Harry Reid is Caving in Again. This Time on the Bankruptcy Bill. Lobbyists Still Control Washington!

The United States Senate is now debating the bankruptcy bill that has been passed by the House of Representatives. Senate majority leader Harry Reid is again caving in to Republicans who are threatening to filibuster and prevent voting. Harry Reid needs to be replaced by someone who has the courage to take a stand and stick to it! I can honestly say that the Republicans have repeatedly denounced the Democrats for filibustering. If they did not like it then why do they try it now? They do it because they can and we let them get away with it!
The holdup is because the House bill includes giving bankruptcy judges the ability to lower a person’s mortgage payments under bankruptcy. Unfortunately it is called cram down which certainly gives it a poor connotation. But let’s face it, it is the bank lobbyists that are putting pressure on Republicans to remove that from the bill.
I have called both Senator Susan Collins’ office and Senator Olympia Snowe’s office to find out how they are voting. Both offices told me that the Senator has not released a public statement. I asked when they might be so inclined to let the people know how they might vote so we could be prepared for that. I was told that they would be happy to notify me in writing. I told them not to bother as it take 6-8 weeks to get a response and by then it would be too late to do anything.
I also asked if they would be part of the filibuster process to prevent this from coming to a vote. Collins office told me she rarely participates in filibusters and Snowe’s office said the Senator has not made a public statement.
I also asked if the Senators even got the comments from people who call in. Of course I was told that they carefully consider them. To be honest I have my doubts about that. I was very open about my feelings that this bill needs to be passed and that it is time for Congress to stop listening to the lobbyists that represent the banking industry which got us into this mess in the first place and to begin listening to the people and thinking about the people who are being hurt the most by this economic crisis.
I also asked what their positions are on the confirmation of Dawn Johnsen to head the Office of Legal Counsel and was again told that they have not released a public statement. While the Republicans have been critical of Johnsen, in an article on Huffington Post dated April 22, 2009, Neil Kinkopf, Professor at Georgia State University of Law refuted each point in the criticisms of Johnsen by stating facts about her opinions and ended his article with this quote,” Dawn Johnsen is an outstanding choice to lead the Office of Legal Counsel. It is not surprising that her critics have resorted to basing their arguments on fiction. We can only hope the Senate will see through this and quickly move to confirm her nomination.” His article can be read at the following site http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neil-kinkopf/correcting-the-record-on_b_190009.html.
I also mentioned that I was very disappointed that the Obama nominations were being held up and that most of the people who are delaying these nominations could not pass the vetting process or the confirmation process themselves.
So I have done it again! Sometimes I wonder how much effect one person can have and think I am crazy to keep trying but I know that if everyone raised their voices we could see change. So I will keep on trying as it is not an option for me to keep silent when so much is at stake.