New Laws Make Life Harder For Storm Victims
New Laws Make Life Harder For Storm Victims
Last spring, the conservative Congress passed harsh new bankruptcy laws which made it harder and more expensive for Americans to recover from financial difficulties, at the same time protecting the powerful credit card industry. Now the effects of the severe legislation are coming home to roost.
The LA Times reports that, thanks to the new law, recovery will be even tougher for Hurricane Katrina survivors. House compassionate conservatives specifically rejected language to exempt victims of natural disasters from the new, harsher laws.
According to experts, many people who lost everything won’t “be able to qualify for leniency because of paperwork rules, among other reasons.” For example, the new law requires debtors “shall be required to itemize each additional expense or adjustment to income and to provide … documentation … and a detailed explanation’ under oath.†That’s tough in this case, when most receipts, records and files are simply gone. “There’s no way many people are going to be able to provide all this paperwork,” said Keith Lundin, a federal bankruptcy judge. “It’s underwater.”
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Rep. Conyers will propose a bill to address this and hopefully it will pass. But we could start putting pressure on now.
September 7th, 2005 at 11:39 amNo body ever accused conservative of caring about people. All they’re worried about is their own pocket, screw everybody else. Why do you think they pushed that new law so hard in the first place? They’re just finding new ways to get rich off of the poor, and you can see it, over the past 4 and a half years the rich have been getting richer and the poor poorer. Just your basic compassionate conservatives who are only compassionate about their pockets.
September 7th, 2005 at 11:47 amWith all the lending institutions giving money to people who probably can’t afford to pay it back, much more than 10% of any and all debt “goes bad”. Just wait until the no-principal mortgages peak in the housing market. And we thought 1929 was bad? Just wait :-(
Konservatives like to drip as much blood out of stone as they can. In a christian compassionate manner, of course.
September 7th, 2005 at 11:53 amThis is another example of the Republican skels committing larceny. The Republican skel embezzlement is a “tax cut for the elite” coming out of your account, Republican skel embezzlement is “giving American dollars to oil corporations in the energy billâ€, Republican skel embezzlement is “allowing gas price gouge by oil corporationsâ€, Republican skel embezzlement is “giving the corporate banks a get richer bankruptcy billâ€. This is the short list of Republican Skel leeching of America. Are you a skel or an American?
September 7th, 2005 at 12:01 pmCredit card companies and drug manufacturers are making law. It is repugnant and unconstitutional. The sheeple don’t care as long as they make is sound like a good idea. Drones don’t do research. They blindly follow their leader and don’t even know why. They mouth whatever crap spews out of the grand OLD party. They are the unAmerican and deluded. As long as some idiot in a suit tells them everything is good – that’s all they need. Brainwashed drones to their “queen.”
September 7th, 2005 at 12:07 pmYou get in office, you screw up the economy, then you make it hard for people to file for bankruptcy. Not all people file because they have “irresponsible” credit card debt. Some file because of legitimate financial problems. Moreover, banks are in no danger of going bankrupt. In fact, they make billions off of late fees, hidden fees, increasing interest rates for various reasons, etc…
America! Wake up!!! What’s it going to take? Shouldn’t Katrina be the last strike? Strike one – 9/11; strike two – Iraq.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:11 pmThere were an incredible number screwups by this administration in this emergency, from not taking the storm seriously to not sending buses to help evacuate poor residents before Katrina to delays and inaction afterwards.
I’m concerned that bush won’t have enough medals and promotions to go around.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:15 pmAll it takes it to review the earning statement of the “Bank holding” companies (i.e. credit card companies) to see record profits for the industry. Across the board, the Republican Skels help those corporations who are reaping obscene profits (40-80% range) and who hand cash back to these same skels for more one party skel rule. Are you a skel, or are you an American?
September 7th, 2005 at 12:20 pmIf you live in any of these states, make sure these Dem Senators remember their “Yea” vote on the bankruptcy bill, come the 2008 primaries.
Baucus (D-MT)
September 7th, 2005 at 12:26 pmBAYH (D-IN)
BIDEN (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Byrd (D-WV)
Carper (D-DE)
Conrad (D-ND)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Stabenow (D-MI)
How interesting that Florida hurricane victims were grantd generous tax relief by the IRS in the 2004 election year.
For the full story on the politics of Bush-era disaster relief, see:
“FEMA: Florida Election Management Agency.”
September 7th, 2005 at 12:26 pm#3, EXACTLY….
and it is a systematic way to drive a wedge between the classes.
IT IS A PROVEN POINT THAT THE POOR ARE MUCH EASIER TO CONTROL.
They have been a patient bunch waiting, making slow gains at first, then when they finally got their puppet installed, they began taking GREAT BIG GIANT STEPS…
Here’s one for you that no one will touch:
Did any of you ever wonder about what happens to your social security money you pay in if you are single and die before retirement?
Lets just say…. begin work at 18 and go till 60…. so that is 42 years… even at a modest $8.00 per hour average of 35 hours per week (this is just off the top of my head)….. $14,560 per year – you pay 8% they match it so 16% (taking into account things change so I average)…. $2329.60 annually…plus 4% (I am sure the financial guru’s get a better return on this)… so $100 interest annually ….. I don’t compound this for simplicity….
I get $102,043.20…. so if you die at 60…. single (or gay in a relationship) the GOVERNMENT GETS YOUR MONEY…
WAKE UP PEOPLE!
I suppose you don’t think they EVER STEAL FROM THESE ACCOUNT TOO!
September 7th, 2005 at 12:27 pmOh indeed! Someone will get a medal for this one.
I think datlaw is RIGHT ON. Three strikes and someone should be out. He may not be impeached, but like I have said before, history will not be kind to this administration. They are extremely meglomaniacal and the thought of this will drive them crazier than they already are. People like this, I have to believe, will have theirs when it all comes out in the wash. All the shit they try to hide – we will find out.
The awful truth is that these “people” we write of, this administration, is comprised of only a few incompetant, but EXTREMELY wealthy, white men. I have to assume that they are all Skull and Bones freaks. Fellow Americans, we (using the term loosly) have been bought!!!
Oddly enough, here in TN, in the reddest of cities, no one will admit to voting for the asshole. There are a few left in trailerparks and, of course, some W stickers on some pick-up trucks but much more, “I didn’t vote for him.” Yeah, right.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:32 pmAlready contacted Salazar on this. He will be held accountable in Colorado.
I really, really, wish the progressive blogsphere would get together and pick a sacrificial pig to slaughter on the Dem side. One primary where we all could contribute in the 2006 primaries to out the “pig” and put in a true progressive. I believe it would send a message that would be heard even in the Georgetown estates. We own the party and you better serve the people.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:33 pmCitizen, here’s the league table for you to pick from…(look at the second section)
http://www.bushwatch.com/demwatch.htm
September 7th, 2005 at 12:44 pmThanks Terry
Unfortunately, I know the list (god help us). What I would like is a concerted effort of KOS, MyDD, Thinkprogress, Americablog, ect. to come up with one name off the list to concentrate on. Pick a pig to slaughter, putting the rest on the list on notice.
What do the rest of you think of this idea? I know that it seems harsh, but we need to re-build this party and quickly.
September 7th, 2005 at 1:14 pmIn order to divert money to the casino developers in Miss., that fine governor, haley barbour is going to RAISE taxes in Miss.
But hold on, just a minute. Not to disturb his rich base, the higher taxes he will ask for will only be from those reporting income of #150,000 or less.
His idea is to tax the poor for the benefit of the rich. He got the idea from kkkkkarl rrrrrover.
September 7th, 2005 at 1:19 pmHurricane Katrina, and the irony of homeowners versus flood insurance
One of the ironies of all of this is that a lot of homeowners are going to learn the hard way about the difference between home owner versus flood insurance. Home owners insurance covers the home in most catastrophic events, like fire, rain pouring in …
September 7th, 2005 at 1:28 pmOne other thing to note about bankrupcies: A full 40% of the cases have a medical component to them.
In other words, people with huge medical debt have to file just to get out from under the crushing debt load. Anyone think that NOLA has a medical component to it? What with all that sewage and industrial chemical mixed into the soup, I’m quite sure there will be.
September 7th, 2005 at 1:28 pmChristy, on Al’s show you said something about the congress is STILL cutting the budget of the flood control. DO you have a link or something on that?
September 7th, 2005 at 1:28 pmthought provoking comments from the WSJ
Professions of shock about the extent of the New Orleans disaster may be understandable from the broader public, but not from Louisianians themselves. Their disaster was the most predicted disaster in recent memory. The city’s vulnerability was well documented and this is one case where you can’t blame the press for taking its eye off the ball.
The policy implications were not lost on congressmen and federal officials either. A screaming match three years ago concerned a House bill to charge market-based flood insurance premiums to homeowners who filed frequent claims. Louisiana Rep. Billy Tauzin (since retired) denounced the bill as “an assault on the culture of South Louisiana.” He was right.
The bill’s author, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, put the issue in less hysterical perspective: “The notion that the federal government is just going to shovel money to people in harm’s way is misguided, and I personally think it’s cruel.” He was right too.
September 7th, 2005 at 1:58 pmthey can make all the laws they want…when your out of money…your out. Is debters prison next…don’t count it out.
September 7th, 2005 at 2:23 pmJohn, #10. Great article with your remark. The sorry assed photo op of Jeb and George passing out ice down there in Florida still p*sses me off.
September 7th, 2005 at 2:29 pm#15, I heard some odd rumor that Paul Newman was thinking of running against Weepin’ Joe in the primaries….?
September 7th, 2005 at 2:37 pm#10
That was not the full extent of the matter. Brown, thru FEMA, distributed MILLIONS of dollars to heavily republican area that were not even touched by the hurricane.
September 7th, 2005 at 3:46 pmI’ve said it before, 4 years ago, and am saying it still, b u s h will bring back debtors prisons. They were abolished some 200+ years ago? And for very good reason. This administration never “moves forward.” They are turning back the hands of time.
September 7th, 2005 at 3:47 pmPOUND OF FLESH! POUND OF FLESH!
September 7th, 2005 at 4:42 pmThe vulchers have appeared in the skies.
September 7th, 2005 at 6:26 pmThe minimum payment on your credit cards are about to double. Did you know that? Are you prepared?
September 7th, 2005 at 10:36 pmIf Bushie reinstates the Debtors prisons then he will be the first inmate.
September 7th, 2005 at 11:23 pmSusan, What is the Debtors prisons?
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December 5th, 2005 at 3:44 pmI use to think I was republican, now I am just angry and confused. I got the wool pulled over my eyes in a big way. I voted for that bastard in office. I still don’t think that dem. is the way to go, but where do I turn? Is there anyone out there who actually cares about us? I feel like there not going to be happy on the hill until we all work in a chicken factory 15 hours a day for four dollars an hour. No benifits of course cause we can’t afford those and still be competitive in the market. Maybe they will give me room and board in exchange for my blood. Who will buy their chinese/mexacan goods then?
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