It’s one of many national shames that 9/11 first responders (police, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians) are still not provided adequate healthcare for the pulmonary diseases & cancers that afflict them as a result of their work in that crisis. There’s money for bank bailouts & several wars but the Congressional coffers are dry when it comes to them. Many are incapacitated, many have died as a result.
Despite the criminal default of Congress, there is another resource they should be able to draw on for help. After 9/11, several charities raised more than $1 billion for assistance; the Red Cross alone raised more than $564 million. There’s no accounting nor evidence of Red Cross dispersals except for $154 million nor any reports about the rest of the dough.
Though Congress won’t come up with healthcare funds, a Congressional committee raked the Red Cross for the lack of accountability. That didn’t change their ways because in 2010 they raised another half a billion dollars for Haitian hurricane relief & Haitians only have six houses to show for that.
My maternal grandmother, who was born in the 19th century & was certainly no social critic, always excoriated the Red Cross as nothing but thieves. That’s how far back their corruption goes & how well it’s known.
Of course, the first demand is that Congress provide these men & women the assistance they deserve but we should keep in mind the treachery & grand larceny of the Red Cross in the next crisis when they come crying for our dough.