Governments in Chicago, San Bernardino, CA, and Suffolk County, NY plan to use eminent domain powers to provide mortgage relief. Created by Mortgage Resolution Partners, the plan being considered would allow local government to seize mortgages on homes of underwater borrowers using eminent domain laws. The bank holding the mortgage would then receive current fair…

With home prices falling and mortgage borrowers defaulting, four lawmakers are calling for more options to help underwater homeowners. Currently, the Principal Reduction Alternative and FHA Short Refinance offer principal reductions to homeowners that owe more than their home is worth, but are not available for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages. Sen Robert Menendez…

The conventions for the Republican and Democratic parties are fast approaching. Should taxpayer dollars are used to fund them? On your tax forms, there is an option to donate $3 out of the tax paid to the government. The funds are dedicated towards public campaign financing. It’s available for candidates who meet certain criteria but…

Within days of President Obama’s move to unilaterally implement amnesty for illegal immigrants, Congress has responded by introducing legislation to stop it.  On Friday, June 15, 2012, President Obama and Janet Napolitano, Head of the Department of Homeland Security, announced they will “stop deporting and begin granting work permits to younger illegal immigrantswho came to the…

If you’re part of a union, the collective bargaining agreement may be tying your employer’s hands. Have you ever wondered why the guy in the cubicle next door gets paid the same as you for lower quality work? According to James Sherk of The Heritage Foundation, collective bargaining agreements were originally designed to keep employers…

Sodium Cyanide and Compound 1080 are used routinely to kill coyotes and other wild animals that prey on domestic livestock. US Dept of Agriculture Wildlife Services has used these methods for many years. In the case of Compound 1080 this is done with with a protection collar put on sheep that may be bitten into…

Rep John Campbell (R-CA) was one of two lone votes against HR 1148 also known as the STOCK Act (Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act).   This insider trading bill had just previously passed the Senate by a 96-3 margin.   When it reached the house, amendments added by the Senate were removed to make it more…

President Obama has frequently stated that a major part of his plans to stimulate the economy would be development of infrastructure, like roads, train tracks and utilities facilities. His American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $105.3 billion in infrastructure spending. Republicans argue that these projects do not deliver as many jobs as promised and unnecessarily…

Many projections on the fiscal impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were based upon inaccurate estimates. These estimates helped Congress come to a conclusion that the law would not add to the deficit. It was discovered that some of these projections were manipulated by having costs loaded out 11 years. Now, Rep….

There has been significant controversy over online copyright protection and laws to protect the rights of copyright owners on the internet. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) proposed the Stop Online Piracy Act, which was supported by the entertainment industry and decried by Internet companies like Google, Facebook, web host 1&1 and even the sports media company…