THE PARTY OF GREED, THE PARTY OF CORPORATE OVER-INDULGENCE AND GRAFT

I've mentioned a few times how revolted I was by the horrendous bankruptcy "reform" that the Republicans allowed the credit card companies to write and how disappointed I was at all the corporate Democrats who joined them in passing it. Many people thought that in light of the disastrous consequences of Hurricane Katrina and the catastrophic results of Bush's criminal negligence in terms of the levees and in terms of his and FEMA's inept response, the Republicans would be shamed into re-addressing some of the most egregious sections. Or at least that they would take a second look at the amendment Democrats offered to exempt victims of floods. Today, however, we find out-- once again-- that these selfish monsters have no sense of shame whatsoever.

Wisconsin Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a far right extremist and corporate toadie, who happens to be the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, pompously announced that he has no intention of reopening bankruptcy law he was so happy about passing. Even proposals to specifically exempt just Hurricane Katrina victims from some of its provisions was scorned by him. I wonder what exactly it means when Bush says he bears responsibility. He's certainly not going to commit hara-kiri or even resign. The LEAST he could do would be to tell a reactionary asshole like Sensenbrenner to lighten up on the victims of Republican negligence. But he won't.

Sensenbrenner, an actual fascist, preemptively declared he would not even consider allowing a hearing in his committee on a bill by the panel's ranking Democrat, Michigan Rep. John Conyers, and 31 other Democrats attempting to ameliorate the damages the bill will do to Hurricane Katrina victims. The law, which makes it next to impossible for heavily indebted Americans-- like say, someone paying a mortgage for a home or store floating in the Gulf of Mexico-- to file for bankruptcy the way GOP backing corporations can (and do), goes into effect on October 17.

Although Sensenbrenner** preemptory rejection of hearings has doomed proposals in the House, over in
the Senate, Russell Feingold (D-WI) has introduced legislation that would let Katrina victims file under the old bankruptcy law for another year. Even before the hurricane, record numbers of people were rushing to file for bankruptcy before the more stringent new law goes into effect. The American Bankruptcy Institute said recently that quarterly filings for the period from April to the end of June were the highest in U.S. history at 467,333 -- up 11 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. Welcome to George Bush's America; pray you never need a helping hand.



** Good news: Sensenbrenner has a first class opponent in the 2006 congressional elections. Bryan Kennedy deserves support in Wisconsin's 5th CD. I'll write more about him and about this crucial race later in the season.