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I was gonna write something that amounted to a political essay on how September 11th did far more harm in this country than the terrorists who hijacked those 4 planes could have ever forseen.
But I didn't. As I watched the memorials this morning it just didn't seem right. So I'll post that tomorrow.
So what I posted instead is that phone number up there. That's a number where you can call your Congressperson to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. How you ask? I'll explain briefly:
This summer Congress passed, and the President signed a new law making it more difficult for individuals and small businesses to file for bankruptcy. Now I'm all in favor of punishing those people who simply take their credit card to the mall, go hog wild, and then declare bankruptcy.
The problem is that MOST people who declare bankruptcy do so for one of three reasons: 1. Sickness or death of a family member 2. Job loss 3. divorce or abandonment. Does the bill make any provisions for those people? No.
And you'll like this- it was suggested when this bill was passed that an exemption be made for victims of natural disasters (this was months before Katrina), and this exemption was VOTED DOWN. Yes, every Republican in Congress-and 17 Democrats (to their shame) are on record as having voted AGAINST making it easier for people like the Katrina victims to get back on their feet. I hope that vote comes back to bite them now.
But this week Reps John Conyers and Jerry Nadler introduced a bill in congress that would EXEMPT the victims of Katrina to this bill. That's where you come in. If you want to do something that would have a real, practical effect on people who are trying to rebuild their lives, call your Congressperson and urge them to vote for the Conyers/ Nadler bill to exempt the Katrina victims from the new bankruptcy law.
This bankruptcy law was a horrid piece of legislation in the first place. It was written by the credit card companies and shopped around to politicians who had been bought by campaign contributions. Credit card companies, like oil companies, have seen their profits skyrocket in recent years, and their influence has grown on our political system. This bill only tightens their grip. You can lean more about the bill here.
Our government has already failed these people once. I want to make it less difficult for the victims to be failed again.
I was gonna write something that amounted to a political essay on how September 11th did far more harm in this country than the terrorists who hijacked those 4 planes could have ever forseen.
But I didn't. As I watched the memorials this morning it just didn't seem right. So I'll post that tomorrow.
So what I posted instead is that phone number up there. That's a number where you can call your Congressperson to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. How you ask? I'll explain briefly:
This summer Congress passed, and the President signed a new law making it more difficult for individuals and small businesses to file for bankruptcy. Now I'm all in favor of punishing those people who simply take their credit card to the mall, go hog wild, and then declare bankruptcy.
The problem is that MOST people who declare bankruptcy do so for one of three reasons: 1. Sickness or death of a family member 2. Job loss 3. divorce or abandonment. Does the bill make any provisions for those people? No.
And you'll like this- it was suggested when this bill was passed that an exemption be made for victims of natural disasters (this was months before Katrina), and this exemption was VOTED DOWN. Yes, every Republican in Congress-and 17 Democrats (to their shame) are on record as having voted AGAINST making it easier for people like the Katrina victims to get back on their feet. I hope that vote comes back to bite them now.
But this week Reps John Conyers and Jerry Nadler introduced a bill in congress that would EXEMPT the victims of Katrina to this bill. That's where you come in. If you want to do something that would have a real, practical effect on people who are trying to rebuild their lives, call your Congressperson and urge them to vote for the Conyers/ Nadler bill to exempt the Katrina victims from the new bankruptcy law.
This bankruptcy law was a horrid piece of legislation in the first place. It was written by the credit card companies and shopped around to politicians who had been bought by campaign contributions. Credit card companies, like oil companies, have seen their profits skyrocket in recent years, and their influence has grown on our political system. This bill only tightens their grip. You can lean more about the bill here.
Our government has already failed these people once. I want to make it less difficult for the victims to be failed again.
VIEW 25 of 29 COMMENTS
amstar:
morning sunshine
amstar:
this is the longest that you haven't updated in forever.