Tag Archives: ~ Culture & History

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Our homes

11/17/2010 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

Mortgage lenders are recklessly foreclosing on homes. Some are even breaking the law.

Help protect your home, or your friends’ and family’s, with this simple tool:

Dear Barbara,

The big banks are at it again. First they targeted minority communities with subprime loans and other predatory lending schemes, helping to make Black Americans and Latinos 70% more likely than Whites to be in foreclosure.¹

Now we’re learning that the very same banks and mortgage lenders have been foreclosing on homes around the nation without verifying that they have the right to do so.²

The stories are horrifying: in Ohio, a bank foreclosed on a man after insisting for months that it didn’t hold his loan and refusing to accept his payments.³ In Florida, Bank of America tried to take a house away from a man who never even had a mortgage.⁴ The more we learn, the worse it gets.

If you’re a homeowner, one possible way to protect yourself from the banks’ bad behavior is to demand your note and make them prove they own your mortgage. A new online tool makes it easy. Check it out and please share this information with your friends and family. It could help to save your home or that of someone you love:

http://www.wheresthenote.com/colorofchange

The banks have been trying to write off their failure to properly verify ownership as a mere technicality. But it’s much more serious than that, and Attorneys General in all 50 states have banded together to investigate the illegal foreclosures, and several elected leaders have called for criminal charges to be filed against the banks.^5,6

You would think that it would be easy to produce the documents needed for the banks to verify ownership. But during the real estate boom, banks cut corners with paperwork in order to make as many loans as possible, and then sold the loans to other lenders in complicated financial maneuvers designed to maximize the banks’ profits.

Now it has come to light that banks have been paying “foreclosure mills” to take homes away as quickly as possible, before homeowners even realize that anything might be amiss. And it appears that these foreclosure mills are operating without actually following the law — foreclosing without the proper legal documentation.⁷ In some cases, notaries responsible for verifying the documents aren’t even reading them.⁸ And in other cases, the documents are just being fabricated — made up to cover the banks’ tracks.⁹ This is foreclosure fraud. It’s not legal, and it’s not right.

Given their role in creating the foreclosure crisis through predatory practices and deception, banks should be doing what they can to avoid foreclosures and keep people in their homes. This could be done by lowering interest rates, or better yet — reducing the principal to reflect the crash in housing prices. Foreclosures are only further devastating communities already hard hit by record unemployment.

But the banks seem uninterested. It appears that they would rather commit mortgage fraud to protect their bottom line. That’s why it’s up to us to make sure that they’re following the law to the letter. And if enough of us do so, we’ll help to create a new financial environment where banks are held more accountable to homeowners and the legal system. If you have a mortgage, protect yourself and your family by demanding your note, and please share this information with your friends and family. It takes just a moment:

http://www.wheresthenote.com/colorofchange

Thanks and Peace,

— James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
November 17th, 2010

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

https://secure.colorofchange.org/contribute/

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

KTH: Sen. McCain and ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ (via Anderson Cooper 360)

11/17/2010 Nativegrl77

via Anderson Cooper 360

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress back in Session – 11/15/10 -updates when needed

11/15/2010 Nativegrl77

The Senate will stand adjourned under the provisions of H.Con.Res.321 until 2:00pm on Monday, November 15.

When the Senate convenes there will be a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. There will be no roll call votes during Monday’s session of the Senate.

The Senate will be in session the entire week of November 15-19, 2010.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for Monday November 15, 2010 2:00pmET

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF NOVEMBER 15, 2010
111TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION

9:17 P.M. –: The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on November 16, 2010. On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.

Mr. King (IA) moved that the House do now adjourn.
7:00 P.M. –: SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
6:56 P.M. –: Mr. Poe of TX requested the following general leaves to address the House on November 19: Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, himself for 5 min, Mr. Garrett of NJ for 5 min, and Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min. Mr. Poe of TX requested the following general leaves to address the House on November 18: Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, himself for 5 min, Mr. Garrett of NJ for 5 min, Mr. Paul for 5 min, and Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min.
6:55 P.M. –: Mr. Poe of TX requested the following general leaves to address the House on November 17: Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, himself for 5 min, Mr. Garrett of NJ for 5 min, Mr. Paul for 5 min, Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min, and Mr. Diaz-Balart, Lincoln of FL for 5 min. Mr. Poe of TX requested the following general leaves to address the House on November 16: Mr. Burton of IN for 5 min, himself for 5 min, Mr. Garrett of NJ for 5 min, Mr. Paul for 5 min, Mr. Moran of KS for 5 min, and Mr. Diaz-Balart, Lincoln of FL for 5 min.
6:54 P.M. –: ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
6:52 P.M. –: The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate passed S.J. Res. 40. SPEAKER’S APPOINTMENT – Pursuant to section 1002 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (P.L. 107-306) as amended by section 701(a)(3) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (P.L. 111-259), and the order of the House of January 6, 2009, the Chair announces the Speaker’s appointment of the following member on the part of the House to the National Commission for the Review of the Research and Development Programs of the United States Intelligence Community: Mr. Maurice Sonnenberg, New York, NY.

H. Con. Res. 328:

expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the successful and substantial contributions of the amendments to the patent and trademark laws that were initially enacted in 1980 by Public Law 96-517 (commonly referred to as the “Bayh-Dole Act”) on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its enactment

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 385 – 1 (Roll no. 568). Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
6:44 P.M. –: Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 1713:

recognizing the 50th anniversary of Ruby Bridges desegregating a previously all-White public elementary school
6:43 P.M. –: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 376 – 0 (Roll no. 567).
6:34 P.M. –: Considered as unfinished business.

S. 3689:

to clarify, improve, and correct the laws relating to copyrights
6:33 P.M. –: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 385 – 0, 1 Present (Roll no. 566).
6:02 P.M. –: Considered as unfinished business.
6:01 P.M. –: Pursuant to clause 8, rule XX, the Speaker postponed until a time to be announced, the roll call vote on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.Res. 716, which was ordered on Monday, November 15, 2010. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
6:00 P.M. –: The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of November 15.

3:50 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 6:00 P.M. today.

H. Res. 1713:

recognizing the 50th anniversary of Ruby Bridges desegregating a previously all-White public elementary school

3:49 P.M. –

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

3:32 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 1713.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

S. 3689:

to clarify, improve, and correct the laws relating to copyrights

3:31 P.M. –

S. 3689:

to clarify, improve, and correct the laws relating to copyrights

3:26 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3689.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

H. Con. Res. 328:

The title of this measure is not available

3:25 P.M. –

3:15 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Con. Res. 328.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

H.R. 6397:

The title of this measure is not available

3:14 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.

2:58 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6397.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

S. 1376:

to restore immunization and sibling age exemptions for children adopted by United States citizens under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption to allow their admission to the United States

2:54 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.

2:47 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1376.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H. Res. 716:

recognizing Gail Abarbanel and the Rape Treatment Center, and for other purposes

2:46 P.M. –

2:42 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 716.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

H.R. 5566:

to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit interstate commerce in animal crush videos, and for other purposes

2:41 P.M. –

House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment pursuant to H. Res. 1712.

H. Res. 1712:

Providing for the consideration of the bill H.R. 5566 and the Senate amendment thereto

2:39 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.

2:23 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 1712.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.

The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until 6:00 p.m. today.

2:15 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

H.R. 3808:

to require any Federal or State court to recognize any notarization made by a notary public licensed by a State other than the State where the court is located when such notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce

2:14 P.M. –

VETO MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT – The Chair laid before the House the veto message from the President on H.R. 3808. The objections of the President were spread at large upon the Journal, and the veto message was ordered to be printed as a House Document No. 111-152. Pursuant to the order of the House of earlier today, further consideration of the veto message and the bill are postponed until the legislative day of Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010, and that on that legislative day, the House shall proceed to the constitutional question of reconsideration and dispose of such question without intervening motion.

2:13 P.M. –

The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk transmitted H.R. 3808, the “Interstate Recognition of Notarization Act of 2010,” and a Memorandum of Disapproval thereon received from the White House on October 8, 2010, at 12:55 p.m.

Mr. Scott (VA) asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Monday, November 15, 2010, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, for Morning-Hour Debate. Agreed to without objection.

Mr. Scott (VA) asked unanimous consent That, when a veto message on H.R. 3808 is laid before the House on the legislative day of today, then after the message is read and the objections of the President are spread at large upon the Journal, further consideration of the veto message and the bill shall be postponed until the legislative day of Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010; and that on that legislative day, the House shall proceed to the constitutional question of reconsideration and dispose of such question without intervening motion. Agreed to without objection.

2:04 P.M. –

The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on September 30, 2010, at 11:13 a.m.: That the Senate passed without amendment H.R. 6200, H.R. 4543, H.R. 5341, H.R. 5390, H.R. 5450 and H. Con. Res. 319.

2:03 P.M. –

The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on September 30, 2010 at 11:14 a.m.: That the Senate passed H.R. 1061 with amendments; passed H.R. 1722 with an amendment; passed S. 685, S. 3794, and S. 2847; agreed to S. Con. Res. 52, S. Con. Res. 72, and S. Con. Res. 74.

2:02 P.M. –

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mrs. Christensen to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

2:00 P.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Daniel Coughlin.

The Speaker designated the Honorable Jesse L. Jackson Jr. to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Open Letter to the American People

11/12/2010 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

To the American People:

The midterm elections that just passed were not about political parties and partisan scorekeeping. They were about you: your families, your jobs, your economic security and your future.

The message that you sent to Washington is that you want Democrats, Republicans and Independents to work together to find the common ground needed for real solutions and real progress. Democrats agree. We understand the frustration felt by all Americans – especially our middle class. We heard you, loud and clear. We’re frustrated too and will continue to fight for what you demand and deserve.

Democrats will keep fighting to make sure that big banks, big oil, those who want to privatize Social Security and other powerful special interests are prevented from taking advantage of you. We also welcome every opportunity to work with our Republican colleagues as we know the challenges that lie ahead of us know no political affiliation.

And with Republicans securing more seats in both houses of Congress, it is imperative they take their responsibility to offer bipartisan solutions more seriously. Simply saying ‘no’ will do nothing to create more jobs and strengthen our economy.

You will hear many of the media pundits say this was a tough election for those on the ballot this year, but we know that is nothing compared to the fight that middle-class families are facing to stay in their homes, find good jobs and make ends meet.

The time for politics is now over. Democrats will spare no effort to get back to work immediately in order to restore the American Dream for you and your families.

Sincerely,

Harry Reid

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

BoldProgressives.org

11/11/2010 Nativegrl77

BREAKING: The “bipartisan” deficit reduction commission — appointed by President Obama and led by millionaires — just made their ideas public. And they are ridiculous.

They recommend to Congress cutting Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age. (Shockingly, the commission of millionaires didn’t focus on raising taxes on the wealthy.)

We need to respond fast to make sure this goes nowhere. House Progressive Caucus Chair Raul Grijalva (who we just helped re-elect) has boldly organized over 100 of his colleagues to fight this proposal.

We need to show they have grassroots support. Can you join over 31,000 others in being a “citizen signer” of Grijalva’s letter? Click here.

Then, share with others — including on Facebook or Twitter.

We’ll inform Grijalva of our progress, so he can work with us to inform the media of this grassroots support.

Just today, Talking Points Memo reported on a poll we commissioned asking voters their preference on how to reduce the deficit: