes:
Just how good is the surprise agreement between Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin? It is so good it has caused a Republican nuclear meltdown resulting in an uncontrolled release of anger and irrationality. Under orders from Mitch McConnell, Republicans are seeking revenge by voting against legislation they previously supported—thereby voting against the interests of their constituents and American business.
So, too, with the Respect for Marriage Act. Susan Collins was attempting to convince her Senate colleagues to support a bill granting federal recognition to same-sex and “inter-racial” marriages. After Schumer and Manchin announced a deal on the Inflation Reduction Act, Susan Collins said that it would be “much harder” to pass the Respect for Marriage Act because Manchin and Schumer kept their negotiations “under wraps” until after Senate Republicans voted in favor of the CHIPS Act.
For example, Republicans supported the $52 billion investment in the US semiconductor industry (the so-called CHIPS and Science Act). The CHIPS Act was widely popular among Republicans because it challenged Chinese dominance in semiconductor manufacturing. After Manchin and Schumer resurrected the Inflation Reduction Act, House Republicans voted against the CHIPS Act en masse—thereby voting against American jobs, technology, and cybersecurity. Despite the Republican tantrum, the CHIPS Act passed and is headed to Biden’s desk for signature—a BIG win for Democrats.
Hmm . . . because Democrats kept negotiations among Democrats under wraps regarding the Inflation Reduction Act, that is cause for Republicans to vote against federal recognition of same-sex marriage? That makes sense only if the GOP’s animating principle is to frustrate Democratic efforts to do anything.
Another example is the GOP’s cruel flip-flop on support for a bill providing compensation to military veterans injured and sickened by toxic “burn pits.” The PACT Act had previously passed in the Senate with support from 42 Republican Senators. On Thursday, the PACT Act came back for another vote in the Senate (to approve technical changes). To “punish” Democrats, Senate Republicans voted against the bill they previously supported. The only people Republicans “punished” by voting against the bill were veterans suffering from cancer and emphysema from toxic fumes generated by “burn pits” used to dispose of ammunition.
Former Daily Show host John Stewart (now veterans advocate) was furious at the GOP’s betrayal of veterans. See Newsweek, Jon Stewart Calls Out GOP ‘Cruelty’ After Vote Against Veterans’ PACT Act. Republicans will regret their cruel vote, especially Ted Cruz, who was caught celebrating the defeat of the bill by “fist bumping” GOP Whip Senator John Thune on the Senate floor—a gesture that will rank with Josh Hawley’s “white power salute” to the insurrectionists on January 6th.
The GOP’s votes against American competitiveness, jobs, veterans, and same-sex marriage are irrational and destructive. Republicans are providing free advertising copy for Democrats in the midterms. While it remains too early to attach reliance on polls, the trends are moving in favor of Democrats (but by no means assure Democratic victory).
With each cruel vote—including upcoming votes to safeguard contraception and abortion at the national level—Republicans will distance themselves from persuadable independents. Indeed, as the three votes today demonstrate, Republicans have no interest in governing but are concerned only about obstructing the Democratic agenda—even if that agenda benefits Republican constituents.
The Republicans have become the party of “rule or ruin.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
AJust how good is the surprise agreement between Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin?
It is so good it has caused a Republican nuclear meltdown resulting in an uncontrolled release of anger and irrationality”Just as good as Lucy’s assurance to Charlie Brown that this time ..this time .. she won’t pull out the football.Fixed.
Consider this.
If a person wanted to thank Democratic chances in the fall elections, what better way would there be than for an alleged Democrat to say be supported the President’s bill only to withdraw support and tank it just a few weeks before the midterm elections?
(Or will Manchin’s tag teammate Sinema just tank the bill?)
I can’t imagine anything that would be more devastatingly effective.
Hateful and spiteful will continue in the Republican Party as long as voters continue to put radical, anti-democratic extremists in positions of power. Is it possible that the Democrats finally outflanked the GOP? I am keeping my fingers crossed for some big arrests from the Jan. 6th Committee.
The arresting” part is up to Garland.
So, you can cross your fingers but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.
The only thing that so far has been arrested is the prosecution.
“…because they were angry that Democrats had reached agreement with Senator Manchin to pass a bill to boost technology and oppose climate change.”
As much as the bill has already been watered down (and goodies for the oil and gas industries buried in it), I’d caution that there is a good chance that it still doesn’t pass. There have already been signals that Sinema is going to be the rotating villain this time. Even if it does pass, it’s less than half of the military budget for one year, spread out over 10 years. Democrats can paint this as the biggest and boldest climate relief package ever, but that’s only a reflection of the fact that climate has never been remotely adequately addressed before, not a reflection of the great strides that this bill will actually make toward preventing climate disaster.
Better that it passes than that it doesn’t pass. Or do you prefer that nothing at all get passed?
Thank you Diane. We all know some of these legislative efforts do not go as far as we hope, but it is still better than nothing. I am growing weary of the criticism that any progress made is Not Good Enough.
Melissa,
I always prefer half a loaf—or even a slice of bread—to nothing at all. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
The problem is that sometimes half measures are actually counterproductive.
That is particularly true on scientific issues like climate change where the necessary requirements are dictated by physics and not bey what humans would like to be the case.
And by passing half measures, people can easily be pulled into believing that enough is being done when that is clearly not the case.
No, a slice or even half a loaf is NoT only not always better. It can actually be worse.
SDP,
We disagree. If you are hungry, a slice of bread is better than none at all. If you hold out for the whole loaf or nothing at all, you will starve to death.
Nature doesn’t give a damn about political compromise and expediency.
Sometimes a slice is better than nothing.
But it’s not necessarily true in all cases.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/07/29/major-handouts-manchin-deal-delighting-oil-and-gas-industry
Humanity simply can’t afford to be opening up new fossil fuel spigots when what is required is to be shutting all of them off.
I don’t think most people understand what is at stake.
The “compromise” approach that we take toward Nature,and physics would be hilarious if it did not have such serious long term ramifications.
Physics does not compromise.
If we keep increasing the atmospheric Co2 level , Nature is not going to “care” that “Oh, but that Manchin deal did include a lot of money for green energy projects (even if it included a lot of bad stuff)
What is wrong with Republicans? Even the greediest, most selfish, most inbred, dumbest Roman emperors understood that cheating military veterans (not to mention overseeing an economy in which veterans become homeless–a problem in ‘Murka at the moment as well) was a bad idea. Kudos to Jon Stewart, who remains an American treasure.
If I have any criticism (not the right word, can’t think of another now) of Stewart, it’s the one last part of his argument that he leaves unsaid. The way we should treat veterans and first responders with health issues is as obvious as can be. If we can’t agree on this very, very simple issue, how will we ever be able to respond to critical issues that affect the health of everyone? He has a platform and voice to make that case effectively and enlighten the people who agree with him on this issue.
“The Republicans have become the party of “rule or ruin.” “
Since the election of Obama, the Republican strategy has been to reject anything Democrats offered. Bill Clinton taught them that approach. Compromising his principles, Clinton took credit for several republican ideas and was re-elected by a minority of voters. When Obama was elected, McConnell declared openly that the Republican strategy was to deny Obama any opportunity to pass legislation, even legislation that would benefit the country. By the mid-term election, Republican efforts were rewarded with a successful attempt to retake the house, sparking the rise of the Tea Party in 2011 and the wedding of the Republican Party to a group of people who believed that government was evil. The logical end of this political gamut was Donald Trump, who exercised the philosophy that government is evil. He placed people in administrative positions that either were incompetent or overtly hostile to the mission of the particular department. He left vital positions unfilled, due to deliberate inaction or general incompetence. It did not matter. Republicans won either way.
So I would say that the Republican Party has, since 2008, become the Party that wants to ruin government because they can rule by ruining government. Why this is a successful ploy is beyond me. But in my part of the world, it is a wildly successful game.
I believe it is the long game.
How sad. This nihilism will ruin our country.
Will? Is!
The thoroughly corrupt “leadership” of the Democratic Party is more interested in protecting corporate profit margins and increasing the value of their stock portfolios. Both corporate-sponsored political parties display contempt for working class citizens. Workers ought to stop donating/voting for Republicans AND Democrats. Instead, look beyond a single election cycle and build a viable third party.
Sadly most Vets will not even pick up on this. They certainly wont understand the breakdown by party. Most vets I would venture to say are not currently suffering from illness due to burn pits, they may never suffer from those illnesses and when and if they do. It may be decades down the road.
Sadly this is the American way. It is the same reason we do not have a National Health insurance system. Don’t have fee or low cost in State College Tuition , Childcare, eldercare and …
” Do you want to pay for your neighbors bathroom ” The Rick Santelli ” rant heard around the World” that birthed the Tea Party.
So true. Most of the Vets will likely continue to support the party that is always ready for to get a picture of them with a veteran, but is often absent for things that matter like healthcare. When they vote, they will likely stay in their tribe, even when they’ve been sold out.
Republicans are denying help to victims of burn pits because Richy Mitch McConnell is mad that a bill passed to help victims of industry having turned the whole world into a burn pit. Republicans seriously like burning stuff. The Arsonist Party. Fiddle while inhaling the sweet perfume of floating toxins while your cells mutate, Mitch! Genius.
AIPAC is a serious problem for Democrats. Trump-supporting Jan Koum gave $2 mil. to AIPAC this week to influence elections.
AIPAC is a cancer on our body politic. The A in the acronym is that part that fools people. The only thing that makes them American is where they live. They want to install Israeli foreign policy in the United States. That same policy that embraces right wing, so-called religious conservative-funded and supported by the evangelical [r]ight. But as we all know, as friendly and funding as they are to the Israeli right wing, when the Rapture comes, according to them, Jews will be the first to go.
to hell, that is.