Nation

What’s the Best Way to Protect Consumers in Need of Debt Relief?

Should Courts or Executive Branch Agencies Have Final Say?
The recession has forced America to face some of its most deep-seated systematic financial troubles. One thing that has become clear is that unscrupulous mortgage lenders and credit card agencies have dined for far too long upon consumers who largely didn’t understand [...]

President Obama's plans for the Consumer Financial Protection Agency could mean that debt relief is closer than ever for the downtrodden. (Photo: flickr.com)

Big Bird’s Birthday Marks ‘Sesame Street’ Anniversary

Show and Big Bird turn 40
For a television show to stick around for 40 years, it’s got to be doing something right. Today marks the 40th anniversary of “Sesame Street,” which means Big Bird’s 40th birthday as well.
While many people would probably be aware of this without Google’s commemorative display [...]

Image from Flickr.

Unemployment Extension Vote Will Decide Fate of Millions

Unemployment extension vote to come
The unemployment extension vote that took place Tuesday cleared the way for the unemployment extension bill to make its way through Congress. The House has passed the bill, which would allow unemployed workers to collect benefits for an additional 13 weeks beyond what is already allotted.
Originally, [...]

Millions of Americans who cant find work could benefit from the unemploment extension vote.

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Not Just for First-Timers

Committee proposes extending tax credit
A Senate committee on Wednesday reached an agreement regarding the first time home buyer tax credit. If they have their way, the first time home buyer tax credit wouldn’t be just for first-time home buyers anymore.
If lawmakers approve, the tax credit will be extended to people [...]

Do you think the tax credit will stimulate home sales?

Show Time! Michael Jackson ‘This Is It’ Movie Hits Theaters

Prediction: ‘This Is It’ will be well attended
Avid Michael Jackson fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of documentary film “This Is It” for quite sometime. Now, the day has finally come, as “This Is It” hits theaters tomorrow.
People will go to great lengths for Michael Jackson. After his death, [...]

Image from every-passing-moment.blogspot.com.

Credit Cards Newest Area of Potential Problems for Banks

Banks and credit cards
Banks have suffered through the recession with huge mortgage industry defaults, but a new fear that credit cards will do the same is looming. Ken Lewis, Bank of America CEO, stated he believes that despite the government’s $700 billion rescue program, it will be “an awful year” [...]

Credit cards

GOP Sens Vote 30-9 Against Rape Amendment

Yet Sen. Al Franken’s Amendment Passes, 69-30
Following one of the more vile incidents against a woman in American history, the Senate has voted in favor of Sen. Al Franken’s amendment to the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill that gives the government the right to withhold defense contracts (no small cash loans, [...]

Democratic Senator Al Franken of Minnesota votes for people over corporations. (Photo: flickr.com)

‘Whitopia’ Hits the Shelves with a Bang

‘Whitopia’ gains popularity on day one
Rich Benjamin’s book “Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America” came out today, and already it’s getting all kinds of attention. In the book, African-American author Benjamin chronicles his experiences as he lives in and studies Whitopias, which he explains are “whiter [...]

If you already own a Kindle, you could save a bunch of money on "Whitopia." Image from wikimedia.

H1N1 Vaccine Risks Have Some Parents Opting Out

When It Comes to Flu Shots, Give Me the Flu Instead
Flu season is fast approaching, and many people are concerned about whether H1N1 – more commonly known as the “swine flu” – will devastate entire communities. When cooler heads prevail, however, it’s easy to see that H1N1 isn’t all that [...]

Swine flu may come, even if you wash your hands and use good judgment. But with the stated H1N1 vaccine risks, will you be getting the shot? (Photo: flickr.com)

Obama to Aid Debt Relief with Mortgage Retructuring

The Obama administration’s plan
Consumers seeking debt relief may be one step closer, if the president has his way. President Obama is set to revamp financial products in an effort to protect borrowers from delinquency and foreclosures. The recession has brought the number of defaulting loans and people losing their houses [...]

Mortgage loan modification programs aim to make these signs less popular. Image from Flikr.

Health Care Industry Targets Physicians for Debt Relief

Primary care physician
Many consumers are struggling with debt relief because of the huge cost of health care.  Congress has taken the cause up as one of its most pertinent issues to sort out, and President Obama is targeting it as a strong focus throughout his presidency.
Although the topic is much [...]

Barack Obama touts health care everywhere he goes. Image from Wikimedia.

GOP Healthcare Per Alan Grayson: “Don’t Get Sick,” “Die Quickly”

Thank you, ladies and gents. Rep. Grayson will be here all week
No long ago, Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) screamed “You lie!” at President Obama during his presentation on health care reform before a joint session of Congress. Mr. Wilson was reprimanded for his lack of decorum and shall remain the [...]

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) (Photo: wikipedia.org)

Watch Your Stimulus Dollars Work | Recovery.gov Relaunches

Site had been criticized for being “out of date”
Is America’s economic engine running without knocks and pings yet? I would suggest that we are far from being out of the woods yet, despite pockets of stability. However, those who are ready to exclaim “mission accomplished” will most likely credit the [...]

Your stimulus dollars at work, as recounted by the new Recovery.gov (Photo: flickr.com)

ACORN Senate Vote 83-7 Against Funding Rotten Group

Senate says HUD cannot fund ACORN; Will House agree?
Is it any surprise? We’ve known for some time that ACORN is a questionable organization. The latest pimp and prostitute video is just the icing on the cake, comments the Hot Air blog. Now the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) [...]

The Senate says "no" to payday cash for ACORN (Photo: therealbarackobama.wordpress.com)

Constitution Day is Thursday, 9/17 | Celebrate What Many Ignore

A big 10-4 for States’ Rights
As Constitution Day approaches this Thursday, September 17, some awake and aware teachers will consider Constitution Day activities for their students, write up Constitution Day lesson plans and make Constitution Day worksheets. Celebrating the set of principles that the founding fathers of America set forth [...]

America's Constitution is a landmark document that protects freedoms. Is our government still paying attention to the "powers not granted" part of the Tenth Amendment? (Photo: flickr.com)

Obama Has Plans to Help You Save Money

Three ways to increase personal savings
The government has always pushed for people to put money into personal savings. Now President Barack Obama has created ways that will actually make saving easier for workers.
Just like Personal Money store makes online payday loans easier, Obama has come up with these three ways [...]

Saving money is not as easy as it looks. Image from flikr.com

9 11 Moment of Silence | A Dedication to the Fallen

Where were you when the towers fell?

A 9 11 Moment of Silence
Filling the hole inside us with
Memories
A reason beyond politics,
A cause
A light that cannot be extinguished
In honor of the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, a 9 11 moment of silence was observed in numerous places across [...]

Remembering the lives of those who are no more, honoring those who serve America in a 9 11 moment of silence. (Photo: defenselink.mil)

Obama School Speech | Dream Big, Kids

Are hard work and respect socialist agenda?
It’s a ridiculous question, of course. Can’t we all appreciate that the president wants our youth to work hard and achieve a bright future for themselves and America as a whole? Because the more well-prepared, motivated young people who enter the adult world, the [...]

President Obama's school speech is meant to encourage, not indoctrinate. (Photo: flickr.com)

Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard | Should His Photo Have Published?

Does the Media’s Right to a Story Outweigh Human Decency?
That’s a question that’s sure to strike up controversy. On the one hand, there is great value to a free press in a democratic society. That holds true in war time, as the American people have the right to know just [...]

Whats more important: our right to know or a familys right not to suffer needlessly? (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

Walgreens Flu Shots | Help for Unemployed, Uninsured

Avoid the flu during your job hunt with help from Walgreens and CVS
There are many people who believe that it’s a good idea to get a flu shot each season in order to avoid onset of the annoying illness. I personally do not subscribe to this idea (see the video [...]

Your inoculation is complete. Here is your "I vaccinated!" sticker, citizen. (Photo: flickr.com)