Now that the CFPB has a director, it can legally begin to ensure Americans don't suffer credit card, mortgage, student equity, or home equity abuses. Legally established in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Bill passed in 2010, the CFPB has been without a director, and thus inactive, due to Republican obstructionism.
President Obama had a choice: make this recess appointment or let the CFPB stay inactive. Senate Republicans had already blocked a vote on Cordray, not because of opposition to him but because of their opposition to the CFPB.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn said of his opposition to Cordray: "The vote on a nominee is nothing personal about this individual, it's about the unprecedented power given to another czar, but this is really on steroids."
That's right: Republicans refuse to vote in any director to this completely legal agency. By openly opposing consumer protection, Republicans are proving once more just how deep in the pockets of Wall Street they are.
President Obama is determined to get past the corporatist Republicans.
"President Obama has been saying for months he won't wait around for Congress to get middle-class families and working Americans back on their feet. He'll work with Congress when he can, but if they refuse to act -- he will," the Obama campaign wrote in an email to supporters.
That's exactly what America needs right now: a president who will protect Americans, no matter the tactics of those who want to maintain the status quo.
We all should applaud President Obama's leadership on this issue. He's got the American people behind him - no one in this country wants to be financially abused.
The 2010 financial reform bill created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stem financial abuses on American citizens. Today, the Senate GOP, including Texas' two GOP senators, blocked President Obama's nominee, Richard Cordray, from becoming the first director of the CFPB.
The Texas Democratic Party sent out this statement.
Hutchison and Cornyn Vote against Consumers
TDP spokesperson Anthony Gutierrez released the following statement in response to the vote to block the nomination of Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by Senators Hutchison and Cornyn:
"It's shameful that Senators Hutchison and Cornyn blocked the nomination of Richard Cordray. This is a slap in the face to working Texans. Their vote will leave millions of Texans without protection from predatory lending by banks, student-loan providers and payday lenders.
Every opportunity they get, Republicans make it clear that they are beholden to Wall Street and large corporations."
Without an acting director, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot issue rules to regulate so-called non-bank lenders, which include payday lenders and student loan providers.
A critique to the public concerning trash left behind after visiting Old Pue Road River Access where the Medina River meets West 1604, in South West Bexar County. I was a part of a group of South Side Fisherman who made a plea to Texas Senator Hutchinson concerning the difficulties to access large tracks of land owned by the public such as Niches of Nature created by the construction of bridges;specifically, the 1604 Medina River crossing on the west side of Bexar County also serving the North Side of Atascosa County and West Side Medina County.
There are three high schools in this area, and many of these children never spend time in the outdoors because most land in Texas is privately owned and accessible to only the wealthy few who pay a lower tax rate than anyone else; however, enjoy more Civil Liberties than the Majority of Texans.
Sometimes, encroaching development gives back to community such as the construction of the 1 mile 1604 bridge crossing replacing the Old Pue Road bridge that spans the Medina River on the west side of San Antonio. There are very few places on the South Side of San Antonio area that a family can go and harvest Texas Pecans, Texas Wild Grapes, Fish, Swim, and Hike or just kick back and reflect about the wonders of nature which is my personal passion.
Please consider the next time you visit this area to bring a trash bag with you and remove, not just items you would discard, but some of the trash that others have carelessly left behind. I know the first thing that comes to mind is River access on the North Side of Texas is always in the News and the South Side is forgotten or never mentioned. So I thought I would write something for US!
Why It Concerns Me:
a. Because Barack Obama, the President of The United States of America told me to do so via a general email to all Americans, "There are so many ways to get involved, and every American can do something. You can join me in participating in the National Day of Service by finding a service opportunity in your area on Serve.gov."
Note: I did not like the theme of the uTube video put out by the Sheriffs Association, "The President of the United States cannot tell us what to do." Oh yes he can! We are a Nation Transformed and We The People will not tolerate the insolence of a Police State any longer. You can bet your pay check I have already made that call and reported you treasonous Commies. You are starting to sound like that crazed governor of Texas playing his fiddle while Texas burns!
b. We could lose access to this area if we do not police our own behavior!
c. I am a registered Texas Horned Lizard Watch Volunteer who documents sittings of the famous near extinct Texas Horny Toad for the Texas Wildlife diversity Program 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tracker .
Since 1999, I have seen one Horny Toad on a Texas rural dirt road leading to the famous Chalk Bluff River Side park in Real County Texas.
Citation Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DM07...
d. The rare Guadalupe River Bass, mentioned in Senator Cornyn's article "Celebrating Texas' Great Outdoors" can be found in the waters below the Medina Dam in this area. Warning to fisherman - Catch and release is the only way this species will survive! Citation: http://cornyn.senate.gov/publi...
e. There are 100rds of acres of private land which belongs to the public that is blocked off to the public on the South Side of Town. Why should the State of Texas allow us our liberties to enjoy nature if we do not keep it free from human pollution by discarding our trash anywhere we please?
A group of poverty stricken South Side San Antonio fisherman, as me as their proxy, made a plea to Congressman Ciro Rodrigues via Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison to reopen this Public Area approximately 15 Acers of River, Streams, Pecan Groves, trails, and Texas Wild Grapes.
You're Representatives in Congress and the U.S. Senate responded with a used car parking rail, a trash can, and the construction of a rock wire-mess wall to stop the sand from washing out the bridge.
The protective wire mess wall was designed by the Texas Highway Department in such a way that any healthy person can access the Medina River south of the Medina Dam. We thank you.
I now see children hiking with their parents in those same areas of untouched natural resources with big smiles of adventure as they prove to themselves that there is a forest beyond the tress!
I and other Texans would like to develop some of these areas with profit making concessions that will help preserve Nature and Our Right to enjoy them. Privatizing the concessions of these areas is a stroke to the heart strings of any True Texas Republican.
Tell me, how can I approach the Texas Department of Agriculture if their counter argument is that the People on the South Side of San Antonio have no respect for their natural resources? Hey, that's what they are saying about the People on the North Side - I Know We Can Do Better!
We can start by giving the Park a name such as a green highway sign that reads "The Park With No Name" or if you would like an entrepreneur like me to take ownership and responsibility with no cost to the State of Texas, you can name it after me "O'Dell Park." When you make a citizen of the State the responsible party, he/she takes ownership that will ensure access to Texas Public land and the preservation of Niches in Nature by defending Our Right to enjoy them!
God Blessed Texas with Natural Resources. Please help preserve public lands. The Best Things In Life Are Free!
A few days ago Senator Cornyn sent out a scary email making a series of spurious claims about the health care reform bill now being debated in the Senate. Refuting it point by point here is useless but I would ask a few questions about what he and the rest of the Republican Party are doing to improve the bill.
Senator, why haven't you worked to make certain that the reform bill requires insurers to cover pre-existing conditions and prohibit rescission for any reason? Since you're so certain that competition is the best solution, why haven't you demanded that insurers loose their anti-trust exemption? Since competition is so useful, why haven't you demanded that Americans be allowed the opportunity to purchase lower priced imported medications?
Since you are so concerned about the millions of Texans without insurance coverage why don't you demand that employers either be required to offer insurance coverage to their employees or expand Medicaid to allow low income folks working for companies that don't offer insurance plans to have medical coverage and at the same time also feed, clothe and house their families? The point of health insurance is to spread the risk so that no one looses their home or life over huge medical bills because we all share in the cost, why haven't you worked to force insurers to use community rating rather than allowing them to rate individuals so that people with medical problems can find affordable insurance?
While Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, complain about the Obama administration and Democratic controlled Congress spending on the stimulus, the budget and potentially on health care reform their votes in favor of building seven more F-22 fighters for $1.75 billion are hypocritical in the extreme. Republicans including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Senators John McCain and John Kyl among others agreed that the F-22 was unnecessary and an inappropriate expenditure. Fortunately the vote to kill the F-22 was truly bi-partisan with 42 Democrats, 15 Republicans and 1 independent; unlike some other legislation lately which had only token Republican support.
Our senators claim to make their votes based on what's good for Texas and the country but how is building a cold war era fighter that can't be flown near an aircraft carrier and hasn't been used in combat over Baghdad because its super-sensitive electronics can't deal with the mass of radio signals good for the country?
I've heard some Republicans say they voted for the F-22 to save jobs; but their party generally claims, quite loudly, that government spending doesn't create jobs, so which is it? There are plenty of worthwhile projects that $1,750,000,000 could fund including bridge repairs, building schools, green energy and energy efficiency projects that would pay dividends for all of us for years to come.
If you believe that the "public option" must be included in health care reform then you can make your voice heard to Senator John Cornyn by joining us at his office at the corner of Navarro and Houston at 10am on Thursday, July 23. We are looking for several organizations to participate in this rally for a robust "public option". Last week's event brought out the press from 4 TV stations, a couple of radio stations and the SA Express News. Now is the time to keep the pressure on. Help us double the crowd and spread the word by inviting your friends.
If you are the member of a larger organization who would like to join us, please contact Angie Drake at 210-875-6612 or angiedrake@hotmail.com.
*** Bus Departs Kerrville, 10:30, WalMart off the Junction Hwy, July 9th, 2009***
*** Comal County - carpool from 2850 Bunker St, New Braunfels, 78132. For more information, please contact Rob Ragels at robragels@aol.com
*** Guadalupe County - carpool from the park-and-ride lot across from McDonald's on IH10 at SH46. For more information, please contact Alicia Helton, arhelton@satx.rr.com, 830-401-4231
*** Rally Begins at 3133 General Hudnell Drive at 11:30, July 9th, 2009***
America in crisis and 80% of Americans supporting President Obama's Jobs and Stimulus Bill and millions of Texans who supported this legislation had absolutely NO support.
Senators Kay Hutchison and John Cornyn along with U. S. Representatives from Texas voted against helping average Texans when they opposed the bailout; they opposed helping Texans who are hurting and who are in trouble. Their actions are the epitome of irresponsibility:
Hey y'all, I just wanted to point out to anyone who hasn't already noticed that Daily Kos has put Rick Noriega among 3 other worthy candidates up on their Hell to Pay nominations for Friday. For anyone here who is registered over at Kos, I recommend clicking on over there and making your opinion felt, whether you vote for Noriega or someone else like Seals (IL-10), Garcia (FL-25) or Lord (AZ-03).
Currently, Noriega's trails only by 104 votes (1913 for him vs. 2017 for Seals). It'd be nice to get Noriega a little more momentum going into the home stretch against Cornyn, especially given the worsening political environment for Republican incumbents right now and the possibility of the race getting more competitive as Texans realize the disaster of the last 8 years. But even if you prefer another candidate, get on over there and help channel the energy of the blogosphere with your vote.
Got my latest e-mail from the Cornyn campaign [Edited for clarity]:
Rick Noriega and his trial lawyer friends are rolling out the red carpet tonight for Barack Obama.
The AP reports Obama "heads to Houston for two high-dollar private fundraisers."
One event host is mega-trial lawyer, and close confidante of Rick Noriega, Richard Mithoff who held a fundraiser for Noriega just last month.
Noriega is sure to be there, pledging his undying devotion to the most liberal member of the United States Senate.
Please click here now to donate to [Rick Noriega], a real representative of Texas values.
It will send a loud and clear message to Rick Noriega and all his deep-pocketed liberal buddies...Texas [needs change]!
But as fun as my "edits for clarity" might have been, I'd like to get serious for a moment about Barack Obama being "the most liberal member of the United States Senate."
The Political Compass is a site which offers a test that will put you on a grid, from left (economically liberal, in today's parlance) to right (economically conservative, in today's parlance), and from authoritarian to libertarian. They have also, for the last few election cycles, generated results for our US candidates.
As you can see, in our system, our major party candidates don't go from "left" to "right." They go from "center right" to "far right." Except for Dennis Kucinich.
So until the Democratic party nominates Kucinich, let's just give this tired old saw about our "liberal" candidates a rest, shall we?
