Politics

Congress Links

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

Lots of news on the foreclosure fraud crisis and that bill passed by Congress last week that could have made it harder for homeowners to fight unjust foreclosure. Also, new jobs numbers are out, and they’re not good. Also, what happens to the EPA’s authority to regulate carbon emissions if the Republicans take over Congress next year? That and more in today’s round-up of links on Congress.

• Mike Konczal comes to the rescue with Foreclosure Fraud for dummies. Essential reading. (Rorty Bomb)
• Also, don’t miss John Stewart’s smart take on the foreclosure fraud crisis and the notarization bill Obama pocket-vetoed yesterday. “You know, it’s crazy when getting us back to square one feels like a victory.”(The Daily Show)
• Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy [D, VT] gives his side of the story on why the notarization bill was called up last week. (Huffington Post)
• Mike Lux on the veto of the interstate notarization bill. “But then, that most delightful and rare of Washington moments happened: the system worked.” (Huffington Post)
• In case you hadn’t heard already, Bank of America is joining GMAC and Chase in halting foreclosures until the fraudulent document mess is sorted out. The BofA freeze is effective in all 50 states. (CNN Money)
• Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [D, NV] is calling on all other mortgage lenders to follow Bank of America in putting a freeze on foreclosures nationwide. (Washington Post)
• With Summers gone, Geithner is poised to gain even more influence over economic policy at the White House. (L.A. Times)
• The government released a pretty dismal jobs report this morning, which caused the stock markets to rally. The hope the bad news means more cheap money from the Fed. (Washington Post)
• Robert Reich on campaign finance post-Citizens United: “According to FEC data, only 32 percent of groups paying for election ads are disclosing the names of their donors. By comparison, in the 2006 midterm, 97 percent disclosed; in 2008, almost half disclosed.” (Huffington Post)
• The EPA holds the power to regulate carbon emissions, but Congress holds the purse strings that determine whether or not the EPA can operate. “If Republicans take control of the House of Representatives, they likely would try to stop EPA regulation of carbon by explicitly banning the use of EPA funds to administer such regulations.” (Reuters)
• Among the bills waiting on Obama’s desk right now for a signature is the Corey Shea Act, which would allow parents of fallen soldiers to be buried near their children at national cemeteries. (WCVB Boston)

Full post as published by Open Congress on October 09, 2010 (boomark / email).