Bankrate.com

03/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Here are stories published today on topics you identified as important to you.

Auto loan rates for March 24, 2011 | 2011-03-24

Here are the average auto loan rates from Bankrate‘s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/auto/national-auto-loan-rates-for-march-24-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110324

CD rates for March 24, 2011 | 2011-03-24

Here are the average CD rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/cd/national-cd-rates-for-march-24-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110324

National mortgage rates for March 24, 2011 | 2011-03-24

See rates from our survey of CDs, mortgages, home equity products, auto loans and credit cards. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/interest-rate-roundup-for-march-24-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110324

Credit card interest rates for March 24, 2011 | 2011-03-24

Here are the average credit card rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/national-credit-card-rates-for-march-24-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110324

Home equity loan rates for March 24, 2011 | 2011-03-24

Here are the average home equity rates from Bankrate’s weekly survey of large banks and thrifts. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/home-equity/national-home-equity-loan-rates-for-march-24-2011.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110324

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Bankrate.com

03/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Here are stories published today.

Mobile payments by smartphone still dicey | 2011-03-23

Firms are rolling out apps to pay by smartphone, but some may be unreliable.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/mobile-payments-by-smart-phone-still-dicey.aspx?ec_id=brmint_newsalert_20110323

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

William, was born with a genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex

03/24/2011 Nativegrl77

I want to tell you about a family in Minnesota.

Justin and Kari live in Brooklyn Park, right outside of Minneapolis. They’re parents to three children. Their three-year-old, William, was born with a genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex.

For the rest of his life, William will wrestle with tumors in his brain, his heart, his kidneys, his skin, and possibly other major organs. He must take medication to control seizures and faces the threat of kidney disease.

What Justin and Kari want for William is a future. And because of health reform, that’s what he’ll have.

Today, insurance companies are no longer able to discriminate against William because of the condition he’s dealt with since birth. Now, Justin and Kari know they’ll be able to get the kind of care that William needs — today and into the future.

Their story isn’t unique, but it’s one of many that need to be told. We all know people whose lives have been changed because of the Affordable Care Act, even if we don’t realize it. So we’ve found a way to show exactly how reform is working for all of us — for our parents, our siblings, our kids, ourselves.

Will you take a minute to take our Health Reform Checkup and let the people you love know how reform is working for them? http://my.barackobama.com/Checkup5?email=lifestyle2000cc@yahoo.com&zip=98115

Before the Affordable Care Act, Justin and Kari weren’t sure about the future. They worried that they’d never be able to find coverage for William again if Justin lost his job. They worried about the life that William would lead — whether he’d ever be able to work or support a family.

Not anymore. William’s condition isn’t going away, but he’ll always be able to get care. The Affordable Care Act is one year old today, and it has already changed William’s life — and this country — for good.

Today, there are families who feel better about the future than they did a year ago. They’ve found some security, some relief. And these are people we know. They’re our neighbors, our colleagues, our friends, our families — the people next to us every day.

On the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, I think we have a duty to discuss how reform is already working.

Watch Justin and Kari tell their story, and take a moment to learn how health reform is changing the lives of those you know:

http://my.barackobama.com/Checkup

A year ago, I stood next to the President as he signed health reform into law — and we have you to thank for making that possible.

Yours,

Joe

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

From Gallup.Com: Americans’ Worries About Economy, Budget Top Other Issues

03/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Americans have more anxiety about the economy than about any other major national issue Gallup tracks, with 71% saying they worry a great deal about it. “Federal spending and the budget deficit” spark nearly as much concern, at 64%. The environment and race relations rank lowest of 14 issues tested.

a message from Barney Frank

03/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Here we go again – at least here I go again, and I hope you can join me.

In January I announced that I would run for reelection in 2012 because I want to fight for the values I have been committed to throughout my career. The events in Washington since that time have reinforced my view that those values are under greater attack than at any time in my life.

Over the past few weeks, Congress has gone through a bizarre, grueling, and ultimately very sad budget process. This has been a disaster for those who believe that we have the capacity as a people to come together and cooperate on measures that are essential to improving the quality of all of our lives.

Republicans are attempting to weaken the financial reform bill we passed last year, and the far right has succeeded in passing through the House budgets that will re-deregulate derivatives and to weaken the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

At the same time, they resisted any effort to make significant cuts to our swollen military budget. Instead, they chose to inflict enormous harm on virtually all domestic programs, proudly stating that they had debated the entire US government in less than three days. I stood up in the House late at night after a marathon debate and I denounced their orgy of self-congratulation over their senseless budget cutting. http://images.myngp.com/LinkTracker.aspx?crypt=IVi0ax2%2b6UBSinc%2fCPYaKdaJwsMh0V5KnXpbYo0o6usIzZHtMm7avT6xh2PId64V3H1TXg9cveHz4X4iWQX%2f8nWBmlzPYqFO9PL61K1FacAU6VN1fqldK8%2fB3jnGOwZrHdqMotfOShGgWdUy45CNXMIOiDGBo%2fQ1q6IH2PgZSlM%3d

But the battle is not over — we will spend the next two years and more fighting this gross distortion of our budget priorities and of our values. I will give everything I can to this effort, and with your help I will do so through 2012 and beyond.

http://images.myngp.com/LinkTracker.aspx?crypt=IVi0ax2%2b6UDLpC3olJXC48%2fv%2ftqtQFGd1pYD7HCwFY6cLDeH7plfweSCOUD3b7%2bTOi%2fuQC6cVGOAYPHw4BpKsfjf%2bjAR8Nv%2bsR9N%2fCerQ9cX%2bkyg6Q8rGv72%2bTm3xKI7Gz2fKi9myl%2fpb9GfTSw4%2b0INbmIjEf4YF28eX0DMwEEjCNjlRR8ItugWUePxfSgjyYegnqay8HMtAcAUj7q6N%2bc%2bW%2fmQrZgc

Last year, you helped me defend against coordinated attacks by national right-wing organizations which had been empowered to spend freely on elections by the recent Supreme Court decision. Because it was such an especially expensive campaign year, I am writing earlier than usual to ask if you can help me begin to payoff campaign debts – including one to myself – and to start to accumulate the funds that I will need to withstand another coordinated nation-wide right-wing assault in 2012.

It’s flattering to be the focus of the Right’s unhappiness, but it’s also expensive. I would be grateful if you would help provide me with what I need to fight back.