Republican hypocrisy on Bankruptcy bill -- action needed!! (GD repost)

(Originally posted in GD -- posting in GDP because some people just hang out here, and I hope a lot of people will do what's described below:)


In their rush to jam the Bankruptcy bill down our throats, the Republicans are putting themselves on record as being the world's biggest hypocrites. I urge everyone stuck with a Republican senator to call and e-mail them to protest their hypocritical votes against Democratic amendments over the past few days. Also, please send letters to your local newspapers!!

This is a LTTE I wrote to my local paper -- feel free to use it. Or just take it as a starting point for your own letter. If anyone has another letter people can use, please post it!!


Sample letter:
"I am appalled by the actions taken by Senate Republicans over the past few days as they have sought to push through Senator Charles Grassley's bankruptcy reform bill. While I agree that people who recklessly run up bills should be forced to pay their debts, the bill as currently written sweeps away protections for worthy and unworthy debtors alike: Under Seneator Grassley's bill, senior citizens who have huge medical bills are treated just as harshly as 30-year-old yuppies who run up their credit cards charging big screen TV's and expensive vacations! Instead of rectifying this glaring defect in the bill, Senate Republicans have spent the last few days defeating amendments designed to protect people whose financial difficulties occurred through no fault of their own: To rush the bill through, Republicans have voted en masse against amendments that would have given some measure of protection to people whose indebtedness was caused by huge medical bills, identity theft, or the need to care for a sick family member. At the same time, Senate Republicans, with the exception of Lincoln Chaffee (RI), voted against an amendment that would have limited the amount of money wealthy people can put into trusts that allow them to shield their assets from bankruptcy! They also voted against a so-called "homestead exemption" that would enable the elderly and those driven to bankruptcy by medical expenses to keep their homes. Meanwhile, wealthy people facing financial sanctions can legally shield their money by buying huge homes in Florida and Texas, states whose laws protect homes, regardless of the value, from being touched by the bankruptcy courts. Does this not seem hypocritical and unfair? Every last cent will be wrung from average Americans who've encountered severe problems, while those with substantial assets are allowed to shelter them?? Fat-cat executives who've driven their companies into bankruptcy will get to keep their mansions and their money while hard-working Americans who have had the misfortune to become sick or had some other tragedy befall them will be treated like irresponsible spendthrifts?? For the life of me, I can't understand how the Republican Senators could have voted against these amendments. What is our country coming to when we treat our fellow citizens this way? How could something like this happen in the US Senate??"



Thanks if you can take the time to do this -- and please keep this kicked......


Info sources:
http://nytimes.com/2005/03/04/business/04bankrupt.html
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/2005...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/02/business/02bankrupt.h...

County. So I am going to send this to all the local papers. BTW do you have any idea when the new BK laws (when passed) will be in effect?

Thanks!

But anyone who is thinking of filing better consult with a lawyer quick -- I imagine it takes time to get all the legal paperwork done. (Of course, there's still a VERY slim chance it could be defeated --- very, very slim, I gather...Schumer is still planning to offere the amendment that has killed it in previous years...)