What You Missed when You Were Out - a Weekly Recap of the Top Stories Affecting You

Dodd May Toughen CFPA In Financial Regulation Reform Bill by Arthur Delaney, The Huffington Post
Dodd unveils sweeping financial regulation plan by Jim Kuhnhenn, Associated Press Writer
Bernanke: Keep Fed as watchdog of small US banks by Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer

Claude's Recap: Basically, the fight for a real consumer protection agency is vanishing - it's not too late to call or write your local senator or representative and demand an independent consumer protection agency outside of the slimy, greedy hands of that banking cartel known as the Federal Reserve. The chart here from The Huffington Post illuminates why the Federal Reserve would like to keep things they way they are, nice and confusing, instead of clear and transparent.
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US criticism of Israel ignites firestorm by Matthew Lee, Associated Press Writer
Israel: East Jerusalem construction to continue by Amy Teibel, Associated Press Writer

Claude's Recap: I really wish the good people of Israel would vote out their war-mongering conservatives serving in their government that are separating Israel from even their closest allies.
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Less Than Half Of Americans Consider Themselves Middle Class: Poll by Arthur Delaney, The Huffington Post

Claude's Recap: Such a shame in the "richest" nation on earth.
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Holder's Next Headache by Philip Shenon, The Daily Beast

Claude's Recap: This is a huge story not because Attorney General Holder is a failure, he isn't, not perfect but still far away from being a complete failure on corruption. But the Supreme Court, that exclusive life long membership that the voters don't get a say in, are threatening to overturn anti-corruption laws making it legal for politicians to not be prosecuted for not serving the public honestly. This will take us another step closer to fascism and another step away from true democracy.
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'Deem and pass': Democrats' new tactic for healthcare reform bill by Gail Russell Chaddock, The Christian Science Monitor
Insurance-rate regulation dropped from latest health bill by Steven Thomma, McClatchy Newspapers
Waxman: No health deal with abortion opponents by Alan Fram, Associated Press Writer

Claude's Recap: I was heart-broken when Representative Kucinich went back on his word to support the latest health care efforts this week, even though it did not contain a public option. But it will help millions of people get some kind of basic coverage, and hopefully Senator Sanders will introduce a Public Option Amendment once this pro-insurance health reform passes later tonight - and both of those facts make swallowing this less than perfect legislation a bit easier. What I can't understand is the outcry of republicans over having a Public Option, these so-called pro-lifers must be really confused, how can you be against abortions but for killing millions of Americans by monetizing their health?

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Avandia Researchers' Financial Ties Questioned by HealthDay
Op-Ed: Patient's plea makes the best case for health care reform by The Newsroom

Claude's Recap: These two articles are perfect examples of why monetizing health care is bad. If we had a Universal Health Care Plan research would be motivated by results instead of profits and good, hard working people with insurance would be able to not go bankrupt or die because they can't afford the care for life-threatening illnesses and diseases like cancer.
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How a Corrupt Lehman Nearly Hoodwinked Washington by Rick Newman, U.S. News
Letter: Lehman accounting tricks possibly illegal by Stevenson Jacobs, AP Business Writer

Claude's Recap: Obviously you and I would be in jail if we had a company, hid all of its debt with accounting scams in order to raise money from investors to make more dumb investments with. When you have a cronie-corporate-government you get too big to fail firms acting without safety & soundness, and only acting to fill their already swelled up pockets with no fear of being prosecuted or ousted by the corrupt regulators watching it all take place.