An example of Fiscal Conservatism?

A lot of conservative candidates are running on a platform of small-government and fiscal conservatism and how out of touch Washington is with Main St. Here's an article I found that may be of interest to all of us still struggling under the burden of student loans, or perhaps, for those of us who know student loans are in our children's future.

"Backdoor Bailout, Tea Party Fakeout: The GOP's Secret $90 Billion Gift To Wall Street"

The gist of it is that GOP hopefuls want to repeal the legislation that removed "a cushy deal that gave private banks a percentage of government-loan funds for "administering" loans (they weren't actually lending the money). They performed their administrative duties both inefficiently and unethically. What's more, the banks took a portion of their vig and spent it on lobbyists in order to keep the pot sweetened for themselves."

In addition:

"The Republican repeal plan wouldn't just put tens of billions of public dollars in bank coffers. It would also raise the maximum amount a graduate is forced to pay each year from 10 percent to 15 percent of income. And it would extend the length of time before their debt is forgiven from 20 to 25 years."

I don't have an email address or phone number for you to call on this one, but perhaps a more basic question to start a discussion:

Can you trust a candidate to do what's right for Main Street, when they are funded by Wall Street? Can you trust a Representative or Senator to listen to doctors when they are funded by lawyers? This is an old question but more relevant than ever considering the ability of corporations to donate like people. What do you think? Will we ever get away from the hypocrisy?

Raped girl must cheer for her attacker

Here's an article (thanks Andrew Rihn) about a high school girl who was sexually assaulted by a basketball player at her school. When she refused to chant his name during his free throws, she was kicked off the team.

What's even more disgusting, is that after the incedent happened, the school officials urged her to keep a low profile, avoid the cafeteria, perhaps forgo homecoming...Good for her for refusing to be shamed into silence.

At the end of the article are the emails for the school officials. I urge you to take a minute and shoot an email to these officials who are supposed to be protecting our children, who are instead, more worried about the athletes' reputations.

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2010/10/15/cheerleader-required-to-cheer-for-man-who-assaulted-her/

Richard Bain Jr., Superintendent, Silsbee Independent School District, 415 Highway 327 West, Silsbee, TX, 77656; rbain@silsbeeisd.org; (409) 980-7800

Eldon Franco, Principal, Silsbee High School, 1575 Highway 96 North, Silsbee, TX, 77656-4799; efranco@silsbeeisd.org; (409) 980-7800