Somebody help me out with this one! A severe injustice at the wrong time.

John Stewart hosted a panel of 9/11 first responders who were speaking out about the Republicans threatened filibuster of the bill. (See the link below.) He was outraged, and brilliant. For blocking the passage of this bill, the Republicans are, in my humble opinion, are deeply wrong. Conversely, the Democrats, including our President, have failed to aggressively promote and pass the bill choosing to focus on extreme left wing proposals that in many ways have divided our nation. Both sides are at fault.

What am I missing folks? This bill, to me, seems to be a colossal 'no brainer'. The Republicans should fall in line and pass it without exception. The Democrats, forever the party of fumblers and bumblers should have made it a priority months ago.

There are many issues I stand for, including the Dream Act, that while I may feel passionate about, despite my opinion I understand the other side's perspective. Even the in the case of the Tea Party, of which I am a vocal critic, I can likewise understand their outrage at ineffective, bloated government. However, for this issue I am dumbfounded.

I'm honored to serve as a Police Chaplain. Chaplains, like my colleagues who serve the East Palo Alto PD, are considered first responders. Who can forget the photo of Father Judge's, a fire Chaplain, being carried out from the Twin Towers by firemen. He is an inspiration to me. If I was in NYC, or if there is, God forbid, a natural or other tragedy in the Bay Area you won't be able to keep me away from helping. If I get sick, I pray there is help for me - and for the police and firemen I serve. This one is getting 'close to home' for me.

To my 'conservative' brothers and sisters, can you call you Senators and express your outrage and encourage them to pass this bill before the holiday break? Can you contact your friends and like minded acquaintances and ask them to make contact. Not passing this bill would be another tragedy impacting a group of folks who daily put their lives on the line, some of whom have been dying a slow death since crawling on the pile at the hallowed site at Ground Zero. l

Check out the John Stewart interview here: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-december-16-2010/9-11-first-responders-...

See a good ABC news piece here: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jon-stewart-rants-republican-filibuster-911-re...

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PageMill, Wells Fargo and Sam Zell

Dear Friends, Normal.dotm 0 0 1 888 5066 Northern California Urban Development 42 10 6221 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false As many of you know we've been in discussion recently with Wells Fargo and Equity Residential, the proposed buyers of the former Pagemill Properties on the west side of East Palo Alto. As an East Palo Alto resident and leader I view this issue, and how Wells Fargo handles this important portfolio as a milestone event for our community and it’s residents. First, a little background (from my perspective): A few years ago over 80% of East Palo Alto's multi family housing stock was purchased piece by piece by a predator equity group, Pagemill Properties. After the purchase Pagemill began systematically dismantling our rent control ordinances and aggressively evicting working class families. The community was in shock. However, the Pagemill group went bankrupt in 2009 and lost the property to Wachovia,...

Non Profit Payday Loans?

Here's a recent New York Times article sent to me from Katie at NCHM on payday lending. I know that the NCUD / CTCU-EPA partnership is going to have to create the right program addressing the needs for short term lending for low income families. We don't have the answers yet, but it's definitely on our radar. APPLETON, Wis. — This city of 70,000 has five McDonald’s franchises, three Pizza Huts, four Starbucks shops — and 19 payday loan stores, brightly lighted storefronts with names like EZ Money and Check Into Cash that offer two-week loans without credit checks. Peggy Truckey, 53, knows the allure. Last year she owed nearly $1,300 to four of those stores, and was paying about $600 a month in finance fees alone. “I thought I was going to have to take a second job just to pay off the interest,” Ms. Truckey said. Then she heard about a new nonprofit program operated out of a Goodwill thrift store, one of several hundred lower-cost payday loan products that are now bein...

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