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Posts Tagged ‘Congress’
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
At some point last year I began doing some preliminary analysis of election results, specifically looking at third parties and how they perform through the scope of small town election results. In other words, if you start the “Bob’s Political Party” and you put yourself on the statewide or national ballet, how many votes might you receive in a small town? Hey, it interests me, okay?!
In any event, last year I put myself on the mailing list for the Constitution Party. This party, as I understand it, supports a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution. Frankly, as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science I can certainly appreciate the fact that not many people in our society understand the basics of the Constitution nor the powers or limitations of our federal style of government.
Back up for a moment – I’ve also spent some time considering the words that politicians use in their campaigns and what the reality of their campaign promises mean through the vernacular of their campaign rhetoric. For example, then-Senator Barack Obama campaigned to be the President of the United States by making a lot of promises – some of which he simply could not fulfill. Obama promised that taxes would not go up “one dime” for anyone making less than $250,000 per year. Well, that’s not something that Obama can promise because in our system of government the President does not unilaterally make tax policy. More properly stated, Obama should have said, “I pledge to work with Congress and push a policy of not raising taxes on anyone making under $250,000.” However, who wants to hear a promise of “trying” to push a certain policy once elected? Exactly…
But words are interesting in politics and as someone who has been tangentially monitoring the Constitution Party over the last year, I find the survey on their site to be worthy of an entry on this blog. By the way, you can read (and take) the survey by clicking here. What do I find so interesting about it? Well, click on that link and take the survey.
Notice anything? How about the style in which the questions are written? Look at this question:
The undercutting of our free market system, begun by Republicans and accelerated by President Obama, has resulted in near government ownership of too many banks and industries. Do you agree that the Constitution Party (CP) should remain steadfast in opposing both parties’ push for more federal control over our financial sectors and businesses?
For those of you who study this type of stuff (i.e. communication), I’m sure you’re loving this question right now! How about that first sentence? Why not say, “This is what the Constitution Party believes about this particular issue and we’re going to ask you to agree with us in the next sentence, okay?” Honestly, this is a little bit disappointing from a third party that I think has some potential at the local and regional level of politics.
From what I’ve gathered, the Constitution Party is trying to present a real alternative to those in the Republican and Democratic parties who expect this country to be operated as the Constitution dictates that it must. That’s an honorable goal – especially in today’s hyper-partisan political climate where both the Republicans and the Democrats use interpretations of interpretations of interpretations of clauses in the Constitution as the base of their domestic and foreign policies. But where the Constitution Party does itself no good is to put up a “survey” that is packed with leading questions. Not a good strategy.
A better strategy for the Constitution Party would be to go to the 23rd District of New York and set-up camp. This is a district that provided 45.2% of the vote to a Conservative Party candidate. Imagine if the Constitution Party could legitimize itself to the voters in the 23rd District and make a real showing in future elections? Better yet, a good strategy for this party might be to recruit well-known candidates to run for office at the local level and build on local success. It’s almost like building a new business – you don’t just open up 50 Wal-Mart-sized stores in 50 states and expect them to be successful tomorrow. You need to build a brand.
But building that brand should not include time wasted on self-aggrandizing surveys.
Posted in United States Politics | No Comments »
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Some weeks ago I sent an e-mail to my Congressman, Rodney Frelinghuysen, telling him that I really was concerned about the plans that were going around Congress at the time regarding health care reform. To be honest, I sent the e-mail so long ago that I don’t believe the same proposals are currently floating around Congress. Be that as it may, I did receive a nice e-mail from the Congressman’s office which I’ve posted below for you. Granted, I understand that this is probably a form e-mail, but hey – there is still some decent information in the message if you are living in the Congressman’s district.
Dear Joe:
Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to a government takeover of our health care system. I appreciate having the benefit of your views as I share them.
Clearly, any time a child or a parent goes without the care they need, it represents a very serious crisis for that family. And, I understand that health care costs are escalating every year. But as health care represents 17 percent of our total economy, we have to get any “reform” right. Unfortunately, the President and the Congressional Majority are not “getting it right.”
They seem intent on a government takeover of health care that would have devastating consequences for families and small businesses. Such a takeover will raise taxes, weaken Medicare, ration care, and let unelected government bureaucrats in Washington make medical decisions that may end up denying access to medical and life-saving treatments.
Despite what the President says, more than 180 million Americans are at risk of losing their current private health care under a government-run plan. In addition, proposed Medicare cuts could threaten the very existence of our fine local hospitals. Moreover, the House Majority’s current health care plan is financially unsound and will add to, and not lessen, our staggering national debt.
Instead, Congress should work to empower doctors and patients by making health care more affordable, more accessible, and more accountable. The American people deserve the freedom to choose the health care that is best for their families!
I support health care reform, but we must preserve what works: protecting the doctor-patient relationship in addition to allowing people to choose the personal care that suits their individual needs.
At this point, there is no firm date for the House health reform debate to begin but you should anticipate that it will be a rushed process. Speaker Pelosi says she will unveil a new health care bill, “when it’s ready.” Of course, this is another way of saying that H.R. 3200 will be rewritten behind closed doors and we will have little time, if any, to review its contents!
Fundamentally, I support reform efforts to make quality health care affordable and accessible for every American, but any proposed reform needs to proceed slowly and carefully and must be bipartisan.
Once again, thank you for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Rodney Frelinghuysen
Member of Congress
For those of you looking for more information about the Congressman, you can head over to his website and learn more about him.
Posted in Local People & Politics, The State of New Jersey, United States Politics | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
Private student loans suck. I have one private student loan and one federal government student loan and I would much rather have the federal government loan than the private one. First of all, the private loan has an absurd interest rate. Second, the inept organization that gave me the private loan once recorded me as not having made a payment…while the loan was in deferral status! Idiots!
Anyway, the Project on Student Loan Debt released a press release the other day regarding some alarming trends on private student loans. I’ve included it below for your information.
As Student Debt Rises, More Undergraduates Go Straight to Most Dangerous Loans
New Analyses Find Disturbing Trends and Inadequate Disclosure Rules Berkeley, CA – In 2007-08, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of undergraduate students who borrowed private student loans did not take out all they could in safer, more affordable federal loans, according to an analysis released today by the Project on Student Debt. In addition, the proportion of all undergraduates who took out private loans increased dramatically – from five percent in 2003-04 to 14 percent in 2007-08.
“Private student loans are one of the riskiest ways to pay for college,” said Lauren Asher, president of the Institute for College Access & Success, home of the Project on Student Debt. “Both the federal government and colleges should do more to prevent students from taking out unnecessary private loans.”
Like credit cards, private loans usually have variable interest rates that are higher for those least able afford them – as high as 18 percent in 2008. But unlike credit card debt, private loans are nearly impossible to discharge in bankruptcy. They also lack important consumer protections that come with federal student loans. Private loan borrowing has slowed since the credit crunch, but these risky loans remain available from major lenders.
Among the Project’s findings:
• While experts agree that private loans should be used only as a last resort, the share of private loan borrowers who could have borrowed more in federal Stafford loans increased dramatically, from 48 percent in 2003-04 to 64 percent in 2007-08.
• Private loan borrowing is not limited to students at high-priced schools. In fact, the majority of private loan borrowers (63 percent) attend colleges with tuition and fees of less than $10,000.
• Among all racial and ethnic groups, African Americans are now the most likely to borrow private student loans. The percentage of African-American undergraduates who took out private loans quadrupled between 2003-04 and 2007-08, from four percent to 17 percent.
New Disclosures Inadequate
“Without stronger consumer protections, students will continue to be vulnerable to aggressive private loan marketing tactics and inadequate information about their borrowing options,” said Asher. The Federal Reserve Board recently finalized regulations for new consumer disclosures for private student loans, as required by Congress last year. However, the Project’s analysis of the new rules reveals the Board did not go far enough to warn consumers about private loans and make them aware of other options.
“We are very disappointed by the Federal Reserve Board’s decisions. The disclosures will not have the effect that many in Congress had hoped,” said Asher. “These weak regulations underscore the need for mandatory school certification of private loans so schools can intervene when a student has better financing options, and for a consumer financial protection agency that would more effectively protect students and families from dangerous private student loans.”.”
If you’re in need of a student loan, I strongly urge you to go with government programs over private ones.
Posted in Student Loans | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
Watching this healthcare debate going back and forth definitely proves one thing…our government is a mess. And it’s not the “form” of government that we have (a democratic republic) that is a mess, rather it’s the people who are currently in elected positions that don’t understand the nature of our country.
When I see both Republicans and Democrats casting off the concerns of their constituency, it makes me wonder how these people keep their offices. Why are there not more recall elections? Where is the political passion in America that we recently saw in the Iranian reformists, for example? Why are there not mass gatherings in Washington DC demanding that the Republicans in Congress and the Democrats both in the White House and the Congressional leadership begin listening to their constituents?
Look, I know that a minority in this country want both a public option for healthcare and a single payer system, but this country was not set up for the majority to be overwhelmed by the minority. In other words, while we listen to the minority voices and take their views into account, those views should not run this nation. Healthcare does need to be reformed so that more people can receive more coverage. But until our elected officials begin to listen to us, nothing will be accomplished.
Unless a third party rises up with a platform based off of the majority of the population’s concerns…
Posted in United States Politics | No Comments »
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
You may remember that in June I posted an entry talking about real student loan forgiveness. In that entry, I asked that you contact your Representative in the House to demand that a ridiculous clause in the public loan forgiveness program be fixed. Here is more information from the folks at IBRinfo:
In addition to lowering monthly student loan payments, IBR forgives any remaining debt — including interest — after 25 years of payments. Most borrowers will pay off their debt before then, but under current law, if there’s anything left after 25 years, the amount forgiven would be taxed as income to the borrower.
A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R.2492, would prevent debt forgiven through IBR from being taxed as income. Loan forgiveness is supposed to wipe the slate clean for responsible borrowers, not create a new financial obligation.
Many of you have already taken action, helping to persuade over 20 Members of Congress to sign on in support of the bill. We need your help to bring more on board! If you haven’t already, please take a moment to urge your representative to support H.R. 2492.
If you are interested in taking action (and I really hope that you DO choose to take action), you can click over to the IBR website and use their pre-formatted web page to send a message to your Representative. Please do so and help fix a bogus loophole in this Bill!
Posted in Student Loans | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
Last April, I posted an entry talking about how taking a year off after high school would be a good way to broaden a young student’s world view. This mindset is something new for America, but it is one that I think could really help some of our younger citizens develop personally. As an adjunct professor and a guy who volunteers as an advisor to young college students around the state, one of the more concerning phenomenons that I’ve witnessed over the last few years is the increasing amount of sheltered young people that our society is producing.
While I understand that the transition from high school to college is literally life-changing, many students are entering college without any ability to live on their own. I see kids who are constantly on the phone with their parents, make daily trips back to their hometowns, and cocoon themselves from any new experiences on campus. To some small degree you have to appreciate why employers don’t want to give these people jobs once they graduate. The ability to think on your own and solve problems as they arise is critical to being successful in today’s world.
Anyway, the point of this entry is how taking a year off between high school and college might have always been a good idea for some students, but it might be a good idea for all students given some pending legislation. As the New York Times reports:
Last month, President Obama proposed what some experts called the most sweeping changes in federal college aid programs in decades. But even if Congress approves the new and expanded programs, they will not take effect until July 2010.
So here is a heretical idea for this year’s high school seniors: Take a year off and go out and do something else. Then, when it is available, see if you can take advantage of that aid money — more fixed-rate student loans and bigger grants to the poorest students.
Brilliant! This is a great idea that has many unintended (or perhaps intended) consequences. First, those who take next year off to develop themselves as human beings will be better prepared for the rigors of college life. Second, colleges will be forced to re-evaluate their expenses and whether or not they offer a valuable service given the realities of today’s market. And last but not least, you have the actual intended effect of the recommendation above – take a year off and wait until more subsidy dollars flow to your educational pursuits.
If coordinated correctly, this idea could initiate a great shift in the higher education system.
Posted in College & Fraternity Life, Student Loans | No Comments »
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