Defend and Challenge

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Wednesday January 20, 2010 · 9:21 PM PST

2010/01/20 · 21:21

Having followed the discussion over the last several months on Daily Kos about the various health care bills and what they include or don't include has made me frankly very depressed. Depending on which post I read this is either the greatest advance in health care reform in many decades, the best we could get given the circumstances, or a total capitulation to the insurance industry.

There is also a lot of whining....about how bad Obama has turned out to be, how bought off the congressional Democrats are, how bad the Senate Bill is, how the Republicans are capturing the messaging and we are helpless...all magnified by the Brown victory in Massachsetts.

Words, I think, are important...and sometimes simple words help provide a platform for the development of more complex ideas.Sometimes you have to hold two concepts in your head at the same time even if they appear contradictory. Such is the case with two concepts: Defend and Challenge.

mikefromchi

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Friday January 15, 2010 · 7:47 PM PST

2010/01/15 · 19:47

While I know the purpose of this site is to elect better Democrats, I often am impressed by diaries that offer some serious policy content. I want to offer one of these in the housing arena.It's really quite simple, not too expensive, and has the potential to benefit individual families,create substantial employment and economic activity- all goals of economic recovery.

It is simply this - bring back an old staple of the federal housing arsenal - the Section 312 Rehabilitation Loan Program. 312 loans were loans made with funds provided by the federal government at low interest rates(3%)and processed by local municipalities.These loans were for the rehabilitation of homes and small apartment buildings. They were actual loans- not grants- that citizens took out and paid back. Like all loans there were approved subject to certain underwriting criteria and since they were loans to improve properties requirements on code compliance.

mikefromchi

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Thursday March 19, 2009 · 12:17 AM PDT

2009/03/19 · 00:17

Something evil has snuck into the public consciousness while everyone is discussing the AIG excesses.

I have been working and traveling so I haven't been on this site in a couple of days...so I don't know if this has been discussed.

I want to go out on St. Patrick's Day...I'm in Milwaukee, a great beer drinking town ...and this is what I get confronted with....

mikefromchi

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday October 12, 2008 · 5:33 PM PDT

2008/10/12 · 17:33

A brief story that warmed my heart and hopefully yours in these troubling days of division...

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Defend and Challenge

A better, fairer TARP - Bring back the Section 312 Loan Program

A troubling St. Patrick's Day in Milwaukee

A Sudan cab driver, Rush Limbaugh, and Yes We Can