[poochee]

Huffpost - Democrats: Overdraft Fees Must Be Curtailed
ThisANNE FLAHERTY | 10/30/09 01:48 PM | AP

WASHINGTON — Senior congressional Democrats say legislation is still needed to limit how lenders charge customers who overspend on their accounts, even though some big banks have already curbed high-fee overdraft programs.

Rep. Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, on Friday joined Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., in calling for legislation that would require banks to ask customers whether they want overdraft protection.

"Don't do favors for people without asking them," said Frank, D-Mass., at a hearing on a House overdraft bill introduced by New York Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

Most banks automatically allow customers to overdraft their accounts, then charge them $25 to $35 per infraction. Banks say that customers want the protection, rather than being denied a purchase at the cash register.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_340061.html

[LANMaster]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Why 60 Is the New 50

How many votes does Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid really need to pass health care reform? Is it 50 or 60? It's not simply a question of parliamentary procedure—the answer will in large part shape the legislation. The logic is simple: the more votes Reid needs, the more bargaining he has to do—particularly on the question of the public option. And the more bargaining he has to do, the weaker the legislation is likely to get.

http://www.slate.com/id/2233718/

One can only hope this is the case.

[ekim68]

Senate OKs extension of home-buyer tax credit and jobless aid

The measure is expected to be approved by the House and signed by Obama within days. It is aimed at giving the real estate market an added boost and would expand the credit to existing homeowners.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,1817786.story

[poochee]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Senate OKs extension of home-buyer tax credit and jobless aid

The measure is expected to be approved by the House and signed by Obama within days. It is aimed at giving the real estate market an added boost and would expand the credit to existing homeowners.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,1817786.story

[poochee]

Senate blocks census citizenship question

ANDREW TAYLOR | November 5, 2009 02:44 PM EST | AP
Compare 02:44 PM EST02:24 PM EST01:41 PM EST12:52 PM EST and 02:44 PM EST02:24 PM EST01:41 PM EST12:52 PM EST versions

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats Thursday blocked a GOP attempt to require next year's census forms to ask people whether they are U.S. citizens.

The proposal by Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter was aimed at excluding non-citizens from the population totals that are used to figure the number of congressional representatives for each state.

Critics said Vitter's plan would discourage immigrants from responding to the census and would be hugely expensive. They also said that it's long been settled law that the apportionment of congressional seats is determined by the number of people living in each state, regardless of whether they are citizens. A separate survey already collects citizenship data.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-w...immigrants/&cp

[poochee]

Bill Would Ban Laptops in Airline Cockpits
By AP / JOAN LOWY Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

(WASHINGTON) — Lawmakers are moving to ban the use of computer laptops and other personal electronic devices in airline cockpits to prevent another incident like the Northwest Airlines plane that overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/ar...0.html?cnn=yes

[ekim68]

That's good news....I hate pilots who overshoot a runway by 150 miles while playing video games...

[poochee]

Originally Posted by ekim68

That's good news....I hate pilots who overshoot a runway by 150 miles while playing video games...

Same here.

[wacor]

You all are pathetic. I swear you support crap just because it came from the party you support and never bother to even read and judge what the idiots are proposing.

If you don't want to know if an illegal is filing a census report then lets also remove the question about race and gender to start.

And one lousy known screw up by a couple of dumb arse pilots and you assume all pilots are screwing around on their laptops. Never mind that perhaps the laptop could provide communication they might not otherwise have or if their instruments went dead they might be able to use it for navigation and or determining weather. This govt blanket is getting absurdly oversized but you go ahead and cuddle up.

By the way I believe they got fired did they not. That is the appropriate measure. But then you probably will find some reason to coddle them and give them their job back. Right??

.

[TooBad]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Senate OKs extension of home-buyer tax credit and jobless aid

The measure is expected to be approved by the House and signed by Obama within days. It is aimed at giving the real estate market an added boost and would expand the credit to existing homeowners.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,1817786.story

STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! They just can't understand that this is not helping but causing another bubble!! Why won't they listen to economists that understand how things work in the real world instead of just nice sounding theories?? Good intentions are not what is needed, the results of those policies must be taken into account, and not just the immediate results, but what then, and what then so that you actually have some facts to base decisions on. This is simply madness!

[poochee]

Posted on Thursday, November 5, 2009
Senate rejects effort to block civilian trials for 9/11 suspects
By James Rosen | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — After an emotional debate over how to keep Americans safe, the Senate Thursday narrowly defeated an effort to prevent civilian trials in U.S. courts for the accused planners of the 9/11 attacks.

The Senate's 54-45 vote to reject the measure by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., opens the door for President Barack Obama to bring Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-professed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, to trial in federal court, rather than the military commissions Graham helped create.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/78448.html

[ekim68]

Frank lambasts credit card companies

NEW YORK, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. credit card companies have done an end run around tighter credit card laws that take effect in February, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said.

The companies were given a nine-month grace period before the law took effect -- a law that focuses on retroactively raising rates or fees, but includes not allowing minors to get credit cards without a parent's permission.

The law also mandates companies give 45 days warning before raising interest rates. In anticipation, lenders have just raised rates this year, sometimes to more than 30 percent, The Boston Globe reported Friday.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/200...6511257525430/

[poochee]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Frank lambasts credit card companies

NEW YORK, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. credit card companies have done an end run around tighter credit card laws that take effect in February, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said.

The companies were given a nine-month grace period before the law took effect -- a law that focuses on retroactively raising rates or fees, but includes not allowing minors to get credit cards without a parent's permission.

The law also mandates companies give 45 days warning before raising interest rates. In anticipation, lenders have just raised rates this year, sometimes to more than 30 percent, The Boston Globe reported Friday.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/200...6511257525430/

They are disgraceful!

[LANMaster]

Barney Frank is disgraceful.

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by LANMaster

Barney Frank is disgraceful.

Why?