As a first responder paramedic and survivor of the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center,  the tenth anniversary has brought for me an unsettling feeling of fear that was unexpected. A fear that is not based on the threat of another terror attack but rather the realization that 9/11 is being successfully erased from our collective consciousness and memories.

The threat of new terror attacks is not only real, but has changed from a possibility to an absolute certainty. The politicization of our homeland and national security has guaranteed a second 9/11 style attack or worse. The lessons that I hoped were learned post 9/11 were quickly forgotten, ignored  and replaced with a homeland security strategy that targets political opponents.  The highly charged political environment has corroded many of our capabilities and defenses, making every man, woman and child the next potential terrorist casualty.

While the physical threats are real, the greater threat we face is a country that has lost its guiding principles and values. A country that glamorizes reality show personalities and forgets the blood and treasure of its fallen guardians… minimizes their memories and sacrifice.   The media and politicians have hijacked 9/11 as a political pawn in an attempt to rewrite history, simply to fulfill a narrative that fits each of their own personal agendas.

The consequence in forgetting 9/11 is that we will be forced to  forget the most successful rescue effort in history.

It wasn’t politicians that ran up the stairwells of burning skyscrapers, or took control of hijacked planes, or used their bodies as shields to protect a stranger. It was a cop, a firefighter, a medic, a flight attendant, a locksmith, an iron worker, who said ….”you go home today, I won’t let any harm come to you.” They said this as they gave their lives to fulfill that promise.

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Amazingly, Congress is trying to Force Union Contract Rules like this onto States and Localities

The New York – New Jersey Port Authority (NYNJPA) union contract with the NYNJPA’s police union provides that officers suspended with and “without pay” will still be paid for unearned overtime during their suspension.

Amazingly, Harry Reid and congress are trying right now to force this type of workplace lunacy onto states and localities through the Police Fire Fighter Forced Unionism bills (S. 3194 & H.R. 413).  If passed this will bring union officials one step closer toward mandating forced unionism for every state and local government employee.  Take Action now and let congress know that you oppose this expansion of forced unionism through federal fiat.

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Immediately following the 9/11 attacks in New York City, Americans were reminded just how brave and important first responders, including fire fighters, police, and EMTs, are to us. Nearly a decade on, though, Big Labor and politicians are using them as a bargaining chip to push bad legislation.

As fellow BG blogger Warner Todd Huston writes in Investors Business Daily last week, through the benignly named Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R.413), Sen. Harry Reid “wants all first responders represented by collective bargaining rules emanating from Washington D.C.” He adds: Naturally this legislation is being pushed as a matter of ‘national security.’”

The problem is that the law not only is a giveaway to unions that would increase the cost of services for local and state governments, but the bill is just plain badly written. It would force significant changes in state laws for at least 16 states.

You know the bill is bad when the Washington Post editorial page is coming out against it — and the Post clearly sees through the attempt by Big Labor to leverage the public’s respect for firefighters and police.

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Last week, I told you about a ridiculous FEMA firefighter grant that was awarded to ACORN in Louisiana.  Because of this website’s coverage of the issue and your action, the story grew, and FEMA finally made a statement saying that they would permanently withhold that grant from ACORN.  Thank you for raising awareness of this clear waste of first responder funding that could go to countless needy volunteer firefighter organizations or other first responders.

This week, I wanted to make you aware of a growing concern about the U.S. Census and illegal aliens and how the two could drastically affect congressional apportionment and possibly your own state’s congressional representation. 

In the past, some states have included illegal aliens in the collection of census data, and this has often resulted in the allocation of additional congressional seats to those states – at the expense of other states that lose seats because of the skewed data. 

Illegal aliens shouldn’t be included for the purposes of determining representation in Congress.  I don’t believe that this is what our founding fathers had in mind when they laid out our current system of representation.

Illegal immigration is a very real and significant concern for our country.  We shouldn’t let these states be rewarded for skirting our federal laws.

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