Sept. 11 Families Accused Of Greed

Washington Post ^ | 1-28-02 | Lena H. Sun and Jacqueline L. Salmon

[hobblemaster]

How far the families of Sept. 11 have fallen in just a few weeks. From their pedestals as the collateral casualties of the worst episode of mass murder in the United States, the objects of sympathy and the recipients of donations from millions of heartsick countrymen, they have toppled to become the object of scorn to many.

[hobblemaster]

This is an excert fromt the article. Click on the link to read the entire article.

[Gamma-131-I]

And they expected something else???

Those that are complaining because the Federal Government isn't taking enough from the taxpayers to give to them have absolutely no concept of gratitude and will never be satisfied as long as they think they can get more. And heaven forbid they should decide that someone else might have gotten more than they did.

By the way, I heard the report the other day that the man in charge of overseeing the Federal Distributions basically said he wasn't going to get into the God business of deciding who's life was worth more. Good for him.

Fie on Pataki and Spitzer and their attempt to get pain and suffering and all the other legal mumbo jumbo justifications figured into this mess. What do they think this is? A massive class-action suit?

[ben richards]

Whenever someone says, "It's not about the money", it's about the money. (usually)

[DonQ]

It is worth noting that a lot of the families devastated by the WTC attacks lost their primary breadwinner, and many of them were either underinsured or else their employer company also vanished in the wreckage, so getting compensation in a normal way will be nearly impossible.

[Lancey Howard]

It seems like some of the victims' families, having mostly overcome their shock and grief, now look at September 11th as the day they hit the lottery. How smarmy.

[KC_Conspirator]

It is worth noting that a lot of the families devastated by the WTC attacks lost their primary breadwinner, and many of them were either underinsured or else their employer company also vanished in the wreckage, so getting compensation in a normal way will be nearly impossible.

These people ARE GREEDY and it soils the whole effin mess even more! I have seen these sorry excuses for people in interviews. For victims of the attack on 911 they and their lawyers display sickening pre-911 thinking so typical of the Klinton greedy 90's. These people had husbands who made six figure salaries but apparently they did not feel it necessary to save any money or take out any insurance. Everybody knows families like this - those who live expensive lives on credit and end up not leaving a damn thing for their children. And now they claim that $1.6 million is not enough? Pathetic.

[.38sw]

An article I read yesterday quoted the complaint from one of the victim's family members that the "government award" was being reduced by the amount of the victim's life insurance and his pension funds, so the family member was getting almost nothing from the government. WHAT?!! I nearly came out of my chair when I read that.

[Henrietta]

These people don't deserve 1 thin dime from the taxpayers. Thousands of people die in accidents every year. Just because their loved ones die in a really big accident, they think the rest of us owe them something? Since when? WE didn't fly an airplane into their office building. These people should look to charity, neighbors, and family if they are struggling. If their loved one was not insured, well that's life...let it be a lesson to the rest of us to make sure our families are better cared for.

[Lancey Howard]

I suppose the surviving families should get as much as the families of those 58,000 names on the Wall. Or as much as the families of the Marines who were killed by a terrorist's truck bomb in Beirut. Or as much as the family of the guy who was driving down the highway, and as he listened to radio reports about the 9-11 attacks, missed a red light and was killed by a truck.

But some of these families that are claiming they should "never want for anything for the rest of their lives" (true quote) can take a hike. Not only can they count on money from the government and scumbag political panderers like Hillary!, but there was what?, a billion?, dollars given freely by fellow countrymen who naively believed that the charities would forward it to these families rather than enrich their executives and push political causes.

I am up to here with the grieving families, and it's a shame because most of them are grateful and decent, and they are being dragged down by the greedy scumbag contingent.

[.38sw]

Looks like I need to add that I find that to be a greedy attitude, not that it is unfair that the "government award" is reduced by the amount of the victim's insurance and pension funds.

[KC_Conspirator]

Its total welfare thinking. The US is the most giving country on the planet, giving those in need the basics to get by and improve their life. Yet, instead of thanking the American taxpayer who pays for it all, they attack them as stingy and demand more! Its the same thing here where Americans are giving $1.6 million to the victims, but instead of saying "Thank you" they demand more. I almost get the feeling that they would rather add a new deck and pool to their homes than pay for their children's college education.

[seamus]

It is worth noting that a lot of the families devastated by the WTC attacks lost their primary breadwinner, and many of them were either underinsured or else their employer company also vanished in the wreckage, so getting compensation in a normal way will be nearly impossible.

The people complaining are not those whose breadwinners had no insurance. Those families will be getting close to the average of $1.6 million -- or even more. The people complaining are those whose breadwinners took out life insurance, and once that is paid to them, end up getting none of the taxpayer money. In other words, they want their private funds, they want the charity money, and they want a government payment. And if they don't get it, they cry that it's "unfair."

That's greed. And while I'm sad for their loss, I find it disgusting.

Here is a chart that was in the Wall Street Journal last week, to give you an idea of who is complaining:

Victim: A 42-year-old computer programmer, married with three children.

Base award: $2.2 million to $2.4 million (from the federal government) based on an annual income of $130,000.

Deductions:
Life insurance -----------------$1.5 million
American Express Insurance ---------$250,000
Insurance paid by employer ---------$100,000
Accidental death insurance ---------$650,000
Social Security --------------------$558,720

Net award--------------------------$0

Why should this family get a cent of my taxes redirected to them?

[Lancey Howard]

Now it is these people's turn for America to put their lives back toward some semblance of the lifestyle they had before.

Glad you feel that way.
Now you go ahead and write them a check, Bunky. Don't write them one of mine.

[RooRoobird14]

Don't forget that the $$$ these families get from the Feds is TAX FREE and is in addition to any other relief money coming from the Red Cross, The September 11th Fund, etc.!!!!

I'm sorry, but some of these whiney families deserve some backlash.

They seem to think they're now entitled to financial independence for life--LOL and double LOL to that!!!

The relief money is and was intended to help people keep from losing their homes, their cars, keeping kids in college who would otherwise have to drop out, etc. It was never intended to be a permanent cash stream so family members would never havep fopr for so they would never ever have to go back to work and earn a living.

If $1.6 million is too paltry a sum for some of them--FINE! Let them pooh-pooh the money and duke things out in court for the next 15 years. By the time the scumbag trial lawyers get their cut of the loot, the survivors will probably end up OWING money--LOL!

[Jaded]

Why was it okay for these same people to shake down their spouse's employer for college educations for all of the children, medical insurance for 10 years and salary until the end of the year or better? And what about the private charities? What was their take of that? At last count there were over 125 separate funds? Once you start giving it's NEVER ENOUGH!

[cksharks]

Yea I owe these people the same amount I owe JJ,Opry,Cosby,MJ and the rest of the blacks asking for reparations. Not a dime!!!!!!!!!!!!