WATCH:
President's Weekly Address

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

President Obama Establishes Bipartisan National Commission

on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling

Names Former Two-Term Florida Governor and Former Senator Bob Graham and Former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly as Commission Co-Chairs

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Obama announced that he has signed an executive order establishing the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling with former two-term Florida Governor and former Senator Bob Graham and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly serving as co-chairs.

The bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling.

· The commission will be focused on the necessary environmental and safety precautions we must build into our regulatory framework in order to ensure an accident like this never happens again, taking into account the other investigations concerning the causes of the spill.

· The commission will have bipartisan co-chairs with a total membership of seven people. Membership will include broad and diverse representation of individuals with relevant expertise. No sitting government employees or elected officials will sit on the commission.

· The Commission’s work will be transparent and subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Commission will issue a report within six months of having been convened.

President Obama named the following individuals as Co-Chairs of National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling:

Senator Bob Graham is the former two–term governor of Florida and served for 18 years in the United States Senate. Senator Graham is recognized for his leadership on issues ranging from healthcare and environmental preservation to his ten years of service on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence — including eighteen months as chairman in 2001–2002. After retiring from public life in January 2005, Senator Graham served for a year as a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. From May 2008 to February 2010, he served as Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism whose mandate was to build on the work of the 9/11 Commission. Senator Graham was also appointed to serve as a Commissioner on the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, established by Congress to examine the global and domestic causes of the recent financial crisis. The Commission will provide its findings and conclusions in a final report due to Congress on December 15, 2010. He also serves as a member of the CIA External Advisory Board and the chair of the Board of Overseers of the Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. Senator Graham has been recognized by national and Florida organizations for his public service including The Woodrow Wilson Institute award for Public Service, The National Park Trust Public Service award and The Everglades Coalition Hall of Fame. Senator Graham earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida and an LLB from Harvard Law School. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of public service from his alma mater, the University of Florida, and honorary doctorates from Pomona College and Nova Southeastern University.

William K. Reilly is a Founding Partner of Aqua International Partners, LP, a private equity fund dedicated to investing in companies engaged in water and renewable energy, and a Senior Advisor to TPG Capital, LP, an international investment partnership. Mr. Reilly served as the first Payne Visiting Professor at Stanford University (1993-1994), Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1989-1993), president of the World Wildlife Fund (1985-1989), president of The Conservation Foundation (1973-1989), and director of the Rockefeller Task Force on Land Use and Urban Growth from (1972-1973). He also served as the head of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Earth Summit at Rio in 1992. Mr. Reilly is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the World Wildlife Fund, Co-Chair of the National Commission on Energy Policy, Chairman of the Board of the ClimateWorks Foundation, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, and a Director of the Packard Foundation and the National Geographic Society and a member of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force. He also serves on the Board of Directors of DuPont, ConocoPhillips, Royal Caribbean International and Energy Future Holdings, for which he serves as Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Advisory Board. In 2007 Mr. Reilly was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He holds a B.A. degree from Yale, J.D. from Harvard and M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia University.

WATCH ADDRESS:

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WATCH:

And The GOP RACISM
Just Keeps Coming !

PATHETIC ! First, right-wingers unconstitutionally legalize racial profiling in Arizona...now, tea party candidate/wonder boy Rand Paul states he wishes the Civil Rights Act would have ALLOWED private businesses to discriminate ! Wondering how much it will take before the media asks the common sense question....."Does THIS Spell DOOM for the GOP ?"...like they ALWAYS do re: The President/Dems.

WATCH: Rand Paul shares his Civil Rights Act views. Sad part is he doesn't seem to have a clue of exactly how racist he is.

Time For All Races To UNITE...
Take Back Our Country...
From THE RACIST GOP !

RELATED: Watch Rand Paul on Rachel Maddow
Supporting The RIGHT To Discriminate !



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Statement by The President on the
Passing of Lena Horne

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Lena Horne – one of our nation’s most cherished entertainers. Over the years, she warmed the hearts of countless Americans with her beautiful voice and dramatic performances on screen. From the time her grandmother signed her up for an NAACP membership as a child, she worked tirelessly to further the cause of justice and equality. In 1940, she became the first African American performer to tour with an all white band. And while entertaining soldiers during World War II, she refused to perform for segregated audiences – a principled struggle she continued well after the troops returned home. Michelle and I offer our condolences to all those who knew and loved Lena , and we join all Americans in appreciating the joy she brought to our lives and the progress she forged for our country.

LENA HORNE

A True Queen
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BREAKING NEWS !

President Obama Picks
KAGAN For Supreme Court !

President Obama will select Solicitor General Elena Kagan as the Supreme Court nominee to replace the retiring John Paul Stevens, a legal source close to the process told CNN Sunday evening.

The nomination is expected to be announced Monday at 11 a.m. ET, another source familiar with the process said.

Kagan, 50, a New York native, was widely reported to be the front runner for the nomination. She was a finalist for the high court vacancy last year when Justice Sonia Sotomayor was selected to replace the retiring David Souter.

Kagan would be the third woman on the nine-justice bench if confirmed.

Read more about Kagan

READ/SHARE: Counter-Points to anticipated right-wing anti Kagan spin

Be Prepared:
Non-Stop 'Noise' Ahead !

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WATCH:

WEEKLY ADDRESS:
President Obama Praises the Benefits and
Successes of Health Reform Already in Effect

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama highlighted the ways in which health reform is already holding insurance companies more accountable and giving consumers more control. Implementing everything in the new law will not happen overnight. But already, consumers are getting a break from unfair rate hikes and insurance companies will no longer drop coverage for people when the get sick. Four million small businesses have been notified that they could be eligible for a health care tax cut this year. Retirees will soon receive help if they fall into the prescription drug “donut hole.” And, young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ plan until they are 26 years old.

YES WE DID !

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PROTESTS MOUNT
Against Arizona's New Law
Legalizing Racial Profiling

Phoenix Suns Protest Arizona Law
With " Los Suns " Jerseys

The Phoenix Suns are pulling off a wardrobe alteration to protest Arizona's immigration law and celebrate Cinco de Mayo. For tonight's game against the San Antonio Spurs, the team's jerseys will read "Los Suns." Often professional athletes try to avoid divisive politics but apparently much of the team (including star point guard Steve Nash) is behind the uniforms.
(Read More/video)

Arizona Immigration Lawsuits:
Tucson, Flagstaff City Councils Vote to SUE

The Tucson and Flagstaff city councils voted Tuesday to sue Arizona over its tough new immigration law, citing concerns about enforcement costs and negative effects on the state's tourism industry.

They are the first municipalities in Arizona to approve legal challenges to the law. Earlier this week, proposed litigation in Phoenix took a hit when the city attorney said Mayor Phil Gordon lacks the authority to file suit without the support of the City Council. (Read More)

Rev. Al Sharpton, Actor Danny Glover, Phoenix Mayor
Lead Arizona Protest: Thousands March


Protesters led by Rev. Al Sharpton marched to the Arizona State Capitol on the evening of Cinco de Mayo.

They participated in a candlelight vigil to protest Arizona's new immigration law. It appears to be the largest protest residents have seen since Gov. Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070.

Rev. Sharpton told the crowd, “When you mess with our people, whether brown, white or black, it is my business!” (Read More/video)

We Must UNITE
for What Is RIGHT !

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WATCH:
President Cracks Major Jokes at
White House Correspondents Dinner

President Obama and Jay Leno trade jokes at the 2010 White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.

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MAJOR Rallies scheduled TODAY in 70 cities to FIGHT AGAINST the unjust, un-constitutional new Arizona Law LEGALIZING RACISM, racial profiling and detainment.

Organizers Expect up to 100,000 in L.A. Protest

Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to take to downtown streets Saturday to call for immigration reform and protest Arizona's new immigration rules.

Immigrant rights activists hope the controversial law, which requires law enforcement officers to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally, will draw record-breaking crowds.

Organizers are predicting that 100,000 people will turn out but police estimate the crowd will be more like 60,000.

The message of the rally "is a collective and resounding 'No' to Arizona's law," said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, one of the event's 45 sponsors.

Activists fear that without federal legislation in place to address the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S., other states will follow Arizona's lead and pass similar legislation.

For the first time, organizers paid to advertise in Spanish-language media, he said. They also printed 500 red and yellow signs that read, "Todos Somos Arizona," which means, "We are all Arizona."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa backed a boycott of Arizona and has urged Southern Californians to join the march. California legislators have mulled canceling contracts with Arizona in protest.

In 2007 at an immigration march in MacArthur Park, police officers pummeled marchers and reporters with batons and shot rubber bullets into the crowd. Dozens of protesters and journalists were injured as officers cleared the park.

Police experts blamed poor communication and a command meltdown for the embarrassing incident that cost the city more than $13 million in lawsuits.

A department report also found officers let agitators who were throwing rocks and bottles remain in the crowd before declaring the entire demonstration unlawful and clearing the area.

Police were retrained on crowd control, forming skirmish lines, using batons in a crowd, and using extraction teams to identify and arrest violent demonstrators.

May Day rallies are scheduled for Westwood, MacArthur Park and downtown where the marches will end at City Hall and Pershing Square.

Several streets will be closed and bus lines are expected to be disrupted for most of the day. Closures include:

* Broadway between First and Temple streets closed by 5:45 a.m., expected to reopen by 6 p.m.
* Street closures expected in the area bounded by Cesar Chavez Avenue and Pico Boulevard, between Alameda and Hoover Streets
* DASH service to be disrupted
* Metro bus lines to be disrupted include: 2, 4, 10, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28, 30, 31, 40, 42, 45, 48, 51, 52, 53, 55, 60, 62, 66, 68, 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 81, 83, 84, 90, 91, 92, 94, 96, 439, 445, 460, 485, 487, 720, 740, 745, 760, 770, 794 and 910
* A rally in Westwood will also impact bus lines 2, 20, 720 and 761 between 6 and 10 p.m.
(L.A. News)

RELATED ARTICLE:
Guide to Anti-Arizona Racist Law Protests...where-what time

We MUST FIGHT
for what is RIGHT...
Through UNITY !

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Remembering Dr. Dorothy Height

WATCH: President Obama delivers the eulogy at a memorial service for Dr. Dorothy Height, saying that the inspirational civil rights leader who died last week at the age of 98 deserves a place of honor in Americas memory. April 29, 2010.

We Will Forever Honor & Remember

Dr. Dorothy Irene Height
" The Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement "

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The Immigration Reform Battle Has

OFFICIALLY BEGUN !

Statement by the President on Senate Proposal

Outlined Today to Fix Our Nation’s Broken Immigration System

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

“It is the federal government's responsibility to enforce the law and secure our borders, as well as to set clear rules and priorities for future immigration. The continued failure of the federal government to fix the broken immigration system will leave the door open to a patchwork of actions at the state and local level that are inconsistent and as we have seen recently, often misguided.

The proposal outlined today in the Senate is a very important step in the process of fixing our nation’s broken immigration system. I am especially pleased to see that this detailed outline is consistent with the bipartisan framework presented by Senators Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham last month, and is grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability.

What has become increasingly clear is that we can no longer wait to fix our broken immigration system, which Democrats and Republicans alike agree doesn’t work. It’s unacceptable to have 11 million people in the United States who are living here illegally and outside of the system. I have repeatedly said that there are some essential components that must be in immigration legislation. It must call for stronger border security measures, tougher penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants and clearer rules for controlling future immigration. And it must require those who are here illegally to get right with the law, pay penalties and taxes, learn English, pass criminal background checks and admit responsibility before they are allowed to get in line and eventually earn citizenship. The outline presented today includes many of these elements. The next critical step is to iron out the details of a bill. We welcome that discussion, and my Administration will play an active role in engaging partners on both sides of the aisle to work toward a bipartisan solution that is based on the fundamental concept of accountability that the American people expect and deserve.”

###

CLICK HERE: To read summary of Democratic Draft of Immigration Bill which Emphasizes Border Security

Be Prepared...

The Battle Is ON !

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READ THE BILL:
Arizona's SB 1070
Racial Profiling Bill Here:

Want to know what a Bill looks like
legalizing racial profiling ?
Well here it is.

CLICK HERE TO READ ARIZONA'S
LEGALIZATION OF RACISM BILL

Now the new strategy of the ignorant, racist creators/supporters of this unconstitutional Arizona law is to claim (outright lie) that the law does not promote the act of racial profiling, or that they can't use race or ethnicity alone. That's because they hope no one will actually read the bill for themselves ! Just one simple glance at the bill and you'll see that it...Allows people to be arrested/detained for LOOKING like illegal immigrants...No age restrictions therefore CHILDREN can be targeted...Allows people to be arrested/detained for just nodding their heads that they want a job...or even YOU, an obvious American, can be penalized, accused of harboring if an 'illegal' gets in YOUR car, home, church, etc....also allows people to sue law enforcement for NOT racial profiling enough...
and MUCH more absolute craziness. Read and Share The Truth.
Republicans are becoming an
embarrassment to America.

RELATED ARTICLE:
Arizona truck driver born in America stopped,
detained just for LOOKING ILLEGAL !

This MUST Be Stopped
Through UNITY !
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JUST IN:
Arizona Sheriff Clarence Dupnik REFUSES to ENFORCE
Arizona's new law legalizing RACIST PROFILING.

Calls new law..." National Embarrassment "...
says law racist, disgusting and will result in
MULTITUDE OF LAWSUITS !!!

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of Pima County in Arizona has taken aim at the state's new immigration law, calling it 'abominable' and 'a national embarrassment'. He says he has no intention of complying with it, reported ABC News .

The bill , signed last week by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, would make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It would also require local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is ' reasonable suspicion ' to believe they are illegal immigrants.

The law immediately sparked a firestorm of controversy, bringing criticism from the likes of the ACLU and Cardinal Roger Mahoney. Even President Obama weighed in, instructing the justice department to examine the bill to see if it's legal.

Sheriff Dupnik claims the bill is unconstitutional and doesn't think it will be implemented after it is scrutinized by the legal system, reported KGUN-TV . He says he will not enforce the law, but will continue to do what his department has always been doing: hand illegal immigrants over to the border patrol. He goes on to say that if his officers had to detain the immigrants themselves, it would overburden the Pima County jail system and cost the county taxpayers an enormous amount of money.

He tells ABC News : "If we go out and look for illegal immigrants, they accuse us of racial profiling and we can get sued. And if some citizen doesn't think we're enforcing the state law, they can sue us, too."

The governor's officer responded to Dupnik's statements, saying: "Racial profiling is specifically written in the state law to be illegal" and "It seems misguided to be angry or react negatively about this bill."

At least nine sheriffs have come out in support of the law, including Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeau, who told MyFox Phoenix : "We can do this without racially profiling … If we find that officers violate this, they will be held to account and in fact they will be fired and they will be charged themselves."

The bill continues to divide the country. Senator John McCain supports it, telling Fox News that the southern border in Arizona is broken. But Karl Rove has come out against the law, saying to CBS News : "I think there is going to be some constitutional problems with the bill."

We Must Fight Through UNITY
For What Is RIGHT !

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Eric Holder/Federal Government Considering Challenging Arizona's Racist New Law

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano were critical Tuesday of Arizona's new law on immigration and Holder said the federal government may challenge it.

Napolitano said the new state law could siphon federal money and staff from hunting down dangerous immigrants.

The critical comments by the nation's top law enforcement official and the Cabinet secretary responsible for preventing terrorist attacks on U.S. soil came four days after Arizona's governor signed a law designed to crack down on illegal aliens.

Arizona's new law is subject to potential abuse, Holder told a news conference. The law – which takes effect this summer – allows police to question anyone about their immigration status if they have reason to suspect they are in the country illegally, and makes it a state crime if they are.

The Justice Department and the Homeland Security Department are reviewing the state law.

A number of options are under consideration including "the possibility of a court challenge," Holder said in response to questions on the Arizona law posed during a news conference on another topic.

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Napolitano said the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement fears it will have to use its stretched resources to deal with those arrested under Arizona's new law.

"We have some deep concerns with the law .. it will detract from and siphon resources that we need to concentrate on those in the country illegally, those who have committed the most serious crimes," Napolitano said.

President Barack Obama has instructed the Justice Department to examine the Arizona law that he said last week threatens to "undermine basic notions of fairness." He also is pressing anew for national immigration legislation, saying, "If we continue to fail to act at a federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts opening up around the country." (huffPo)

We MUST Unite...Black, White, Red, Brown and ALL...to FIGHT AGAINST Arizona's unconstitutional "Legalization of Racism Act ".

Republicans should be ASHAMED !!!

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President Orders Department of Justice to Challenge

Arizona Immigration Law

Judicial Watch.org

The ink is barely dry on Arizona’s new immigration control law and President Obama has already threatened to take legal action against the measure even though it was adopted from the federal statute that’s rarely enforced.

Amid huge protests and cries of racism from the open-borders movement, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the law (SB1070) that bans “sanctuary city” policies and makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. without proper documentation. Some federal and state lawmakers claim the measure amounts to institutionalized discrimination and abuse that will lead to the arrest of seniors, kids and tourists.

Obama, who tried pressuring Brewer into vetoing the “misguided” law, assures that it threatens civil rights and undermines basic notions of fairness and trust between police and their communities. The commander-in-chief has ordered the Department of Justice to challenge its legality and vows to “closely monitor the situation” and examine the legislation’s civil rights implications.

The law marks an unprecedented effort by a state to take immigration matters into its own hands since immigration offenses are currently violations of federal law that cannot be enforced by local police. But lawmakers in Arizona are fed up with the enormous toll that hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens are having on their state as the feds sit idly by and fail to secure the southern border.

When the measure goes into effect later this year illegal aliens will be charged in state court with trespassing and anyone—documented or undocumented—seeking work from a road or sidewalk will also be criminally prosecuted. Drivers who pick up illegal alien day laborers will also be punished and all residents must provide evidence of their legal status in the U.S.

When Brewer signed the law last week she pointed out that the new state crime of willful failure to complete or carry an alien registration document was adopted verbatim from the federal statute. Furthermore, it will be implemented in a manner consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and immunities of the United States, the governor said.

“We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act,” Brewer said during a signing ceremony. “But decades of federal inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.” She added that the new law represents a much-needed tool to solve a crisis the state did not create and the federal government refuses to fix.

Together...

We WILL Make The Difference !

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B4B Photo of the Week !


Be Inspired...Be Informed...Be Involved...
Be In UNITY !!!

There's MUCH Work Ahead !

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PATHETIC !
Arizona Governor Signs Law Legalizing

RACIAL PROFILING !

WATCH: President Obama Responds

HuffPo

PHOENIX — Gov. Jan Brewer ignored criticism from President Barack Obama on Friday and signed into law a bill supporters said would take handcuffs off police in dealing with illegal immigration in Arizona, the nation's gateway for human and drug smuggling. (read Gov's full statement here)

With hundreds of protesters outside the state Capitol shouting that the bill would lead to civil rights abuses, Brewer said critics were "overreacting" and that she wouldn't tolerate racial profiling.

"We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act," Brewer said after signing the law. "But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation."

Earlier Friday, Obama called the Arizona bill "misguided" and instructed the Justice Department to examine it to see if it's legal. He also said the federal government must enact immigration reform at the national level – or leave the door open to "irresponsibility by others."

"That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe," Obama said.

The legislation, sent to the Republican governor by the GOP-led Legislature, makes it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It also requires local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants, allows lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws, and make it illegal to hire illegal immigrants for day labor or knowingly transport them.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund said it plans a legal challenge to the law, arguing it "launches Arizona into a spiral of pervasive fear, community distrust, increased crime and costly litigation, with nationwide repercussions."

Brewer ordered the state's law enforcement licensing agency to develop a training course on how to implement the law while respecting civil rights.

The bill will take effect in late July or early August. (read rest of article)

WATCH:

B4B Note: The Immigration Reform Battle has Officially Begun. And what's PATHETIC is the right-wing has the nerve to imply or spin that this bill is not about race or profiling...when in fact, that is EXACTLY what it is about. (The bill is titled the " Senate Bill 1070, Support Our Law Enforcement Act ") It is also being reported that The President will work toward striking down this unjust, racist law...which will surely bring the " Hatriots " out in full force !
BE PREPARED...and UNITE for CIVIL RIGHTS !!!

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New Sheriff In Town !


WATCH:
President Goes to Wall Street to
Fight for Financial Reform

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

President Obama...
Getting It Done !

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President's Civil Rights Division
Finds Lenders
GUILTY of Loan Discrimination
African-Americans charged higher fees than whites

By Kenneth Harney

Washington Post Writers Group

WASHINGTON —

A new Obama administration get-tough policy on home-mortgage discrimination is drawing kudos from consumer advocates, along with expressions of serious concern from lawyers who represent lenders and brokers.

In a settlement last month with two subsidiaries of ailing insurance giant American International Group Inc., the Justice Department took aim at one of the most controversial practices of the housing boom years: National subprime mortgage lenders originated billions of dollars in high interest rate loans through local brokers who sometimes hit African-American and other minority applicants with excessive loan charges.

Mortgages extended to African-Americans often carried higher fees than paid by white subprime applicants — even when the borrowers’ credit profiles and other factors were roughly the same. But did these disparities in fees open those lenders who purchased the loans from local brokers to legal attack?

Weren’t the higher fees solely the result of predatory pricing by individual brokers operating independently of their wholesale lenders? If a broker charged African-Americans higher fees than whites, wasn’t this violation of fair lending laws on the broker’s shoulders?

In the millions

The Obama administration gave a resounding answer to that question: No! The consent order requires AIG’s subsidiaries to pay $6.1 million to roughly 2,500 African-American borrowers, or an average of $2,300 in cash restitution for overcharges per loan.

The companies are also required to spend at least $1 million on consumer financial education programs. None of the firms admitted wrongdoing as part of the settlement. AIG Federal Savings Bank and Wilmington Finance Inc. no longer are involved in the wholesale mortgage market. AIG took a $182 billion bailout from the federal government in 2008, and is in the process of reorganizing its business activities. No individual mortgage brokers were cited in the case.

The core message here, according to Justice Department officials: Lenders who use independent brokers to originate mortgages cannot ignore what those brokers are doing to their minority customers. They will be held responsible for civil rights violations because they should have been monitoring their broker networks for signs of discriminatory pricing — which should be detectable by examining loan packages and performing statistical analyses.

Contributing factor

Thomas E. Perez, an assistant attorney general, said “discriminatory practices by lenders, brokers and other players contributed to our nation’s housing crisis and economic meltdown. Lenders who looked the other way and ignored the discriminatory practices of brokers must be held accountable.”

Perez warned that many other lenders who use broker networks could also be vulnerable to legal actions.

Community groups and civil rights advocates hailed the settlement as a huge step forward. “It’s a new day for borrowers,” said David Berenbaum, chief program officer for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. “Borrowers should see fewer backdoor pricing abuses” — especially the bloated fees, interest rates and unequal underwriting standards that were commonplace during the housing boom years.

Harm down the road

But some mortgage industry groups and lawyers who specialize in financial issues disagree. They argue that holding giant wholesale lenders responsible for illegal acts they did not themselves directly commit not only is unfair but will do long-term harm to all borrowers.

Roy DeLoach, CEO of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, said “we absolutely oppose discrimination in any form. But we think the government’s target should be the persons who actually do the discriminating” — in this case, individual, local brokers — not the lenders who acquired the loans with no knowledge of the discriminatory fees.

DeLoach argues that the administration’s approach will discourage some lenders from dealing with brokers in general, thereby reducing competition in the marketplace, especially areas with significant minority populations.

“There will be less choice for borrowers” with fewer brokers active in the market competing for business. “That inevitably means higher rates and worse terms” because just a handful of big banks will dominate the mortgage business, DeLoach said.

Paul F. Hancock, a partner with the law firm K&L Gates who served for 20 years in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and was a deputy attorney general in Florida, says the AIG settlement “is really stretching the law, maybe even going beyond the law” by holding lenders responsible for the actions of independent brokers.

Hancock, who specializes in advising financial institutions, adds that “there is no case law” supporting the administration’s “aggressive” position. But it may prevail because “nobody wants to fight the government.”

Bottom line for consumers: Look for more fair lending settlements, more financial restitutions, and much closer supervision of loan officers -- whether they’re on lenders’ staffs or independent brokers -- to ensure that every mortgage applicant gets equal treatment.

Ken Harney’s e-mail address is kenharney(at)earthlink.net.

President Obama...
Fighting for ALL The People !

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WATCH: President's Weekly Address
Holding Wall Street Accountable

While the Repubs are fighting to allow the continuation of loopholes and shady deregulation-which lead to the near total economic collapse of America under Bush-The President declares...there's a new sheriff in town !

(WHITE HOUSE) The strongest consumer protections ever. Bringing transparency to financial dealings. Closing loopholes to stop recklessness and irresponsibility. Holding Wall Street accountable and giving shareholders new power in the financial system. President Obama lays out what Wall Street Reform is about, and questions whether opposition from the Senate Republican Leader might have something to do with his recent meeting with Wall Street executives.

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Goldman Sachs' FRAUD Explained:
How They Pulled Off The Alleged Scheme

Excellent quick breakdown of one of the biggest frauds in U.S. history...which helped lead to the U.S. economic collapse...under George W. Bush.

ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL !
THIS is the kind of mess (corruption) that President Obama stepped into and is working diligently to clean up...while the corrupt work diligently to obstruct.

From HuffPo

In 2007 Goldman Sachs created what is known as a "synthetic collateralized debt obligation," or CDO, called "ABACUS 2007-AC1," which we'll call Abacus. It was one of many.

Goldman invited its clients to invest in Abacus, explaining in marketing materials that the $2 billion CDO was based on 90 bonds derived from subprime mortgage loans made over the previous 18 months.

If people whose mortgages make up the bonds in Abacus keep up with their house payments, then folks who invest in Abacus -- typically banks, insurance companies, and pension fund managers -- will make money.

The financial industry jargon for those investors' position is that they are "long." They're optimistic that the underlying borrowers won't default.

To Continue: CLICK HERE
Then read synopsis under each of 6 photos for quick summary

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WATCH: President Obama Supporters
Storm Tea Party Demonstration

From HuffPo: The Tea Partiers are being countered by a start-up group called "The Other 95%," which descended on D.C. on Thursday to protest "right across from Tea Party rally."

WATCH:



"Obama passed 25 separate tax cuts," Sheryl Stein, founding member of "The Other 95%" said in a statement announcing the group's plans, "including $300 billion in middle class tax cuts -- one of the largest in history - as part of the stimulus package. Unlike President Bush's 2001 tax cuts, which went to the wealthiest 2.2%, President Obama's tax cuts overwhelmingly benefit working and middle class families -- in fact, 95% of all Americans."

I Like Their Style !

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B4B Thought Of The Day !


Disgusting how our " liberal media " (yea...right) focuses and spotlights non-stop on any and ALL dissent against President Obama...but never, EVER showed any dissent against the Bush Regime...particularly the voices against the illegal, unjust invasion of Iraq...of which there were MANY unreported marches and rallies against. If the media had...thousands of lives would have been saved...not to mention the BILLIONS of dollars. Proves how the media manipulates by what they DO report...

and what they DON'T. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC !

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FIRST LADY IN HAITI !

Makes Unannounced Visit

HuffPo

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — First lady Michelle Obama made a surprise visit Tuesday to the ruins of the Haitian capital, a high-profile reminder that hundreds of thousands of people remain in desperate straits three months after the devastating earthquake.

The first lady and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, took a helicopter tour of Port-au-Prince, where hundreds of thousands of people are still homeless because of the quake, before landing at the destroyed national palace to meet President Rene Preval. They later met with students whose lives have been upended by the disaster and walked along a vast, squalid encampment of families living under bed sheets and tents.

"It's powerful," Obama told reporters. "The devastation is definitely powerful."

A number of past and present world leaders have visited since the earthquake, including former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. But few have the star power here of the American first lady, whose husband is widely popular in Haiti and throughout the Caribbean.

The U.S. government historically has had a troubled relationship with Haiti, occupying the country for nearly two decades early in the 20th century and later backing brutal dictators, but many Haitians are grateful for the aid and security that the U.S. has provided since the earthquake.


The U.S. has provided nearly $1 billion in humanitarian aid and pledged more than $1 billion in additional aid to the impoverished country.

Obama and Biden's visit is intended to underscore U.S. commitment to the Haitian reconstruction effort and to thank American officials who have worked in the country for the past three months, the administration said in a statement.

Obama smiled and waved her way through the wrecked center of Haiti's capital.

After greeting Preval with a kiss at the crushed national palace, she set off with Biden and Haiti's first lady, Elisabeth Debrosse Preval to a post-quake child care center where 450 boys and girls are participating in art therapy classes in converted city buses donated from Santo Domingo.

Obama jumped, danced and clapped with the singing children. Then the delegation entered one of the green buses for a painting session. Biden made a blue house, Preval a green and yellow sun. Obama painted a purple fish in the ocean.

"It was a request, the kids asked me to," she said. The children's paintings were harder to read, a mix of letters and symbols. Asked what they represented, Obama said "their lives."

People were eager for a glimpse of the first ladies at the huge Champ de Mars camp – and hopeful that they would be seen as well.

"Make sure you get a good look at us!" a man living in the camp yelled at a passing press bus.
(Huffington Post)

We LOVE Our First Lady !

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MUST WATCH !
Auto-Tune-The-News

Palin, Pelosi, Bachman, Boehner and more...
singing in total unison to a jamming groove !

I must say I Luv this incredibly creative, smart and funny political depiction by
The Gregory Brothers

CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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WATCH:

President's Weekly Address

Breaks Down Multitude of
New Tax Breaks for YOU !

As April 15th approaches, the President discusses several of the tax breaks for middle class families he has signed into law. Find out more about the Making Work Pay tax credit, breaks for first-time homebuyers, rewards for making your home more energy efficient and more through the Tax Savings Tool at WhiteHouse.gov.

WATCH:

Tax Breaks for the average Americans INSTEAD of the RICH...
Yes it IS a New Day !!!

CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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