Dems who voted against amendments to bankruptcy bill

[PA Democrat]

Corzine Amdt. No. 32; To preserve existing bankruptcy protections for individuals experiencing economic distress as caregivers to ill or disabled family members.

NAYS: Baucus, Bingaman, Carper, Johnson, Nelson
NOT VOTING: Biden, Inouye


Kennedy Amdt. No. 29; To provide protection for medical debt homeowners

NAYS: Bingaman, Carper, Johnson, Nelson
NOT VOTING: Biden, Inouye


Kennedy Amdt. No. 28.; To exempt debtors whose financial problems were caused by serious medical problems from means testing.

NAYS: Biden, Carper, Johnson, Nelson
NOT VOTING: Dodd, Inouye


Akaka Amdt. No. 15; To require enhanced disclosure to consumers regarding the consequences of making only minimum required payments in the repayment of credit card debt, and for other purposes.

NAYS: Baucus, Biden, Carper, Johnson, Nelson
NOT VOTING: Inouye


Feingold Amdt. No. 17.; To provide a homestead floor for the elderly

NAYS: Biden, Carper, Nelson
NOT VOTING: Inouye


Durbin Amdt. No. 16, As Modified.; To protect servicemembers and veterans from means testing in bankruptcy, to disallow certain claims by lenders charging usurious interest rates to servicemembers, and to allow servicemembers to exempt property based on the law of the State of their premilitary residence.

NAYS: Baucus, Biden, Byrd, Carper, Johnson, Nelson
NOT VOTING: Dayton, Inouye


http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_109_1.htm

[Straight Shooter]

1. Wow. Biden is a real prince.

Prince of darkness :eyes:

[PA Democrat]

I guess that the $90,075 that he took from MBNA in campaign contributions

left him indebted to the credit card companies' agenda.

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00001669&cycle=2002

[cosmicdot]

20. it was $147,700 in 2004

excellent post!!
thank you


JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. (D-DE)
Top Contributors
#1 MBNA Corp $147,700
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00001669&cycle=2004

TOM CARPER (D-DE)
Top Contributors
#1 MBNA Corp $132,447
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00012508&cycle=2004

TIM JOHNSON (D-SD)
Top Contributors
#1 Citigroup Inc $74,060
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00010084&cycle=2004

re the 109th Congress - "Of, by and for Big Business"
by Robert Scheer

"Watching the 109th Congress, one would be forgiven for thinking our Constitution was the blueprint for a government of Big Business, by Big Business and for Big Business. Forget the people — this is Robin Hood in reverse.

"Here's the agenda, as laid out by the president and the Republicans who control Congress: First, limit people's power to right wrongs done to them by corporations. Next, force people to repay usurious loans to credit card companies that make gazillions off the fine print. Then, for the coup de grace, hand over history's most successful public safety net to Wall Street."

~snip~
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-scheer22feb22,0,3826732.column?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

[SW FL Dem]

2. Which Nelson?

Ben or Bill

[PA Democrat]

3. Ben Nelson from Nebraska voted NAY

Bill Nelson from Florida voted FOR all these amendments.

[SW FL Dem]

6. Bill Nelson FL voted in favor of consumers

He voted his conscience even though he faces a huge challenge in 2006

[saracat]

4. Biden just kissed off his Prez bid. He can go F himself now!

[OneBlueSky]

5. what a loverly bunch of coconuts we have here . . .

BushCo enablers, each and every one . . . this bankruptcy bill is going to pass the Senate with overwhelming Democratic support as our "representatives" proceed to pay back their large corporate contributors at the expense of the people . . . just watch . . .

on edit: do these idiots think that we don't care about this? . . . or that we're too stupid to be paying attention? . . . or are they just so deeply in the pockets of the credit card industry that they have no choice? . . . whatever the case, they can all go screw themselves . . . if this bill passes because of Democratic support, we can kiss the future of the party goodbye . . .

[PA Democrat]

12. I think it's that they are so deeply in the pockets of the credit card co

Tim Johnson's top contibutor was Citigroup

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00010084&cycle=2004

Joe Biden's top contributor was MBNA

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00001669&cycle=2002

Tom Carper's top contributor was MBNA

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00012508&cycle=2004

Max Baucus's second top contributor was JP Morgan

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00004643&cycle=2004

[AirAmFan]

23. Opensecrets is a great site--Thanks for the links!

They've organized their 'contribution' data in many different VERY INFORMATIVE ways. At URL http://www.opensecrets.org/cmteprofiles/profiles.asp?CmteID=S06&Cmte=SBAN&Cycle=2002&CongNo=107&Chamber=S&Indus=F06 , they show bribes from Finance/credit companies to members of the Senate Banking committee over the election cycle ending in 2002.

The industry coughed up a traceable total of $1.15 million to that committee. If I'm reading the Opensecrets bar graphs correctly, the top three industry bribes to Senate Banking went to Democrats. The votes you've tallied from Carper (DE) and Johnson (SD) show how well the bribes worked for two of the three Democrats who got the most credit-card company loot.

The only surprise was Schumer (NY), who actually got the biggest bribe of all. Apparently, he stiffed the credit card companies in a big way, or else limited his payback to shaping the alternatives to favor his benefactors behind the scenes.

[republicannincompoop]

17. Hate to say it, but I already puckered up and kissed it

goodbye when Clinton rammed Bush1's NAFTA through. It was the beginning of the end of the manufacturing middle class us Demos always counted on: fiscal conservative, social liberals, non-baptists.

And Bill helped them do it.



I tried to contact Hillary's website yesterday to voice my concern about her threat towords Syria.

I got a "too busy for non-NY residents" reply.

[leftofthedial]

7. Is Biden still pretending to be a Democrat?

He is owned lock, stock and barrel by the insurance/financial services industry.

[Dying Eagle]

8. NO surprise there!

I am very proud of the real Democrats that offered Amendments Kennedy, Akaka, Feingold, ect. We still have a pulse.

[babylonsister]

9. If Biden is trying to prove something, it didn't happen

with me. Durbin and Kennedy were so eloquent and passionate in their support about people facing medical problems and vets. Biden has other/further issues, and I'm not interested. He couldn't even be bothered-he sucks in my opinion.

[Eric J in MN]

11. Maybe he was trying to prove he likes the credit card companies

more than he likes ordinary people.

[PA Democrat]

13. He likes their campaign contributions

And Joe knows he has to dance with those that brought him to the dance.

[Swamp Rat]

10. Fuck you Biden! n/t

:mad:

[madmark]

14. Biden (and his fellow pro bk bill dems) are members of the MBNA party

A letter I sent my senator regarding this matter is below. I work in the area so some of my comments may be more substantive than others. Free free to send it (or portions) to your congress people. The bill is so bad that it may need to filibustered and I do not think I am overstating the matter:

Dear Senator McCain,

I am one of your constituents and have practiced bankruptcy law for the past 12 years here in Phoenix. Before you vote to pass the bankruptcy bill could you please do two things: 1)Read this bill, and 2) Speak to at least one of Arizona's bankruptcy judges (preferably a republican one so that they have more credibility in your eyes) about the bill's merits. If you can still vote for the bill after you have read it and spoken to one of our judges then you have at least done the bare mininum diligence that this decision requires. I suspect though if you actually read the bill and speak to one of our judges about it (not necessarily in that order) you will be unable to vote for it because it is in effect an economic attack on the middle class and will render the bankruptcy courts dysfunctional. I know that may sound like hyperbole but I honestly do not think I am overstating the matter.

In my practice approximately 5% of the bankruptcy cases I see could be characterized as abusive or involving lack of personal responsibility. The balance are caused by the following in descending order: divorce, illness, injury, job layoffs, and entrepreneurial failure. Even Republican Senators during this debate have already described the bill as being "harsh" when applying it to members of the military. Just as the Senate does not think this harsh bill should apply to the military why would they want it to apply to the divorced, ill, injured, layed off and the entrepreneurs who fuel our economy, take the risks that have to be taken for growth to ever occur, and failed in this noble attempt.

I will preview two important provisions in the Bil. The Bill "means tests" the ability of people to file Chapter 7 liquidations and forces everyone except the lower middle class with one income (2 incomes will be too much), the impoverished, and the extremely wealthy to file a Chapter 13 wage earner plan bankruptcy instead of a Chapter 7 liquidation. The Bill also requires that debtor's lawyers assume liability for the accuracy of the Debtors' representations of their financial condition set forth in their bankruptcy schedules and statement of financial affairs. Chapter 13's administrative transaction costs are three to four times greater than Chapter 7's. Chapter 13's will require a monthly payment stream for 3 to 5 years whether or not there really is any disposable income from which this payment can be made. Chapter 13's do not provide a debt discharge until the conclusion of the 3 to 5 years and credit markets refuse access to these debtors prior to receipt of the discharge. In Chapter 7's the discharge order comes in approximately 4 to 5 months and credit markets (ie. car lenders) will deal with debtors (albeit at a higher rate) after the receipt of the discharge. Chapter 13's plan currently have a high failure rate (ie. most debtors default on their Chapter 13 plan payments and never get their discharge). No lawyers will represent Debtors with the new liability provisions. Without lawyers the already high Chapter 13 failure rate will skyrocket. The net effect is hundreds of thousands/millions of American middle class people (the divorced, ill, injured, layed off, and failed entrepreneurs) will no longer get discharges and no longer be able to function as productive members of the American economy. All this at time when we are likely looking at a coming housing bubble correction, interest rate spike (accelarated by government budget and trade deficts), and dollar sell off.

And for what? I understand that MBNA and other credit card issuers have contributed a great deal to Senators for the additional leverage on Debtors that this bill will give them but is that enough to vote for a bill that is harmful to the interests of the American economy and its middle class.

There are other bad things in the bill and if your office would to discuss them further feel free to correspond to arrange the same. Thank you for your time considering this matter.

[PA Democrat]

18. Nice letter.

Let us know if you get a response. I called both my senators (Specter and Santorum) but I realized it was a wasted effort. I still feel the need to go on the record as voicing my objection to their anti-consumer, anti-constituent votes.

[WiltedFlowerChild]

15. Bingaman

is TOAST! GRRRRRRR

and Biden? Not only on the take from the credit card companies, major chemical companies operate out of Delaware. Biden is in some DEEP pockets and there is the proof.

GRRRRRRR

[Hugin]

24. Yup...

... Looks like Jeff-ro and I need to have a little talk.

[republicannincompoop]

16. I suppose a cynical person might say the Republican Senate

Majority is really 65-35? What with Feinstein and Lieberman backing other neozioweirdo causes?

Thanks VERY much for this post.

[Hamlette]

19. another position

banks won't continue to lend money to high risk individuals if they don't have to pay it back.

Doesn't seem creditors should bear the burdens here.

[madmark]

21. Banks are free to not lend high risk people money but they do it anyway

because they make a net profit doing under current law. They want to adjust the law to increase that net profit further at a cost of permanently estranging millions of middle class people from the mainsteam economy. That may make sense for MBNA but does it make sense for the America?

[PA Democrat]

22. Exactly! Some of the people with marginal credit histories are the most

profitable for credit card companies with the late fees and over limit fees and higher interest rates that get charged to these customers.

Someone like me, OTOH, who pays their balance in full every month is actually referred to as a "deadbeat" by the credit card industry because they don't make money on me.

Frontline did a great piece on the credit card industry. According to this article, the industry made a record $30 billion last year.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/credit/etc/synopsis.html

[Hamlette]

26. it's not just banks

its hospitals. And yes, they extend credit. Do you want them to stop? If you make it harder/impossible for them to collect, they will.

It's not a problem with lenders. it's a problem with health care.

[moggie12]

25. I hope DUers stuck with Biden, Baucus, Carper, Johnson & Nelson

call their offices today and express their outrage!!

Thanks for posting that...