[WellsFargo94]

I am very sorry for the families that lost loved ones on September 11, however, don't misunderstand me, I just don't agree with the government handout that is occuring. The Red Cross provides excellent service meeting emergency needs; shelter, clothing, food, counseling, money, etc. Okay, they had to have a major jump start last fall, but regardless they did the right thing in the end. But my point is, enough with the money already. What really irritated me after 9-11 were the reports of these high-roller stock brokers who left families and huge mortgages behind without life insurance, or without addequate coverage. That was just fiscal irresponsibility and not the responsibility of the taxpayers.

[Asclepius]

That was just fiscal irresponsibility and not the responsibility of the taxpayers.

If all of the victims' famalies became millionaires I would be happy about it.

Just make sure OBL or his successors know about it.

[steve50]

You got to love the way it's structured. If the exec had savings/life insurance, ect. to protect his family, they get very little. If the exec was living large, way in debt, totally irresponsible, they hit the government(taxpayer funded) lottery.

Bush sticking the taxpayer with this bailout of the airline industry was one of the final nails for me, time to support different politicians.

[Lokibob]

Drudge has just a headline, so it is still fuzzy what he is saying.

If it is $6bn of tax money, that is outrageous, but a total cost of $6bn (tax money, donations, insurance, cost of cleanup, economic incentatives, rebuilding cost, survivor benefits, college costs for survivor children, loss of business days after 9/11, etc.) would not be out of line.

[MarineDad]

Right on wavelength with ya! Those survivors DO need to be compensated, however. It's just that it shouldn't be done out of the pockets of fellow Americans. Those miserable sandgoblins who made these murders possible should have it taken out of their hides!! (then shoot 'em).

[Dante3]

I feel the taxpayers should not have to pay for it. Were there similar sums paid to the Oklahoma victims? How about the poor families of the Alabama mine disaster shortly after 9/11?

Huge amount of money was raised privately. This is fine with me. However, for taxpayers to pay out for wealthy New Yorkers (you bet if they were poor from Alabama no such would be offered) is outrageous.

[Lokibob]

Ok, the full Drudge report is out, and as usual, he is playing with figures.

The link is to a Time article featuring 12 people affected by 9/11. One of these people is Feinburg, the man in charge of distributing all the funds to the survivors.

Reading the article, Feinburg says it could be $4-6bn, not the $6bn Drudge states in his headline.

At the end of the article, one of the settlements has been done for $1.04 million. Assuming that is the middle settlement, and multiplying it by the 3200 possible settlements, it comes to $3.3bn.