Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Banks crying foul over new restrictions for CEO pay

President Obama has announced his plans to control excutive compensation at financial institutions who are getting taxpayers money. I say amen to that! I think the plans don't go far enough. I think a $500,000 cap on the salary for these CEOS is still too high considering their behavior. I think these clowns shouldn't make more than $30,000 a year while they are using our money. I think its about time for them to come down out of their tower offices and live like the other 99% of americans do but without the stock options and access to private lear jets. The banks chief problems with the plans are listed below:


"Among the banks' concerns: limits on executive compensation and government oversight that could extend to tracking how every TARP dollar is spent. One clause in the general TARP agreement says Congress can amend the lending terms at any time, and that a participating bank must adhere to any such amendments, including compensation rules and loan requirements, Gustini and others say." a quote taken directly from the america lawyer site.


Its funny how these banks are crying foul over the propose amendments to the terms of the application they are using to get our money to run their banks. Are these restrictions any worse than the terms and agreements they place on their credit cards or mortgage papers(in some cases the subprime mortgage applications they so aggressively sought to push on unsuspecting consumers). Do they not say they change the terms and agreements on accounts with out regard to us as consumers. As they say what good for the goose is good for the gander.



I say it about time some has finally given them a taste of their own medicine. ITS A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW BUT SUCK IT UP AS SOME OF YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS WOULD SAY. Karma is a bitch.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Middle Class America needs help NOW

" The Task Force is a major initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, and in addition to regular meetings, it will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities" quote taken directly from the whitehouse.gov website.

The ideas behind this task force are noble but how can these people who have probably never seen a poor day in their life time except maybe Vice president Biden actually know what is going on with middle class America or know what its like to be insured.

Why do we have to pay the bill for another task force of people who will probably spend the next four years researching issues which are already known while the country becomes a two class society: those who have money and those who have nothing.

For the past 8 years nothing was done in Washington as oil company profits soared(and our former president and vice president got richer as a result) and middle class Americans (the working poor) have seen their lives turn upside down by companies who were given tax breaks(thanks again to our former president) to send our jobs overseas.
You don't need to sit down and have a task force research what's happening in front of your eyes. There is a war going on and its not overseas. Its right here on American soil and the prey is Middle class Americans. The hunters are Corporate America who were in dire need of government bailout money(our money) but still manages to send employees on luxury vacations and give the CEOS who effectively ran the economy into the ground their big bonuses. We don't need another taskforce. We need politicians who are finally going to do something. We need people who aren't afraid to do the right thing. The time for talk is over. Get up off your asses and do something. Here are some suggestions as to what needs to be done now.

Laws need to be made to stop banks from rising interests on credit cards. I am going to provide you with a quote from CHASE BANK most recent change in credit card terms disclosure " We are sending you this notice to let you know that we will be making some changes to your credit card account in response to current market conditions and to MAINTAIN PROFITABILITY ON YOU ACCOUNT. A consumer can accept the changes and watch their interest rate go up (which could affect interest rates for other credit cards they hold or they can opt out of the changes and their account will be closed, which will affect their credit rating.)


Maybe I'm crazy but this makes absolutely no sense at all. For someone such as my self who has never made a late payment , has paid more than my monthly minimum payment and someone whose credit score is 720, my interest rates should be going down not up.


You would think chase would want to continue to receive payments and not force consumers into bankruptcy. The mere fact they would actually put in the words to maintain profitability on your account turns my stomach and sounds down right criminal given this economy. They are once again victimizing the very consumers who are bailing their asses out. I say no more. I work hard for my money and I no longer wish to bailout these assholes or wish to do business with them. Let's stand together on this America and stop banking with CHASE and any other bank who is currently doing this. If it means withdrawing what little savings you have then do it. Your money is safer under your bed then in the hands of these crooked banks. We proved in this last election that if we want things to change then we have to get out and do something.

Secondly, something has to be done about cobra insurance costs immediately. A person loses their job, gets a miserly unemployment check and are expected to pay $400 to $500 plus to keep their health care coverage in addition to providing a roof over their heads and food. This is the very reason we have so many uninsured Americans. I think a company who was given a tax break to send jobs overseas should have to continue to pay the cost of health care for each employee and their dependents at the time of layoff until that employee either finds another job with compatible health care coverage or until the person retires(I bet this will stop all these layoffs). We are dying out here Washington and no one in our nation's capital seems to give a damn.

We can fund a war no one wants to fight but we can't fund a health care plan for all Americans? Anyone else sees the problem with this. Let's pretend the middle class of America are citizens of IRAQ and send money to feed , rebuild and provide health care to them. If this is what it takes then so be it.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The heads of the big three should go

I think congress is doing what should have been done years ago, hold the executives at the top accountable for the mess the big three is end. Executive compensation reached all time highs at all three while rank and file employees were losing jobs, and relingushing healthcare benefits and bonuses. It would company would I be allowed to continue working and still receive bonuses even if I was doing a lousy job. Apparently if you are an executive in the big three you can do just that. The heads of these companies have all but spit in the faces of the people who truly are the backbone of the auto industry the assembly workers by flying in private jets while most of their employees can barely afford room and shelter. Now they are willing to work for $1 a year? You've got to be kidding me. You've reaped all the rewards for several years while your employees have grown poorer and only now when you in danger of not being able to pass out your bonuses , you go to congress asking for a handout. Congress should demanded the ceo be personally responsible for repairing any loans their companies accept. Maybe then they'll understand what it's like to actually work for the big three as so far the only thing they've done is sit on their asses and collect bonuses they neither earned or deserved.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Wakeup America

Arkansas -The measure bans all unmarried couples from adoption and fostering children, though the Arkansas Family Council painted its proposal as a battle against a "gay agenda."


When is providing a home to a child a crime? Apparently if one is single you can't provide a home to a child who needs one despite the fact you can provide love and support to the child. However as long as you are married, you can provide foster care to several children at a time despite the fact you may only feed them once a week every 6 months?

What kind of country is this becoming. Every other election year we are becoming closer to repealing the entire bill of rights. I thought I lived in a democracy. Who are these people who are using religion to further fill their own holier than thou agendas when they are less than holy themselves.

These so called christian folks(yes I said it) are the same people who don't believe a woman should have an abortion but bitch and moan when these same mothers need help from the government. What kind of drugs are these idiots on? You can't have it both ways.

You can't tell a woman to have an abortion and then deny someone the right to adopt the child that she didn't want and that wasn't aborted. You can't say decrease public welfare and yet have thousands of unwanted children uninsured and unable to find a decent home because of you own views on what makes a stable family.

What god are these people serving? It is not the God I serve. At what point did Jesus hold any sermon that told people to mistreat and abuse others? I am all for freedom of speech but don't use the pulpit to further hate or public policy. There is a reason religion and politics don't mixed. Religion teaches to use our authority to help others and politics teaches us to use our authority to defraud and damn others. It is a very dangerous time in America and if we are not careful we are going to destroy the very fabric this country was built on: freedom.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Creation of Jobs

We need jobs. We need jobs for those who want to work. We need good paying job with decent health care. With that being said, where is the job creation happening? Certainly not here in Michigan. Everyday the state of Michigan is losing jobs by the thousands putting strain on public funding which is on the brink of bankruptcy if we are not already there. What is to be said of a country where almost everyone in thia state is one paycheck away from being homeless or going hungry. What we don't need is more excuses. Labor unions have failed, big business has failed and the government has failed. Tax breaks are fine, stimtiuls payments are fine but do they really help in the long run? Stimulus checks only help those who are not drowning in debt. Will another 600 really help someone who is 1800 behind on their mortgage payment? Will a tax break really help a single mom who is working for $26000 a year without affordable health care coverage help her now? I'm ranting and it's late. Tomorrow I'll fill you in on some ideas I have about fixing this economy and putting people back to work.

No rescue for automakers

Can't say I'm surprise the automakers are on their own concerning their financial ills.
For the past decade, industry insiders and outsiders have been pleading with the big 3 to make more fuel effiecient vehicles and to slow production on huge gas guzzling suvs. They failed to listen and now they are on the brink of extinction. Sending jobs overseas didn't help the situation either. In Michigan we are facing the complete destruction of the middle class. Gone are the high paying factory jobs with good health coverage. Many are now faced with soaring health care costs and lower paying jobs and the inability to afford their home. I will ask this question once again, when will congress stop dragging their heels and do something.
We have some of the most well educated workers in the nation here in michigan who are unable to find a job. Those of us who would like to create jobs in a new sector cannot secure funding.
If you always do what you've always done then you'll always get what you've already got. We need sweeping change across the board and we need new blood in corporate america. Bailouts don't help if you still have the same people running a company into the ground. The time to act is now.
What is it going to take for people to help everyday citizens out of this hell that corporate america created?

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

HDTV A MUST FOR 2009

I hate to admit I was one of the people who absolutely thought a HDTV was a complete waste of money. In today’s economy you can’t afford to really throw money away on products considered to be luxuries. However with television making the transition from analog signal to digital in February 2009, its high time you get information from an actual person who is just like you. I’m not a salesperson or someone who works for companies who get free products to try out. I have to go out and do the leg work to find the best products on the market which fit my little budget. After months of putting off my HDTV purchase, I finally decided on the Samsung LCD HDTV 32 720p.



Why did I choose this particular product? Glad you asked. First the price was great I paid under $650 for it. Secondly, Samsung’s television quality is outstanding in my opinion as I have purchased several different brands over the years and Samsung’s display performances has always been vivid and without competition. What I love about this particular television is the clarity of the picture, the colors really pop and the televisions ability to received digital channels without hooking up an antenna. The sound quality is amazing. The TV. Comes with several component jacks, 2 hdmi inputs and a pc input. Now for the cons, the television does not have the old audiovisual sockets for a VCR however if you know how to hookup you vcr through your satellite box this will not be a problem. The television doesn’t have an s-video jack again not really a problem for those who are tech greeks. If you are looking for a great television that won’t bankrupt you, I’d definitely recommend this baby. Also if you are just dying to have the old audiovisual jacks, upgrade to the next series which features a s-video jack.