Who knew? Oh, by the way, if McCain was seriously acting in the interests of national security I would ask the same question?

The Challenge (click here)

The current, but not new, anti-immigrant rhetoric in our news and in our legislation process has made Maria Cristina’s teachings more relevant for U.S Latinos and Latinas. It is hard to create a sense of belonging or to call a place “home” in the midst of antagonism. Your parents are labeled as “criminal” and you an “anchor-baby” which is the epithet used by some news companies to talk about U.S.-born children from parents without legal status. What is more, these infamous labels are confirmed as your neighborhood is raided and Immigration Services (ICE) preys on your parents....

What is the expression touted by the legal profession? "Justice is blind." It must be frustrating for Sheriff Joe to see the problem right in front of him and not be able to haul in every Mexican within a hundred miles of the border.

Judge Finds Violation of Rights by Sheriff (click here)

By FERNANDA SANTOS
Published: May 24, 2013

...At 142 pages, the decision is peppered with stinging criticism of the policies and practices espoused by Sheriff Arpaio, who Judge Snow said had turned much of his focus to arresting immigrants who were in the country illegally, in most cases civil violations, at the expense of fighting crimes.

He said the sheriff relied on racial profiling and illegal detentions to target Latinos, using their ethnicity as the main basis for suspecting they were in the country illegally. Many of the people targeted were American citizens or legal residents.

“In an immigration enforcement context,” Judge Snow ruled, the sheriff’s office “did not believe that it constituted racial profiling to consider race as one factor among others in making law enforcement decisions.” In fact, he said its plans and policies confirmed that, “in the context of immigration enforcement,” deputies “could consider race as one factor among others.”

The ruling prohibits the sheriff’s office from using “race or Latino ancestry” as a factor in deciding to stop any vehicle with Latino occupants, or as a factor in deciding whether they may be in the country without authorization....

President Obama was in Arlington National Cemetery where 300,000 Americans are buried from the wars fought.

President Obama greets Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Eilene Henderson in the Arlington National Cemetery during his Memorial Day visit there Monday.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

This is an amazing statement by the Neocons favorite newsprint, The Christan Science Monitor.

The number of Americans who serve in the US military – especially those sent to combat – has gone down dramatically in recent years. Critics say civilians need to assume more responsibility for the moral burden of war as well as for the other costs of fighting.

The current estimate of the two wars begun under Bush/Cheney is $1,442,729,700,000 with Iraq costing nearly $810 billion and Afghanistan nearly $632 billion. That isn't assuming responsibility. I mean what kind of a state is that?

By Brad Knickerbocker, Staff writer / May 27, 2013

...“Regardless of reason, (click here) this truth cannot be ignored that today most Americans are not directly touched by war,” Mr. Obama told a crowd of dignitaries and military families gathered to mark Memorial Day. “As a consequence, not all Americans may always see or fully grasp the depths of sacrifice, the profound costs that are made in our name, right now, as we speak, everyday.”...

I think the Middle Class and the impoverished in this nation know exactly the cost of war and have carried far more of the responsibility than any one else. So, when those that want to criticize the citizen about the burden of war, they first have to criticize the people most responsible for fighting them.

It is true the majority of Americans are not directly touched by the death of a soldier, but, I do believe we significantly can understand how we don't want them to die and the best way to prevent American soldiers from dying is to never enter into wars for oil, profit, bad habit or revenge. 

I can't think of a better way to keep less people from being buried at Arlington, can you?

We have no troops in Syria, so what was McCain thinking? Seriously. There was no valid reason for him to go into Syria, except, to stir up trouble. Turkey doesn't know what is occurring the other side of it's border? Israel doesn't know what is occurring? McCain wants another Iraq War. I don't think so.

More political fodder for the rhetoric. This isn't going anywhere without Russia.

John McCain's office has declined to comment on the outcome of talks he held with rebel leaders during a surprise visit to Syria. Photograph: Allison Shelley/Getty Images

I don't doubt it was a dangerous journey to meet with Rebel leaders, but, I thought they were in Turkey.

The leaders former Secretary Clinton has been meeting with were in Turkey, not Syria.

In light of that reality I don't know what is to be gained.

This was somewhat to be expected. A Neocon on the hunt for a war.

Secretary Kerry has been meeting intensely with all sides of this civil war and has been making in roads with major powers. I hope this doesn't do anything to stop the process already started.

Perhaps Senator McCain has also met with those seeking to bring humanitarian aid to citizens of Syria. I would be interested in knowing how well that is going and how it can be improved.

Neocons would not be Neocons if they didn't feel they were in charge of a burgeoning threat to the USA. They won't leave it alone. Where was McCain when Rwanda occurred? McCain has been in office since 1987 and the Rwanda Genocide occurred in 1994. Where was he then?

Monday 27 May 2013

...The Arizona senator (click here) has been leading efforts in Congress in recent weeks to force Barack Obama to intervene in Syria following reports of alleged chemical weapons use by forces loyal to Assad....

Red Tape is often not a bad thing. 

It sincerely is a matter of the point of view. 

It all matters whom is writing the rules.

Former Representative Barney Frank never correctly articulated the importance of FANNIE and FREDDIE.

Beside being the champion of Middle Class mortgages there are a lot reasons the nation should be proud of it's government programs.

To begin, it is important to understand whom in Washington, DC is writing the rules.

President Obama congratulated Representative Melvin L. Watt, left, after nominating him on Wednesday to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

By ANNIE LOWREY

Published: May 1, 2013

WASHINGTON – President Obama on Wednesday (click here) nominated Representative Melvin L. Watt, Democrat of North Carolina, to become the overseer of the government-backed mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

If approved by the Senate, Mr. Watt would replace Edward J. DeMarco, who has been acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency for more than three years.

Mr. Watt is a lawyer who has represented North Carolina in Congress for the last two decades. If he won Senate confirmation, he would become a powerful economic policy maker, as the housing market recovers and the White House contemplates the government’s future role in it....

I have had the pleasure of meeting a local officer of the 5/3 Bank recently. He talked me into opening an account with the back. Oh, the name is stated, "Fifth - third Bank." Strange name, isn't it? It has a history that dates back to the nineteen hundreds. It was a consolidation of the Fifth Bank of... and the Third Bank of .... 

No, matter. I sat in the branch manager's office and spoke about their programs. The issue of mortgages came up. They have a great car loan program at one percent for new borrowers. But, I wanted to know if they participate in or have participated in all these wacko Wall Street gimmicks that caused the global economic collapse. He stated no. I then asked how they handle their mortgages.

The gentleman explained to me that 5/3 Bank serves all their own mortgages, but, sells them to Fannie and Freddie. I asked him to explain why 5/3 Bank did that. He stated it was the only way a bank the size of 5/3 Bank could sell mortgages. He then went on to say what the assets of 5/3 Bank was and how they have grown over the years.

So, then I said, "Let me get this right." "The much maligned government program actually allows banking chains like 5/3 Bank to service an entire area of the country and provide jobs and this level of personal service."

He stated, "Yes, if we didn't sell our mortgages to Frannie and Freddie we would not be in the business of helping the community own their own homes." With that we finished our business and I went on my way happier than I was before.

You see, no one bothers to explain to the public that the giant government mortgage companies are vital to the operation of smaller bank chains, and mind you 5/3 Bank is not all that small either. But, these smaller chains could not exist without our government programs. It is the small banks that were devastated when the global economic collapse occurred. 

Are people following this? I stated, "It is the small banks that were devastated when the global economic collapse occurred. 

Once again, It is the small banks that were devastated when the global economic collapse occurred."

The lousy Wall Street SOBs carried out their idea of fun and reaped in not only money from the USA government in a bailout, they also annihilated their competition with the exception of those like 5/3 Bank which survived the mess and then went on to flourish. 

You see, there are bankers that 'do it right' and 'do it well.' They aren't in it for the quick adrenalin rush of begging for money on their knee in front of Speaker Pelosi, they actually manage the assets they have to last the winters of many other's stupidity.

So, thanks to a very nice young branch manager I know more about my world as it actually and realistically exists than I did before. I mean it isn't easy to simply walk into a board room and ask for explanations.

I hope Fannie and Freddie will be around for a very long time. I expect they will. I also hope the nation recognizes at the time of elections whom exactly is writing the rules. Last time I checked, Fannie and Freddie were demonized and no political advocate could even speak the words yet alone be proud of them. There needs to be a thirty second ad throughout the USA letting everyone know whom supports their mortgage programs and whom doesn't.

I don't know if Mr. Watt had any input to the policy below but it is pure genius. And, you'll excuse me, but, it didn't have to go far to be genius this time either.

Why is this program pure genius? I would think it obvious. Some of the hardest hit citizens in the country are our 50 somethings and older. Their assets were destroyed in 2008. Now, they have hope to return a home mortgage to their agenda of costs of living rather than rent payments that offer no security. This is a very, very good idea and the country will embrace it. It will sell houses and increase the value of neighborhoods. Well done.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

WASHINGTON — Here’s a heads-up (click here) for the growing ranks of seniors whose post-retirement monthly incomes aren’t sufficient to qualify for a mortgage under today’s tough underwriting standards: Thanks to a rule change by the largest players in the home loan business, you may be able to use imputed income from your 401(k), IRA and other retirement assets to qualify for the loan you want.

That, in turn, could open the door to a money-saving refinancing to a lower-rate loan or a downsizing purchase of a new home.

Top credit officials at Freddie Mac — the giant federally controlled mortgage investment company — said last week that a “little known” policy revision now allows seniors and others to use certain retirement account balances to supplement their incomes for underwriting purposes — without actually tapping those balances or drawing down cash....