Have Republicans got something against FIREFIGHTERS?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

In their list of 'complaints' against the stimulus package they said they wanted to deny $500 million for firefighters. Have they been humilitated into keeping this in? I can't imagine the GOP will win many votes if their constituents hear about them stopping money for the firefighters!

[Trajan]

1. Yes ....

Firefighters and (Police too) are unionized ...

The GOP HATES HATES HATES them ....

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Shouldn't someone be pointing this out on TV?

[silverojo]

13. Yes--every minute of every day

The Dems need to expose the true nature of the Republican Party to those who aren't news junkies.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

23. I haven't heard anyone discuss this?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

26. I guess we should contact the media about this?

[ColbertWatcher]

5. This was my first thought too.

GMTA!

[glitch]

43. It's not just the union thing. They hate anyone with real courage.

People exhibiting courage reminds them of their inadequacies, they HATE that. That's why they hate vets too.

[nxylas]

45. And publicly funded

It's gosh-darned socialism is what it is. :scared:

[krispos42]

3. On when they're not posing with them for a photo-op n/t

[firedupdem]

4. They hate firemen, teachers, and police officers....

Firemen were only good for 911 fight the terrorists campaigns.

[Pirate Smile]

6. Well, just look at them. They all work for the government. Of course Republicans hate them. Plus,

they are usually union members.

It can't get much worse then that on the Republican scale of "having a job that doesn't really count as a job". Just ask Michael Steele. The government has never created a job. These people are just freeloaders.

;)

[firedupdem]

11. They are a sick bunch......ewww n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

24. I expect Micael Steele uses these government facilities from time to time

only when the FBI investigates him and his fellow former Gov Ehrlich

[opihimoimoi]

7. This tells ya how lolo them Pubs are.....not supporting FF's is an F for FUCKED UP THINKING

[Rosa Luxemburg]

25. Anyone from the Fire Fighter's unions picked up on this?

nothing like power to the people

[opihimoimoi]

42. Speaking as a retired Fire Captain from Honolulu...I can assure you the National FF Union are aware

of this....

[bridgit]

8. They want lift such funding from muni, county & states & privatize firefighting too

[bridgit]

9. Link ~

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/As_public_firefighting_decays_billion_dollar_1210.html

[Earth Bound Misfit]

14. That's it! Privatize Fire Stations

That way I can shop around for the best prices while my house is burning to the ground.
:sarcasm:

They hate them because they're Union, who eventually get paid well for their services, often with guaranteed lifetime health benefits

David Sirotawrote this on Huff Po, blasting George will for attacking firefighters on 9/11/08 in his column :

The horror of giving lifetime health benefits to people who have to inhale toxic fumes in burning buildings, or who often sustain serious lifetime wounds on the job.

Such salaries and benefits, of course, are part of a bargain: Enticing people to turn down the high-paying private-sector job and instead run into burning buildings (firefighters), do the dangerous work of apprehending criminals (police), disposing of sewage (garbage collectors) and administrating all the other services that conservatives pretend aren't necessary (municipal workers) requires, well, an enticement - namely, the promise that making such a public-minded choice will result in decent and stable pay and benefits.

When you accept a public sector job, that's the bargain: In exchange for being willing to do a tough job and accepting that you won't have the tiny chance to hit the private-sector jackpot by making hundreds of millions dollars like a corporate CEO, you are rewarded with the chance - if you play by the rules - to make a pretty good living.

Will and his elitist cohorts in Washington, D.C. don't like that set-up, likely because it's not economically Darwinistic enough for their taste. And so rather than asking their fellow aristocrats to pay a little more in taxes for the services they (and all of us) rely on, the Royalist Right cites a few seemingly outrageous examples as justification to force those providing the services to give up the salary and benefits they were originally enticed into the job with. That is, conservatives want to renege on the bargain - forgetting the old adage that you get what you pay for, and you don't get what you don't pay for.

ETA: Republicans hate most anyone who isn't wealthy.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

27. Private fire chiefs travelling around in gold-plated fire trucks - no thanks!

[Earth Bound Misfit]

41. ....

[Rosa Luxemburg]

44. LOL!

:applause: :rofl:

[pansypoo53219]

10. and so many ARE

REPUBLICANS.

[avaistheone1]

12. The Republicans are only against it if it is for American firefighters.

They are okay with it if it is for Iraqi of Afghan firefighters though.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

28. yes, Iraqis and Afghans they get brand new fire trucks

I guess they also need them

[Rebellious Republican]

15. Got a link, would be handy to send out to some friends? N/T

:kick:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. it was in the GOP's list for item scrubbing from the stimulus package

[bklyncowgirl]

16. If it's public sector they're against it.

Listening to GOP chairman Steele yesterday, he pretty much said that "real" jobs are created by private employers. "Make Work" jobs are created by government. Therefore firefighters, cops, teachers, librarians and the much despised civil service workers do not have "real" jobs and therefore are parsites on the rump of the economy.

What he's missing is that a firefighter who has a job has money in his pocket. He spends that money. He takes his kids out to the movies, he and his wife go out to dinner, hell they go to their local supermarket and buy groceries. That all benefits the private sector--not to mention that the private sector would be in pretty bad shape if the firefighters weren't there to prevent disaster if there's a fire in the store or the cops weren't around to deter thieves. A firefighter on unemployement is useless.

I was just in my local dry cleaners the other day. He was complaining about how his business has been so bad he had to lay off workers. We're in an area where many people work on Wall Street and lost their jobs in the bank failures. Hanging on one section of his pickup rack were around twenty clean, pressed police uniforms. Wall Street business may be down but the local cops still need their dry cleaning and are helping keep my drycleaner in business.

Take that you GOP jackasses.

[Clio the Leo]

17. I believe they're out to destroy them...

.... and I blame the fires in Australia squarely on the shoulders of the GOP.

I've also heard that Sean Hannity is an anti-semite. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgn6rjGbp0c

[WinkyDink]

30. I'd bet the arsonist isn't a Liberal.

[BR_Parkway]

18. Of course - firefighters are socialist ideas - GOP is all about pulling

their own bootstraps (or firehoses) - not about pooling some resources together that help everyone instead of the few.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

19. Firefighters are Union...

Republican HATE UNIONS and have actively campaigned to destroy the Union movement since it's inception.

Yet I recall having read a number of times 40-50 percent of some firefighters Union's membership are registered Republican. :silly:



Union Republicans. :shrug:

[Dawgs]

20. Trust me. Firemen, and anyone else that lost because of cuts, will remember.

I work for a company that relies on purchases from the water and wastewater industries. There's spending in this bill for those two industries, who've been cutting back. On Friday, the first thing I did was look to see if they were part of the cuts. Fortunately, they were not.

I can guarantee that many other people did the same thing for their industry.

They won't forget if Republicans slashed money for their lifeline.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

21. Simple Minded Way Of Looking At It. Though Petty On Their Part, It Doesn't Really Have A Place In

the bill. Too much unnecessary things stuffed into it. This is an emergency economic stimulus bill, and though I fully support money to firefighters etc, it should be done separately. The only things that should be in this bill are things that directly will impact the economy. I think the House totally screwed up by throwing so many unnecessary things into it.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. fire departments are over-stretched and underfunded

this is the place to start

besides more houses go on fire in these times

[AlCzervik]

33. police as well at least where i live, cuts all over the place.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

37. and then they shout about crime /drugs/shootings

the GOP lives in "cloud cuckoo land"

[AlCzervik]

38. indeed, anyone who thinks the funding should be stripped from the bill is an idiot.

more people working in those areas is better for public safety and the economy.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

39. The GOP have had their way for too long

they have to be driven out for good.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

34. fire departments are over-stretched and underfunded

this is the place to start

besides more houses go on fire in these times

[Uzybone]

22. are firefighters hardworking people?

If so, the republicans hate them by default.

[WinkyDink]

29. Are they privatized for profit? No? There's your answer.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. Let's start a new chapter. People before profit.

[WinkyDink]

36. Then I'd have to reveal my love for Dennis K. :)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

40. I know what you mean