Like Schumer Says: Investigate Torture

It is always encouraging to hear a notably moderate Democratic senator say something that a lefty like me agrees with, especially when it comes to the practice of torture committed by the Bush Administration. It's even better when the senator is my own, senior Senator Chuck Schumer. Schumer called on the new Department of Justice under Eric Holder to do something about the damning Red Cross report.

From RawStory:

In light of the startling revelations that came to light this week with the publishing of a Red Cross report, which documented in gruesome detail interrogation practices such as suffocation by water, beating by collar and prolonged nudity, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow that he would support a Department of Justice investigation into the reported torture.

"President Obama said he doesn‘t want to spend all his time looking back. Fair enough. But he has also said egregious violations should be prosecuted," said Schumer, who is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The most logical, best place to start is the Justice Department. They haven‘t said if they are going to do it or not ... If they won‘t do it, someone else is going to have to do it. But they should be given the first crack."

That is the tough talk we need to hear. Of course tough action needs to immediately follow, but that is a good start. Schumer is an important man in the senate and what he says carries a considerable amount of weight. I must say that Chuck has been trending to left as of late. Perhaps it is for his upcoming re-election, but I'll take it on an issue as important as this. Justice will find George Bush and his fellow criminals, one way or another.

Schumer No Longer Such Good Friends With Wall St.

For as long as Chuck Schumer has been in the Senate, he's been one of the first legislators that the financial industry went to in order to get their business "taken care of." As a Senator who represents the little piece of land that Wall Street resides on, in order to get access to the bankers' pockets, he had to do his best to please them...for nearly thirty years. Thanks to the pro-business legislation he helped pass, we are in the worst fiscal crisis in more than a generation (or three). Unlike Republicans though, Mr. Schumer might just be seeing the error of his ways and could possibly repent for them.

From Crain's:

One massive economic crisis later, Mr. Schumer said that a strong financial-services regulator is needed to help rebuild confidence in U.S. markets, because jittery investors around the world are looking for places where they can trust that tough regulators will protect their interests. To that end, he called for the most dramatic overhaul of the U.S. financial regulatory system since 1933 and urged the new regulators be granted the power to “get in ahead” of problems before they explode.

“We need a smarter regulator, a tougher regulator,” he said, adding that he would like to see the Securities and Exchange Commission move its headquarters to New York from Washington so it can be closer to the banks and brokerage houses it is charged with overseeing. He added that federal regulation of financial services should be overhauled to become more global in scope and that supervisors should be watching for “systemic risk” so that problems at places like American International Group do not infect the entire system.

Mr. Schumer, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, said that a regulatory reform bill would be presented to President Barack Obama by April.

Two years ago, Mr. Schumer, along with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, released a report prepared by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. which warned that the regulatory system was a big problem that threatened New York’s standing as the world’s financial capital.

Even if you idolized Gordon Gekko in the eighties, that doesn't mean you have to follow him off the cliff in 2009. I suspect Schumer enjoyed that movie when it came out, but the consequences of that mentality are front and center for the senior Senator from New York these days. Like Rep Walter Jones's (R-NC) transformation on Iraq after signing so many letters to the families of fallen troops, everyone has the ability to change their ways. If Schumer keeps it up and actually starts regulating, beyond just moving the SEC's location and generalities about improving the system, then I wholeheartedly welcome him to the more economically liberal wing of the Democratic party.

Schumer Lays Down The Law For GOP Governors

A funny thing happened after the stimulus bill passed through Congress. That was that all the GOP governors that were against the stimulus suddenly wanted a piece of the pie but only the parts they liked. Too bad they didn't read the law though, because it was written to avoid the partisan games that Schumer and others easily predicted.

Schumer Helps Businesses That Subsidize Workers' Commuting Costs

Here in New York, if you have to commute to work (and this applies to most workers) your employer can pay for your commute costs, whether it is by driving or on the subway. The M.T.A. makes MetroCards specifically for this purpose. It has always been a smart decision to enroll in this program as a boss and definitely as an employee. Now thanks to Senator Schumer, the deal is even nicer for those that take the bus or subway to work.

From The NY Daily News:

The politicians keep saying the economic crisis is also an opportunity. It certainly was for Chuck Schumer today, who managed to stick a break for transit riders into the Senate’s stimulus bill.

Basically, Schumer’s amendment would double the break employers get for subsidizing the commuting costs of workers, from $115 a month to $230.

Oddly, they already got a $230 pay roll tax break for help out drivers, so doubling it for straphangers is especially sweet for the Park Slope senator.

This is great news, not only for the tax break, but the relief it will have and further justification to implement one specific part of the Ravitch Plan. That is, to institute an additional payroll tax on employers so that we can keep the subway running and the M.T.A. fiscally afloat. If Schumer's language is passed within the economic stimulus bill, there should be no objections whatsoever to the additional payroll taxes.

Obama's Stimulus Sounds Good For The MTA

Word is that when the legislative session gets going, a massive amount of money is going to spread from Washington to kick-start infrastructure programs and get people to work. Of course, with powerful leaders like Schumer, we are sure to get a sizable amount for New York City. What people like him are talking about sounds fantastic.

From The NY Daily News:

President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan may get New York an extra station for the extended No. 7 train line, upgraded subway stations and 1,500 new hybrid buses, Sen. Chuck Schumer said yesterday.

Though details of the massive package Obama wants to sign in his first days in office are still being worked out, Schumer said he expects about $4 billion for mass transit in New York.

That's enough to create 180,000 jobs and leave the city with lasting improvements to its subway, bus and commuter rail systems.

Four billion is a lot of cash, and so is five for Medicare and closing our state budget gap. Though with all this money coming in, I wonder how much of it will actually go to where it is meant for. Medicare needs to be fixed, not just thrown a few billion. The M.T.A. is almost as much a mess as NY's Medicare system. New buses and clean subway stations sound great, but the Authority has a way of moving around cash and not getting much done once it's gone. Especially with the passage of the draconian budget for next year (service cuts and fare hikes) the stimulus needs to be guarded with extreme care and put to maximum usage.

Dan Squadron Gets Big "Chuck" Time Support Against Connor

In New York state politics or any state for that matter, running against an incumbent is a challenge of that requires overcoming immense odds. The power of incumbency in New York has enabled many legislators to stay in their seats for many years and decades. Though if you are going to fight the status quo in Albany, going in with a good message and powerful friends is a smart way to go. Dan Squadron has the message and now the support of New York's senior Senator, Chuck Schumer.

From The NY Daily News:

Veteran Brooklyn State Sen. Marty Connor said he was shocked when Schumer informed him during a rural Democrats' event in Saratoga Springs on Saturday that Schumer will back his former aide and political neophyte, Daniel Squadron, against Connor this fall.

According to Connor, Schumer, speaking in "a cold voice," informed the former state Senate minority leader: "You weren't there when I needed you; I owe you nothing."

At issue was Connor's 1998 endorsement of then-Rep. Schumer's U.S. Senate primary opponent, Geraldine Ferraro. Schumer went on to win the primary that year and oust Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato in the general election.

"Chuck's so powerful now he thinks he can go back and get even with everyone who slighted him over the last 10 years," said a miffed Connor, whose encounter with Schumer was seen by several Democrats and independently confirmed by one of them.

Damn! Now that is playing hardball New York style. Connor may be miffed by Schumer's broadside against him, but in the Empire State favors do go a long way and vice-versa. This encounter certainly complicates Schumer's support of Squadron in political circles but if he comes through with the cash that Chuck is known for, that outburst of contempt won't amount to much.

Of course we still have another man throwing his hat in the ring as he did two years ago, Mr. Ken Diamondstone. Ken can certainly throw his weight in as well for the primary and contest Connor as well. The only problem is that the two challengers can complicate the anti-Connor vote. The question is, can either one get the other to bow out to put up a formidable challenge to Connor?

I Blame You Feinstein And Schumer

Now it is all over, by a vote of 53-40 Michael Mukasey is our new Attorney General and we have Chuck Schumer (my bastard Senator) and Dianne Feinstein (my previous bastard Senator) to thank for it. This vote would never have happened if they did not move his confirmation process out of committee. Instead of respecting the rule of law they bowed down before their almighty Bush.

From The Huffington Post:

Mukasey was confirmed as the nation's 81st attorney general after a sharp debate over his refusal to say whether the waterboarding interrogation technique is torture.

Republicans were solidly behind President Bush' nominee. Democrats said their votes were not so much for Mukasey as they were for restoring a leader to a Justice Department left adrift after Gonzales' resignation in September.

In the end, Mukasey was confirmed by a 53-40 vote. Six Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in sealing his confirmation.

Hmm, I wonder who that one Independent is?

Feinstein and Schumer came out with equally lame excuses for their actions. Feinstein said that without his confirmation the Justice Department would not have a leader for 14 months. Look Senator, he is not a leader, he will be a tool of George Bush, just as Gonzales was.

Mukasey might not be as much as a proactive tool like Gonzales, but he still bent his answers in committee so that he would not have to prosecute his new boss for war crimes. That goes for Schumer too, who said that Mukasey assured him if the Senate votes to define waterboarding as torture, then he'll act accordingly. Chuckie isn't a stupid man, he knows that any legislation has to go through the President and there is no way Bush would ever sign his own death sentence.

Chalk this one up as another sad moment for our nation.

Democrats.com Play Into "Loony Left" Meme

Michael Goodwin of the Daily News is a buffoon for opining that those that protested in front of Schumer's home this week were "loony." Yet for Democrats.com to try and boycott the paper is a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Goodwin probably should apologize, be fired or at least reprimanded for his column, but discarding the Daily News is a little bit too much.

To some degree, the Daily News is a rag. Nevertheless there are plenty of good attributes about this one of many New York City papers. Would a New York progressive scoff at their post today giving Democrats the chance to show that yesterday's election was "At most, this was a status quo election, with a few Democratic pickups." Nah, I am certainly not. Sure, the article also gives the Republicans a chance to talk back, but a true rag would never give two sides of a partisan debate equal weight.

Oh and that whole subway fare increase issue? The Daily News is one of the leaders in going after the M.T.A. and pointing out that it is not the time for an increase in what we pay to ride underground. Tell me how many Democrats are arguing in favor of paying more for a MetroCard? There are definitely not many out there.

So is the Daily News perfect? Of course not. Neither is the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and a whole host of daily publications. I read all of those papers and disagree with them often, but that doesn't mean I will boycott a newspaper based on one lousy editorialist.

Screw You Schumer

Along with the conservative Dem Dianne Feinstein, my Senator Chuck Schumer has shown himself to be another spineless Democrat who apparently condones waterboarding. The debate that continues to rage in the Senate over Mukasey's confirmation as the next Attorney General is now headed to the floor for a vote, and we have Chuckie to thank for it. Schumer is the epitome of what is wrong with the current crop of Democrats in office.

From The Huffington Post:

"This is an extremely difficult decision," Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement, adding that Mukasey "is not my ideal choice."

In announcing her support for Mukasey, Feinstein, D-Calif., said "first and foremost, Michael Mukasey is not Alberto Gonzales," referring to the former attorney general who resigned in September after months of questions about his honesty.

True, Mukasey is not Alberto Gonzales and definitely not anyone's ideal choice on the left. Regardless, those excuses are not even close to being good enough to give this guy a pass. Feinstein and Schumer are dead wrong in their votes. Many other Democrats understand why Mukasey has no right to be the next AG, because he is unwilling to respect the rule of law. His dodging and weaving during Senate testimony makes that clear.

Mukasey will not admit that waterboarding is torture, even though it is. If he did admit it, he would have to prosecute his boss for condoning and ordering acts of torture against dozens or even hundreds of prisoners that felt as if they were drowning. When an ex-Bushie, Mark Levin underwent the procedure, he knew in an instant that he was being subjected to an act of torture. For his efforts and not toeing the Bush line, he was promptly fired.

Schumer isn't a stupid man, he clearly knows what the stakes are in this case. Why he has bowed down to the Bush Administration is a question many New Yorkers should be asking, and for that matter, Californians should be looking at Feinstein as well.

Subprime Mortgage Crisis Will Have Dramatic Effect On NYC

In what is shaping up to be the largest fiscal crisis of the new millennium and even worse than the S & L Loan scandal in the early 90s, the sub-prime mortgage crisis is going to hurt our economy on a large scale. New York City is also expected to be walloped by the situation. Overall, the city is looking at over 15,000 foreclosures and now some in the Senate are looking to act.

From The Daily News:

Schumer called for federal action against the lending practices of "really slimy mortgage brokers," which were detailed last Sunday in a special Daily News "I-Team" report.

In a 32-page study, the committee said that nationwide foreclosures were looming on 2 million homes with subprime mortgages, which are granted to borrowers whose credit histories don't rate a conventional mortgage.

The foreclosures and the spinoff effects will cost states more than $103 billion in lost property values - $9.5 billion for New York - and more than $917million in lost property taxes - more than $102 million for New York.

In the city, the borough hit hardest by the subprime crisis was Queens, where foreclosures were started on 2,478 homes through this year and another 3,561 were expected next year for a total of 6,039, the committee report said.

This national crisis will affect millions and because of the impact on the economy, everyone will eventually suffer the consequences. Why the problem was not looked into while the lending was taking place is something that should also be investigated. Of course, the Congress did not conduct any type of oversight while the Republicans were in control, whether it was regarding Iraq or our economy.

It might have been a matter of ignorance, but the fact remains that our government did nothing to stop massive predatory lending practices while interest rates were low a few years back because those mortgages being set up boosted economic figures. That economic "growth" was used by the Bush Administration to show that the economy was strong even though it was all an illusion.

And now we are going to have to pay for that mistake, as we are paying for all of Bush's mistakes.

Combating Predatory Lenders

The problem of predatory lending has been widespread across the country and particularly here in New York. Over 4000 foreclosures that are linked to the practice were discovered in Brooklyn alone. Senator Schumer recently spoke out about the need for change but we need action and not just words. Well the New Yorkers for Responsible Lending have come up with a model bill for the Legislature to enact.

From the DMI Blog:

III. REMEDIES
* The law is enforceable by the NYS Attorney General, Banking Superintendent, or any party to a loan covered by the law.
* Actual and statutory damages may be awarded; statutory damages shall be $5,000 per violation or two times actual damages (whichever is greater). Injunctive relief to stop unlawful practices, as well as declaratory and other equitable relief as the court deems appropriate, may be granted. The court may award reasonable attorneys' fees to a prevailing borrower.
* The loan transaction may be rescinded if the lender is found to have violated prohibitions against making unaffordable loans and/or negative amortization loans.
* Borrowers may assert defenses against loan purchasers ("assignees") that they could assert against the original lender.
* The law includes good faith exceptions. No violation of the law shall be found if the lender:
* Notifies the borrower of the compliance error and provides and an opportunity to cure, within 30 days of making the loan; or
* Can show that it failed to comply with the law because of bona fide error.

And those are just the remedies, click on the link for the full list of what the bill would do. Now the only thing is to get the bill into action and passed by our Legislature. Will New York's Statehouse do what is necessary to help it's citizens that have been victimized by predatory lenders? Time will only tell. So make sure to let your own representative know how important this issue is.

Boom And Bust In The Housing Market

For a few years many people were enticed by low mortgage rates offered by an insurance industry that suckered people into a bad situation. Senator Chuck Schumer released a report on the upcoming spike of foreclosures that is going to hit his hometown burrough of Brooklyn especially hard. The lenders that offered homeowners what looked like a good deal is going to leave thousands homeless.

From The Bayridge Courier:

The most popular “affordable” subprime loans are adjustable rate mortgages that offer an initial fixed rate that is set low.

But the rate resets after an initial fixed rate period to a more onerous rate that leads to a significantly higher mortgage payment that low-income borrowers will have difficulty affording, Schumer said.

Schumer’s analysis showed that in the next two years, 91,000 families will be at risk of foreclosure because of these lending practices. In the New York Metropolitan area alone, an estimated 53,000 families will see their mortgages reset to onerous rates, he said.

“The bottom line here is that the subprime bust is leading us right into a foreclosure boom, and thousands of Brooklyn residents will be left in the lurch,” Schumer said.

I think it is great that Senator Schumer is finally highlighting this serious issue that leaves thousands homeless from predatory lenders. My question is why did it take so long? Schumer is no stranger to the world of finance, thats for sure. The article also interviewed experts around New York on this and they have the same question.

Oda Friedheim, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society said the issue is nothing new.

“Too bad it took Wall Street’s pain to put the problem on the spotlight,” she said. “They have a bellyache because they swallowed too many bad loans,” she said.

“Our clients have been suffering for years under these abusive mortgages,” she added.

Deyanira Del Rio, the associate director of the Manhattan-based Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project has been tracking mortgage lending and foreclosure data for the past seven years.

“What we have seen is that consistently higher priced mortgage loans are overwhelmingly concentrated in neighborhoods that are overwhelmingly black and Latino,” she said, noting her group will soon release a study showing this trend.

So why the outrage now Senator? It is unfortunate that it has to come to this to help out people that have been targeted for financial exploitation. Hopefully his intentions are genuine and meant to help those in need and not the Wall Street crowd.

Time For Gonzales To Step Down

Much like last year when elected officials finally listened to the will of the people over Rumsfeld and called for his resignation, now they are doing it for the Attorney General. AG Alberto Gonzales has failed at his job to provide justice in a fair fashion and now it is time for him to go. Today on Face the Nation, Sen. Chuck Schumer called on Gonzales to resign.

His reasoning mirrors that of the rest of us that have known for far too long that Gonzales is no good. Schumer cited the abusive nature of the FBI under the auspices of the Patriot Act and the brewing Prosectur Purge scandal. He lied to Congress under oath by saying that firing the eight U.S. Attorneys was not politically motivated yet the prosecutors themselves said under oath that they were fired to make way for Bush's favored people. When it comes to lying under oath, I'll believe the prosecutors over Bush's loyal man Alberto anyday.

Watch the clip of Schumer and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) here.

Silence Is Betrayal: John Edwards at Riverside Church

Yesterday afternoon I was one of 1,200 to 2,000 people ( AP on the low end and the NY Times on the high end) who assembled at the Riverside Church in Manhattan for a special occasion. We came from different religious backgrounds, class backgrounds and ethnic backgrounds; yet all of us came together for a common purpose.




Our purpose was to remember Dr. King, to celebrate his legacy and to realize the dream that the great Reverend so eloquently told us about with his "I Have A Dream" speech and numerous sermons through the years. Yesterday the congregation was treated to an incredible procession of the great orators of our day. The messages of hope, remembrance and a call to service had the whole congregation on their feet.



If you haven't been inside Riverside Church before, I highly recommend it. To say the edifice is impressive would be an understatement. Words cannot describe it, so I suggest you check out the pictures here.

Here's one I took:


After the prelude music by the Riverside Choir, we were treated to video excerpts of Dr. King. Then the lights went up and his son Martin Luther King III welcomed the congregation, meanwhile John and Elizabeth Edwards walked in to take their seats.

Rabbi Sarah Reines of the Central Synagogue provided the reading, co-founder of the Drum Major Institute William Wachtel gave his remarks and then the awe-inspiring Rev. Dr. James Forbes came up and delivered a powerful address. After a gospel solo Martin Luther King III came out and introduced the keynote speaker, Senator and Presidential candidate John Edwards. I would elaborate more on all of the speakers, though each one deserves post of their own.


Rev. Forbes

--------------------------



Senator Edwards' speech was nothing short of spectacular. Many of you have either seen the webcast or read excerpts of the text.
The energy in the nave of Riverside Church was simply awesome.

“If you are in Congress and you know this war is going in the wrong direction, it is no longer enough to study your options,”

Although this speech was webcasted and/or televised, both Senator Schumer and Congressman Weiner sat in the front section and heard these words loud and clear. It is up to them and the rest of the Congress to take heed of this sound advice.

“I believe it is betrayal not to speak out against an escalation of the war in Iraq,” Mr. Edwards said, to a standing ovation.

That little snippet resulted in a three minute standing ovation. Even the NY Times noted it. Though the beginning of the speech was what really got to me.

Forty years ago, almost to the month, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood at this pulpit, in this house of God, and with the full force of his conscience, his principles and his love of peace, denounced the war in Vietnam, calling it a tragedy that threatened to drag our nation down to dust.

As he put it then, there comes a time when silence is a betrayal -- not only of one's personal convictions, or even of one's country alone, but also of our deeper obligations to one another and to the brotherhood of man.

Echoing what King said and the times in which he said it made the comparison of Iraq and Vietnam crystal clear. Silence while the cruel sting of reality punctures our nation is truly a betrayal to the principles that our country was founded on. An active citizenry will hold the government accountable for its actions alongside a vigilant press. Unfortunately we don't have much of either currently but that can change. We have it in us to make that change.

John F. Kennedy once said:

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

His words of wisdom ring true to this day and every day beyond. It is imperative to remember that each day we can strive to do our best to make the world a better place, if only a small amount at a time.

--------------------------------

After Edwards left the pulpit to a standing ovation, thirteen year old Joshua Govnor McVay-Bennett read Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech. Though reading wasn't necessary since the high school student memorized it when he was eight. Following him was Marian Wright Edelman of Children's Defense Fund. She spoke about the state of health care and poverty and that it is a crime for millions of children to not have health insurance.



The last speaker was Imam Al-Hajj Talib 'Abdur-Rashid' from the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem. He referenced the tale of Rip Van Winkle and how the character slept through the American Revolution. He warned the audience that there is a 'triple-revolution' going on in this country right now. One part is the advances in technology, one in the advancement of warfare capabilities and the human rights revolution that is occuring all over the globe. He stated that we must not sleep through this era and let it go by just as Rip Van Winkle had.

After a quick, but powerful closing remark by Martin Luther King III, dozens of brightly colored robed choirpeople came up to the front while Dr. Forbes went to the secondary pulpit high above the stage. He finished with inspiring words of wisdom that encouraged us to work for a better world.





At the end of the service, everyone held hands and sang 'We Shall Overcome.' It did not matter if we were a Senator, Congressman, Pastor, Christian, Jew, Muslim, poor, wealthy, black, white, yellow, blue or green; we sang as one. It was a true representation of what John Edwards calls 'One America.'