Homeowner Forum / Security Alarms / July 2008

Regards,
Robert L Bass

==============================>
Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650
Customer Service 941-870-2310
Fax 941-870-3252
==============================>

Plan to Strengthen Civil Rights
The Problem
Pay Inequity Continues: For every $1.00 earned by a man, the average woman
receives only 77 cents, while African American women only get 67 cents and
Latinas receive only 57 cents.
Hate Crimes on the Rise: The number of hate crimes increased nearly 8 percent
to 7,700 incidents in 2006.
Efforts Continue to Suppress the Vote: A recent study discovered numerous
organized efforts to intimidate, mislead and suppress minority voters.
Disparities Continue to Plague Criminal Justice System: African Americans and
Hispanics are more than twice as likely as whites to be searched, arrested, or
subdued with force when stopped by police. Disparities in drug sentencing
laws, like the differential treatment of crack as opposed to powder cocaine,
are unfair.
Barack Obama's Plan
Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement
Obama will reverse the politicization that has occurred in the Bush
Administration's Department of Justice. He will put an end to the ideological
litmus tests used to fill positions within the Civil Rights Division.
Combat Employment Discrimination
Obama will work to overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails
racial minorities' and women's ability to challenge pay discrimination. Obama
will also pass the Fair Pay Act to ensure that women receive equal pay for
equal work and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit
discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes
Obama will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes
protection by passing the Matthew Shepherd Act, and reinvigorate enforcement
at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section.
End Deceptive Voting Practices
Obama will sign into law his legislation that establishes harsh penalties for
those who have engaged in voter fraud and provides voters who have been
misinformed with accurate and full information so they can vote.
End Racial Profiling
Obama will ban racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies and
provide federal incentives to state and local police departments to prohibit
the practice.
Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Support
Obama will provide job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling
to ex-offenders, so that they are successfully re-integrated into society.
Obama will also create a prison-to-work incentive program to improve
ex-offender employment and job retention rates.
Eliminate Sentencing Disparities
Obama believes the disparity between sentencing crack and powder-based cocaine
is wrong and should be completely eliminated.
Expand Use of Drug Courts
Obama will give first-time, non-violent offenders a chance to serve their
sentence, where appropriate, in the type of drug rehabilitation programs that
have proven to work better than a prison term in changing bad behavior.
Barack Obama's Record
Record of Advocacy: Obama has worked to promote civil rights and fairness in
the criminal justice system throughout his career. As a community organizer,
Obama helped 150,000 African Americans register to vote. As a civil rights
lawyer, Obama litigated employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and
voting rights cases. As a State Senator, Obama passed one of the country's
first racial profiling laws and helped reform a broken death penalty system.
And in the U.S. Senate, Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the
right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the
opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.

A 21st Century Military for America
"Our country's greatest military asset is the men and women who wear the
uniform of the United States. When we do send our men and women into harm's
way, we must also clearly define the mission, prescribe concrete political and
military objectives, seek out advice of our military commanders, evaluate the
intelligence, plan accordingly, and ensure that our troops have the resources,
support, and equipment they need to protect themselves and fulfill their
mission."
- Barack Obama, Chicago Foreign Affairs Council, April 23, 2007
At a Glance
Invest in a 21st Century Military
Build Defense Capabilities for the 21st Century
Restore the Readiness of the National Guard and Reserves
Develop Whole of Government Initiatives to Promote Security
Restore Our Alliances
Reform Contracting

The Problem
A 20th Century Structure for 21st Century Problems: We have inherited a
national security structure that was developed and organized in the late 1940s
to win the Cold War. It remains a rigid bureaucracy of government agencies,
relying upon a restrictive and disconnected set of legal authorities.
New Leadership and Vision is Needed: America simply cannot afford more of the
old approach to our national defense. Instead, it needs a Commander-in-Chief
with the right combination of judgment, vision, and leadership for the 21st
century.
A Military Under Strain: Currently, our soldiers, seamen, airmen and Marines
are deployed around the globe, working valiantly to defend our nation. Yet,
these heroes are under-resourced and asked to do too much by a policy that has
too often taken their sacrifice for granted. Due to their incredible courage
and ingenuity, they persevere, but at incredible cost to themselves and their
families.
Recruitment and Retention Problems: A country of 300 million strong should not
struggle to find enough qualified citizens to serve. Recruiting and retention
problems have been swept under the rug by an administration that does not
understand the value of service to our nation.
A System Not Serving our Troops as Well as They Serve Us: As the shameful
events at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the recent reports on growing
numbers of homeless and unemployed veterans show, we simply are not taking
proper care of our wounded warriors and veterans.
Barack Obama's Plan
Invest in a 21st Century Military
Rebuild the Military for 21st Century Tasks: As we rebuild our armed forces,
we must not simply recreate the military of the Cold War era. Obama believes
that we must build up our special operations forces, civil affairs,
information operations, and other units and capabilities that remain in
chronic short supply; invest in foreign language training, cultural awareness,
and human intelligence and other needed counterinsurgency and stabilization
skill sets; and create a more robust capacity to train, equip, and advise
foreign security forces, so that local allies are better prepared to confront
mutual threats.
Expand to Meet Military Needs on the Ground: Barack Obama supports plans to
increase the size of the Army by 65,000 soldiers and the Marines by 27,000
troops. Increasing our end strength will help units retrain and re-equip
properly between deployments and decrease the strain on military families.
Leadership from the Top: Barack Obama will restore the ethic of public service
to the agenda of today's youth, whether it be serving their local communities
in such roles as teachers or first responders, or serving in the military to
keep our nation free and safe.
Lighten the Burdens on Our Brave Troops and Their Families: An Obama
administration will create a Military Families Advisory Board to provide a
conduit for military families' concerns to be brought to the attention of
senior policymakers and the public. Obama will end the Bush administration's
stop-loss policy and establish predictability in deployments so that active
duty and reserves know what they can and must expect.
Build Defense Capabilities for the 21st Century
Fully Equip Our Troops for the Missions They Face: Barack Obama believes we
must get vitally needed equipment to our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines
before lives are lost. We cannot repeat such failures as the delays in
deployment of armored vehicles, body armor and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that
save lives on the frontlines.
Review Weapons Programs: We must rebalance our capabilities to ensure that our
forces have the agility and lethality to succeed in both conventional wars and
in stabilization and counter-insurgency operations. Obama has committed to a
review of each major defense program in light of current needs, gaps in the
field, and likely future threat scenarios in the post-9/11 world.
Preserve Global Reach in the Air: We must preserve our unparalleled airpower
capabilities to deter and defeat any conventional competitors, swiftly respond
to crises across the globe, and support our ground forces. We need greater
investment in advanced technology ranging from the revolutionary, like
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and electronic warfare capabilities, to essential
systems like the C-17 cargo and KC-X air refueling aircraft, which provide the
backbone of our ability to extend global power.
Maintain Power Projection at Sea: We must recapitalize our naval forces,
replacing aging ships and modernizing existing platforms, while adapting them
to the 21st century. Obama will add to the Maritime Pre-Positioning Force
Squadrons to support operations ashore and invest in smaller, more capable
ships, providing the agility to operate close to shore and the reach to
rapidly deploy Marines to global crises.
National Missile Defense: An Obama administration will support missile
defense, but ensure that it is developed in a way that is pragmatic and
cost-effective; and, most importantly, does not divert resources from other
national security priorities until we are positive the technology will protect
the American public.
Ensure Freedom of Space: An Obama administration will restore American
leadership on space issues, seeking a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere
with military and commercial satellites. He will thoroughly assess possible
threats to U.S. space assets and the best options, military and diplomatic,
for countering them, establishing contingency plans to ensure that U.S. forces
can maintain or duplicate access to information from space assets and
accelerating programs to harden U.S. satellites against attack.
Protect the U.S in Cyberspace: An Obama administration will work in
cooperation with our allies and the private sector to identify and protect
against emerging cyber-threats.
Restore the Readiness of the National Guard and Reserves
Barack Obama will provide the National Guard with the equipment it needs for
foreign and domestic emergencies and time to restore and refit before
deploying. He will make the head of the National Guard a member of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff to ensure concerns of our citizen soldiers reach the level
they mandate. He will ensure that reservists and Guard members are treated
fairly when it comes to employment, health, and education benefits.
Develop Whole of Government Initiatives to Promote Global Stability
Integrate Military and Civilian Efforts: An Obama administration will build up
the capacity of each non-Pentagon agency to deploy personnel and area experts
where they are needed, to help move soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines out
of civilian roles.
Create a Civilian Assistance Corps (CAC): An Obama administration will set a
goal of creating a national CAC of 25,000 personnel. This corps of civilian
volunteers with special skill, sets (doctors, lawyers, engineers, city
planners, agriculture specialists, police, etc.) would be organized to provide
each federal agency with a pool of volunteer experts willing to deploy in
times of need at home and abroad.
Restore Our Alliances
Engage Our Allies in Meeting Our Common Security Challenges: America's
traditional alliances, such as NATO, must be transformed and strengthened,
including on common security concerns like Afghanistan, homeland security, and
counterterrorism. Obama will renew alliances and ensure our allies contribute
their fair share to our mutual security.
Organize to Help Our Partners and Allies in Need: An Obama administration will
expand humanitarian activities that build friends and allies at the regional
and local level (such as during the response to the tsunami in South and
Southeast Asia), and win hearts and minds in the process.
Reform Contracting
Create Transparency for Military Contractors: Barack Obama will require the
Pentagon and State Department to develop a strategy for determining when
contracting makes sense, rather than continually handing off governmental jobs
to well-connected companies. An Obama administration will create the
transparency and accountability needed for good governance. Finally, it will
establish the legal status of contractor personnel, making possible
prosecution of any abuses committed by private military contractors.
Restore Honesty, Openness, and Commonsense to Contracting and Procurement: An
Obama administration will realize savings by reducing the corruption and cost
overruns that have become all too routine in defense contracting. This
includes launching a program of acquisition reform and management, which would
end the common practice of no-bid contracting. He will end the abuse of
supplemental budgets by creating a system of oversight for war funds as
stringent as in the regular budget. He will restore the government's ability
to manage contracts by rebuilding our contract officer corps. He will order
the Justice Department to prioritize prosecutions that will punish and deter
fraud, waste and abuse.

Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities
"We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and
discrimination .... policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and
buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a
chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens
in their communities."
- Barack Obama

Barack Obama's Plan
Obamas comprehensive agenda to empower individuals with disabilities fits in
with the campaign's overarching message of equalizing opportunities for all
Americans.

In addition to reclaiming America's global leadership on this issue by
becoming a signatory to -- and having the Senate ratify -- the UN Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the plan has four parts, designed
to provide lifelong supports and resources to Americans with disabilities.
They are as follows:

First, provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities
they need to succeed.

Second, end discrimination and promote equal opportunity.

Third, increase the employment rate of workers with disabilities.

And fourth, support independent, community-based living for Americans with
disabilities.

Plan to Strengthen the Economy
"I believe that America's free market has been the engine of America's great
progress. It's created a prosperity that is the envy of the world. It's led to
a standard of living unmatched in history. And it has provided great rewards
to the innovators and risk-takers who have made America a beacon for science,
and technology, and discovery.We are all in this together. From CEOs to
shareholders, from financiers to factory workers, we all have a stake in each
other's success because the more Americans prosper, the more America
prospers."
- Barack Obama, New York, NY, September 17, 2007

The Problem
Wages are Stagnant as Prices Rise: While wages remain flat, the costs of basic
necessities are increasing. The cost of in-state college tuition has grown 35
percent over the past five years. Health care costs have risen four times
faster than wages over the past six years. And the personal savings rate is
now the lowest it's been since the Great Depression.
Tax Cuts for Wealthy Instead of Middle Class: The Bush tax cuts give those who
earn over $1 million dollars a tax cut nearly 160 times greater than that
received by middle-income Americans. At the same time, this administration has
refused to tackle health care, education and housing in a manner that benefits
the middle class.
Barack Obama's Plan
Jumpstart the Economy
Provide Additional Tax Rebates to American Workers: The economy has continued
to weaken significantly, despite congressional action to provide immediate tax
rebates to American consumers. Stimulus: $20 billion.
Establish a $10 billion Foreclosure Prevention Fund: Given the downturn in the
economy, Obama is calling for immediate creation of his Foreclosure Prevention
Fund that will dramatically increase emergency pre-foreclosure counseling, and
will help families facing foreclosure to responsibly refinance their mortgages
or sell their homes. Obama's plan will not help speculators, people buying
vacation homes or people that falsely represented their incomes. It is meant
to help responsible homeowners through this difficult period. Stimulus: $10
billion.
Provide $10 billion in Relief for State and Local Governments Hardest-Hit by
the Housing Crisis to Prevent Cuts in Vital Services: Because of the housing
crisis and the weakening economy, many state and local governments are facing
significant revenue shortfalls. Barack Obama believes that in the areas
hardest-hit by the housing crisis we should provide immediate, temporary
funding to state and local governments so that the decline in property values
does not cause them to slash critical public services and cut vital
infrastructure spending. Stimulus: $10 billion.
Extend and Expand Unemployment Insurance: Barack Obama believes we must extend
and strengthen the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program to address the needs of
the long-term unemployed, who currently make up nearly one-fifth of the
unemployed and are often older workers who have lost their jobs in
manufacturing or other industries and have a difficult time finding new
employment. Expanding UI is one of the most effective ways to combat economic
turmoil; every dollar invested in UI benefits results in $1.73 in economic
output. Obama is calling for a temporary expansion of the UI program for those
who have exhausted their current eligibility. Stimulus: $10 billion.
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief
Obama will cut income taxes by $1,000 for working families to offset the
payroll tax they pay.
Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Obama will restore fairness to the tax
code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama will
create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000
per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate
income taxes for 10 million Americans.
Eliminate Income Taxes for Seniors Making Less than $50,000: Barack Obama will
eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year.
This proposal will eliminate income taxes for 7 million seniors and provide
these seniors with an average savings of $1,400 each year. Under the Obama
plan, 27 million American seniors will also not need to file an income tax
return.
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically
simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their
taxes in less than five minutes. Obama will ensure that the IRS uses the
information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the
option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Experts estimate
that the Obama proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of
work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Trade
Obama believes that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American
economy and create more American jobs. He will stand firm against agreements
that undermine our economic security.
Fight for Fair Trade: Obama will fight for a trade policy that opens up
foreign markets to support good American jobs. He will use trade agreements to
spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand firm
against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement that fail to
live up to those important benchmarks. Obama will also pressure the World
Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements and stop countries from
continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff
barriers on U.S. exports.
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement: Obama believes that NAFTA and
its potential were oversold to the American people. Obama will work with the
leaders of Canada and Mexico to fix NAFTA so that it works for American
workers.
Improve Transition Assistance: To help all workers adapt to a rapidly changing
economy, Obama would update the existing system of Trade Adjustment Assistance
by extending it to service industries, creating flexible education accounts to
help workers retrain, and providing retraining assistance for workers in
sectors of the economy vulnerable to dislocation before they lose their jobs.
Invest in the Manufacturing Sector and Create 5 Million New Green Jobs
Invest in our Next Generation Innovators and Job Creators: Obama will create
an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to identify and invest in the most compelling
advanced manufacturing strategies. The Fund will have a peer-review selection
and award process based on the Michigan 21st Century Jobs Fund, a state-level
initiative that has awarded over $125 million to Michigan businesses with the
most innovative proposals to create new products and new jobs in the state.
Double Funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership: The Manufacturing
Extension Partnership (MEP) works with manufacturers across the country to
improve efficiency, implement new technology and strengthen company growth.
This highly-successful program has engaged in more than 350,000 projects
across the country and in 2006 alone, helped create and protect over 50,000
jobs. But despite this success, funding for MEP has been slashed by the Bush
administration. Barack Obama will double funding for the MEP so its training
centers can continue to bolster the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.
Invest In A Clean Energy Economy And Create 5 Million New Green Jobs: Obama
will invest $150 billion over 10 years to advance the next generation of
biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in
hybrids, promote development of commercial scale renewable energy, invest in
low emissions coal plants, and begin transition to a new digital electricity
grid. The plan will also invest in America's highly-skilled manufacturing
workforce and manufacturing centers to ensure that American workers have the
skills and tools they need to pioneer the first wave of green technologies
that will be in high demand throughout the world.
Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies: The Obama plan will
increase funding for federal workforce training programs and direct these
programs to incorporate green technologies training, such as advanced
manufacturing and weatherization training, into their efforts to help
Americans find and retain stable, high-paying jobs. Obama will also create an
energy-focused youth jobs program to invest in disconnected and disadvantaged
youth.
Boost the Renewable Energy Sector and Create New Jobs: The Obama plan will
create new federal policies, and expand existing ones, that have been proven
to create new American jobs. Obama will create a federal Renewable Portfolio
Standard (RPS) that will require 25 percent of American electricity be derived
from renewable sources by 2025, which has the potential to create hundreds of
thousands of new jobs on its own. Obama will also extend the Production Tax
Credit, a credit used successfully by American farmers and investors to
increase renewable energy production and create new local jobs.
New Jobs Through National Infrastructure Investment
Barack Obama believes that it is critically important for the United States to
rebuild its national transportation infrastructure - its highways, bridges,
roads, ports, air, and train systems - to strengthen user safety, bolster our
long-term competitiveness and ensure our economy continues to grow.
Create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank: Barack Obama will address
the infrastructure challenge by creating a National Infrastructure
Reinvestment Bank to expand and enhance, not supplant, existing federal
transportation investments. This independent entity will be directed to invest
in our nation's most challenging transportation infrastructure needs. The Bank
will receive an infusion of federal money, $60 billion over 10 years, to
provide financing to transportation infrastructure projects across the nation.
These projects will create up to two million new direct and indirect jobs per
year and stimulate approximately $35 billion per year in new economic
activity.
Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs
Barack Obama will increase federal support for research, technology and
innovation for companies and universities so that American families can lead
the world in creating new advanced jobs and products.
Invest in the Sciences: Barack Obama supports doubling federal funding for
basic research and changing the posture of our federal government from being
one of the most anti-science administrations in American history to one that
embraces science and technology. This will foster home-grown innovation, help
ensure the competitiveness of US technology-based businesses, and ensure that
21st century jobs can and will grow in America.
Make the Research and Development Tax Credit Permanent: Barack Obama wants
investments in a skilled research and development workforce and technology
infrastructure to be supported here in America so that American workers and
communities will benefit. Obama wants to make the Research and Development tax
credit permanent so that firms can rely on it when making decisions to invest
in domestic R&D over multi-year timeframes.
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband: Barack Obama believes we can get broadband
to every community in America through a combination of reform of the Universal
Service Fund, better use of the nation's wireless spectrum, promotion of
next-generation facilities, technologies and applications, and new tax and
loan incentives.
Support Small Business
Provide Tax Relief for Small Businesses and Start Up Companies: Barack Obama
will eliminate all capital gains taxes on start-up and small businesses to
encourage innovation and job creation. Obama will also support small business
owners by providing a $500 "Making Work Pay" tax credit to almost every worker
in America. Self-employed small business owners pay both the employee and the
employer side of the payroll tax, and this measure will reduce the burdens of
this double taxation.
Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators: Barack Obama
will support entrepreneurship and spur job growth by creating a national
network of public-private business incubators. Business incubators facilitate
the critical work of entrepreneurs in creating start-up companies. Obama will
invest $250 million per year to increase the number and size of incubators in
disadvantaged communities throughout the country.
Labor
Obama will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight
for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama will ensure that his labor
appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent
replacement of striking workers. Obama will also increase the minimum wage and
index it to inflation to ensure it rises every year.
Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the
freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation
from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the
Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can
exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage
and sign it into law.
Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right
to organize. He is a cosponsor of legislation to overturn the NLRB's "Kentucky
River" decisions classifying hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction,
and professional workers as "supervisors" who are not protected by federal
labor laws.
Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain
collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent
replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves
without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to
inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that
full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families
and pay for basic needs.
Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud
Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make
sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage
options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners.
Create a New FHA Housing Security Program: Barack Obama strongly supports the
efforts of Senate Banking Committee Chair Chris Dodd (D-CT) to create a new
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program that will provide meaningful
incentives for lenders to buy or refinance existing mortgages and convert them
into stable 30-year fixed mortgages. This plan provides an important federal
backstop - not a bailout - to this growing national problem. Neither lenders
nor homeowners would receive a windfall from this plan.
Create a Universal Mortgage Credit: Obama will create a 10 percent universal
mortgage credit to provide homeowners who do not itemize tax relief. This
credit will provide an average of $500 to 10 million homeowners, the majority
of whom earn less than $50,000 per year.
Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry: Obama has been
closely monitoring the subprime mortgage situation for years, and introduced
comprehensive legislation over a year ago to fight mortgage fraud and protect
consumers against abusive lending practices. Obama's STOP FRAUD Act provides
the first federal definition of mortgage fraud, increases funding for federal
and state law enforcement programs, creates new criminal penalties for
mortgage professionals found guilty of fraud, and requires industry insiders
to report suspicious activity.
Mandate Accurate Loan Disclosure: Obama will create a Homeowner Obligation
Made Explicit (HOME) score, which will provide potential borrowers with a
simplified, standardized borrower metric (similar to APR) for home mortgages.
The HOME score will allow individuals to easily compare various mortgage
products and understand the full cost of the loan.
Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures: Obama will create a fund to
help people refinance their mortgages and provide comprehensive supports to
innocent homeowners. The fund will be partially paid for by Obama's increased
penalties on lenders who act irresponsibly and commit fraud.
Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies: Obama will work to eliminate
the provision that prevents bankruptcy courts from modifying an individual's
mortgage payments. Obama believes that the subprime mortgage industry, which
has engaged in dangerous and sometimes unscrupulous business practices, should
not be shielded by outdated federal law.
Address Predatory Credit Card Practices
Obama will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows
the risk involved in every credit card. He also will establish a Credit Card
Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with
unfair practices.
Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure: Obama will create a
credit card rating system, modeled on five-star systems used for other
consumer products, to provide consumers an easily identifiable ranking of
credit cards, based on the card's features. Credit card companies will be
required to display the rating on all application and contract materials,
enabling consumers to quickly understand all of the major provisions of a
credit card without having to rely exclusively on fine print in lengthy
documents.
Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers: Obama will create
a Credit Card Bill of Rights to protect consumers. The Obama plan will:
Ban Unilateral Changes
Apply Interest Rate Increases Only to Future Debt
Prohibit Interest on Fees
Prohibit "Universal Defaults"
Require Prompt and Fair Crediting of Cardholder Payments
Reform Bankruptcy Laws
Obama will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, ban executive
bonuses for bankrupt companies, and require disclosure of all pension
investments.
Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure: Obama
supports extending a 36 percent interest cap to all Americans. Obama will
require lenders to provide clear and simplified information about loan fees,
payments and penalties, which is why he'll require lenders to provide this
information during the application process.
Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans: Obama
will encourage banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial
Institutions to provide affordable short-term and small-dollar loans and to
drive unscrupulous lenders out of business.
Reform Bankruptcy Laws to Protect Families Facing a Medical Crisis: Obama will
create an exemption in bankruptcy law for individuals who can prove they filed
for bankruptcy because of medical expenses. This exemption will create a
process that forgives the debt and lets the individuals get back on their
feet.
Work/Family Balance
Obama will double funding for after-school programs, expand the Family Medical
Leave Act, provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help
with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules.
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act: The FMLA covers only certain
employees of employers with 50 or more employees. Obama will expand it to
cover businesses with 25 or more employees. He will expand the FMLA to cover
more purposes as well, including allowing workers to take leave for elder care
needs; allowing parents up to 24 hours of leave each year to participate in
their children's academic activities; and expanding FMLA to cover leave for
employees to address domestic violence.
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave: As president, Obama will initiate a
strategy to encourage all 50 states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama will
provide a $1.5 billion fund to assist states with start-up costs and to help
states offset the costs for employees and employers.
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: Obama will double funding for
the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning
Centers program, to serve a million more children. Obama will include measures
to maximize performance and effectiveness across grantees nationwide.
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: The Child and Dependent Care
Tax Credit provides too little relief to families that struggle to afford
child care expenses. Obama will reform the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
by making it refundable and allowing low-income families to receive up to a 50
percent credit for their child care expenses.
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination: Workers with family obligations
often are discriminated against in the workplace. Obama will enforce the
recently-enacted Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines on
caregiver discrimination.
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements: Obama will create a program to inform
businesses about the benefits of flexible work schedules; help businesses
create flexible work opportunities; and increase federal incentives for
telecommuting. Obama will also make the federal government a model employer in
terms of adopting flexible work schedules and permitting employees to request
flexible arrangements.
Barack Obama's Record
Housing: In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase
penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income
homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.
Predatory Lending: In the Illinois State Senate, Obama called attention to
predatory lending issues. Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory
payday loans, and he also was credited with lobbying the state to more closely
regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.
American Jobs: Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 to
provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of
full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their
corporate headquarters in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for
retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the
military.

Regards,
Robert L Bass

==============================>
Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
Sales & Tech Support 941-925-8650
Customer Service 941-870-2310
Fax 941-870-3252
==============================>